• alx@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      1 hour ago

      Swords historically have a ricasso. That’s the base part of the blade, and it generally isn’t sharpened, specifically to be able to use half-swording (having one hand on the grip and one on the blade). The hand on the blade is often at like 1/3 of the blade tho. It was used to stab into weak points of an armor with precision (since swords were pretty bad against armored foes). But also, half-swording is done by “pinching” the flat of the blade betweend the palm and the fingertips, in a way that prevents touching the sharpened thread. It isn’t shown on this (very historically accurate, if i may say so) image

    • RegalPotoo@lemmy.world
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      7 hours ago

      I suppose the point of a longsword is less “wickedly sharp razor blade to slice and dice with precision” and more “wedge shaped heavy piece of metal to drop on people with the hope of finding a gap in their armour”

      • TheDoozer@lemmy.world
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        6 hours ago

        If you want slicey-dicey, get a super-sharp katana or a saber. If you want fast and pokey, get a rapier. If you want a beating stick that’s 80% sharp edge, grab a broadsword.