Different Types of Cuts with Swords, Axes, etc (Slash, Hew, Chop/Cleave, Slice)

The different terms are often used vaguely or interchangeably which can be confusing, but there are different cutting mechanics which can be useful to distinguish. In the video I'm suggesting some interpretations to clarify how these words might be used and how cuts work in historical martial arts.
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[@shredwardslayer6354]

According to wikipedia Slash is "a British-born American musician and songwriter.[1] He is best known as the lead guitarist of the American rock band Guns N' Roses,"

[@billjacobs521]

Wunter-slaush.

[@HamuraiC-137]

Shredward Slayer he's actually a Dutch folk lore character known as Vünter Slauche

[@koffieverslaafde627]

C-137 Rick Sanchez never head of him and I live there

[@HamuraiC-137]

Koffie Verslaafde watch more South Park....the other two guys got it

[@masterchief3007]

That's my favorite way to kill my enemies.

[@coryman125]

I find it mildly humourous that "chop, cleave, slice" etc. sound so violent, until you put them in the context of a kitchen. "Slice the tomato, add it to the chopped onions, then prepare the meat using a cleaver"

[@madman19979]

coryman125 That tomato had a wife and kids you heartless monster

[@CarrotConsumer]

Vegetable genocide.

[@CazadorSlayer]

And we ate them, too! Bwahahahaha!

[@akatsukami9578]

After that beat the eggs, whip the cream, and smother the meat with the onions.

[@poilboiler]

Slice the enemy, add it to the chopped bits, then prepare the meat using a cleaver.

[@p_serdiuk]

A slash -- a primarily parallel blade motion. Results in a long, shallow wound, usually. A cut -- a combination of parallel and perpendicular blade motion. Results in a shorter, deeper, potentially fatal wound. A chop -- a primarily perpendicular blade motion. Penetrates deeply. A slice -- a primarily parallel blade motion, that goes deeper than a slash or sideways at an angle. A hew -- a blade motion, intended to separate a part from the whole or to give a certain shape to a piece of raw materiel. A cleave -- a blade motion, intended to split a whole into two semi-equal parts.

[@kothaelser3282]

I think you got the terms exactly right.

[@iruleandyoudont9]

Serdiuk Paul parallel to what

[@RayPoreon]

+Sully Whatever you're hitting.

[@matthewcapano9577]

The ground, I believe

[@adoenlunnae341]

The blade or the thing you're cutting

[@rakctus8311]

"If only this much of the tip enters it's not going to get... deep enough to reach organs for example" I'm just going to leave this here

[@stinko420]

dear god

[@CAepicreviews]

The Cervix Puncher

[@avery-quinnmaddox5985]

IAmTheRedd Sounds like a good time. I need someone to penetrate me that way. ;D

[@SolarSAG]

Well. Why?

[@tigershark8867]

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@antonymash9586]

A dictionary of martial arts... "I'd buy that for a dollar"

[@renburg33]

Nice to see Skall is on point with his blade puns... *help me*

[@OfficialGamingPeople]

Not on the level of Matt Easton though.

[@zacrigby4426]

Kunst des Fuckyou "as you know, I love the butt"

[@Makingnewnamesisdumb]

"I know all about cutting, this will be easy to understand and explain." >watch video "What even is a sword?"

[@gabrielmaia5334]

Makingnewnamesisdumb What even is the purpose of life? :o

[@xan.xet.]

Makingnewnamesisdumb You can always use Google to search up stuff.

[@unclestone8406]

Gabriel Maia Crush your enemies something something lamentations of da wimmen something. And Crom. Never forget Crom, unless he forgets you, then *to hell with him!*

[@imasiontist653]

Makingnewnamesisdumb a pummel transporting device.

[@ilikecats830]

2 seconds in allready want to die from the pun

[@1Kapuchu100]

Want me to PUNt you off the edge of the cliff? :P

[@princeofpugs7908]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[@thibaud1330]

Immature Brit Guess you were pretty sharp to notice those

[@ilikecats830]

stop it leave me alone i dont like attention im more bashful than a mace (wat u do now)

[@ilikecats830]

Could always sharpen your pun skills

[@Deamons64]

As someone who writes a lot of historical fiction, I've run into the same issue. Unsure of how to classify a movement. I honestly have been using the wounds it would leave to gauge it. Eg: a quick flick of a knife, that leaves a small/moderate wound would be a cut. Whereas say, a long, drawn horizontal motion that leaves longer, maybe deeper wounds would be something like a slash. And I try to avoid using the term cleave unless I'm referring to the severing of a limb, unless a butcher is involved, chop is generally the better fit.

[@Mailed-Knight]

Hmm I like the word cleave. Anywho do you have a link where I could buy or check out some of these historical fictions.

[@Deamons64]

Grim Knight afraid not. Most of what I write really isn't worth reading, and what little of it is, I kind of change it to more of a fantasy setting and use it for D&D.

[@Mailed-Knight]

Oh... Well okay thanks anyway.

[@Dirklive]

Deamons64 That sounds intresting to me!

[@mateusz7953]

It all depends on the result. Cut is your shallow injury. Anything that goes depper bends towards a slash. What matters is the way you get the injury. Clean sword slash, messy axe chop, etc. Cleave would be a wide swing resulting in serious injury.

[@kingofgaming3894]

Video was a bit long, couldn't you have cut it shorter to be more to the point, I was on edge the entire time.

[@maxlevirus]

Nooooooo... that's painful to read D: Well, thanks for that slice of life, I found your jokes very cleaver

[@kingofgaming3894]

I didn't mean for any jokes, must have been an axe-edent

[@GameWinner5]

Get out.

[@koffieverslaafde627]

King of Gaming I....I.....I don't know anymore

[@maxlevirus]

Hahaha, sharp! You're a... cut above the rest.

[@The_PotionSeller]

"Let's cut to the point"

[@enz025]

Potion Seller I need your strongest potions, potion seller!

[@The_PotionSeller]

enz025 You can't handle my strongest potions traveller. They would put you in the ground.

[@0NBalfa0]

Potion Seller how about the second strongest?

[@cebenify]

but how about the position known as the high ground?

[@The_PotionSeller]

0NBalfa0 My potions are only for the strongest of beings. You better find a seller, that sells weaker potions.

[@tefras14]

This video was edgier than Kylo Ren

[@Skallagrim]

Come on, nothing beats Kylon Ren's emo edge. :)

[@intergalacticimperialist9670]

Skallagrim People who listen to Burzum. Checkmate Skall.

[@sethdusith6093]

Kylo Ren probably listens to burzum

[@intergalacticimperialist9670]

Seth DuSith I could see that.

[@J-BiRTH]

Isn't the complaint that everyone's making about Kylo Ren the same thing people complained about when Anakin first appeared in Star Wars? (That being said Kylo's definitely one of the edgiest Sith we've been graced with)

[@iraqigamer2407]

Skall, the edge lord. HAHAHAHA! Get it? Because he has a lot of bladed weapons? No? Okay, I'll see myself out.

[@herbyfox6993]

IraqI GaMer byebye

[@eliluscesforo2120]

IraqI GaMer cut it, dude

[@iraqigamer2407]

Elí Luscesforo You do have a *POINT*, I should stop making these.

[@tompossessed1729]

IraqI GaMer That's a sharp joke

[@blakethesnake6686]

**throws pommel at you and ends you rightly*

[@elliottcooper6205]

I've found what I think is a really useful set of definitions. Strike: Any action taken to hit something Cut: Any strike that severs what it impacts Slice: Any cut that moves parallel to the blade once it impacts Draw cut: Any slice that moves toward the executer Push cut: Any slice that moves away from the executer Hack: Any cut that does not move parallel to the blade once it impacts Chop: Any hack that only severs soft material (Wood, meat, etc.) Cleave: Any hack that severs at least some hard material (Bones, rock, etc.)

[@spookyskeleton6086]

15:41 he really pushes that point

[@Alt-ec4nv]

Out of my own curiosity, I've decided to define these how I believe them to be. I like especially what you said about a tip-cut for the basis of a slash, especially in that it's a ragged, tearing cut. I imagine a slash as the kind of wound you'd get from an animal, less so a blade. I feel like hew is the comparative to cleave (which i'll get into there) but for a slicing action. But I had very little idea going into this and it probably would've never reached my vocab normally. A chop is like a piercing motion but utilizing a blade. Which is, basically a summary of what you said. Cleave is an interesting one. I feel like it's a wound descriptor that was then applied to the kind of attack that resulted in these wounds. The wound itself being the separation of two things, and I feel like in particular, to cleave is to be done by a chopping motion. And finally, a slicing action is, like you said, a blade pressed against a medium, then slid along until it digs in. I think, in summary, I agree mostly with everything you've said. Probably the only difference here is in what a Hew is, but it's a word i'd never used really, so i'll probably co-opt your definition in the end.

[@odinforce29]

+Skallagrim , the CUT types are usually referring to WHAT the cut does, and not necessarily the movement aplied. CLEAVE is probably the only one defined by the type of movement. If you think of cooking terms it makes more sense. Like: To cut a slice of meat, chopped meat, etc. Something that got Slashed has an opening cutted on it, but didn't have a piece cut off.

[@TheMrBreias]

Watched this awesome duderino for a very longerino, please do not ever consider stopping to work with youtube in the near 15 years.

[@dominicemerald387]

I would make a pommel joke... But I can't end it rightly.

[@sirguillaume]

Hail Skallagrim! you know, you inspired me, I'm starting a medieval oriented channel, the first here in Brazil : D

[@croatianwarmaster7872]

good luck man :-)

[@ManualMedieval]

This is the channel, first video about swords coming in this week, you're welcome to check out if you understand a little of portuguese :D

[@thestigsgermancousin4479]

so you can chop down a tree, but good luck trying to cleave down a tree

[@sylvandoggo4416]

Unless you wield a lightsaber/axe :0

[@sunsetsleeper]

Or a chainsae

[@Khorne_of_the_Hill]

You doubt my power?!

[@gfhjkfghj4208]

In FMA there are also chops with bladed weapons aimed at hard, bony targets like hands, forearms, collarbones etc. It's called palis palis. Those sweeping draw cuts Skall mentioned are explicitly for severing soft tissue like muscles, bloodvessels and tendons.

[@erikbjelke4411]

Some cutting commentary there. Sharp thinking about words and definitions. Very on point.

[@oolooo]

As an angsty teenager , I aproove of the intro .

[@animistchannel2983]

I have to say, dude... last couple years... both your theatrical stylings and particularly your body mechanics have improved mightily. It no longer looks like an item in your hands, but rather like a part of you moving. You got to that place. Keep up the good/hard work -- it's paying off!

[@akoponen]

As someone who has cut, chopped and even cleaved firewood much of my life I do differentiate between the words. Chop = hack perpendicularly or at some angle (with neither draw nor push cutting). The last chop may cleave. Cleave = separating the object hit into multiple parts, typically when splitting firewood.

[@thomasbayer1843]

The sound effects are inadvertently appropriate!

[@GregTom2]

I think that the terminology should not focus on what the rotation or position of the blade is before the impact, but rather, during the impact. Regardless of their names, I think the principal types of cuts are. 1) "Cleave, hew, chop". The blade meets the target at a perpendicular angle like this: " || o ", and the blade connects in its upper third. This is not possible to achieve with a one handed weapon without breaking the wrist, elongating the grip (e.g. finger ring), or having a forward protrusion in the weapon (e.g. axe, kopesh, some backswords, etc). The cutting power of this attack is low, but the percussive force is at its highest, because all the kinetic energy will be transferred to the target, which makes this type of attack appropriate if armor is used, and especially effective with weapons that are top heavy. If the wrist is broken or the grip elongated, then the maximum reach of the weapon will be achieved. The target will be knocked sideways from the impact. 2) "Cut, slash, taille". The blade meets the target at an obtuse angle " \\ o ", and the blade connects in its upper third. If a one handed straight sword is held in a traditional grip, or hammer grip, and the whole arm is involved in the swing, this is the angle that will be achieved. This angle can be achieved with an elongated grip by adding a wider drawing motion of the arm. Curved blades allow this angle to be achieved more easily, and at a relatively longer range than a straight blade. The more pronounced the angle is, the greater the cutting power will be. This can be exemplified through guillotines, or in your own kitchen cutting vegetables. The mechanical reason for the improved cut is that the same force as a chop is exerted over a longer distance in the x direction, increasing the work achieved (inclined plane). Unless the blade is very top heavy, this will not transmit much kinetic energy into the target, rather the arm, and blade will continue their course through the target, and only the edge will transmit its energy (naturally translating into the slice). Because of this, this type of attack is less appropriate against armor. The target will be knocked back from the impact. 3) "Slice, draw cut, entaille". The blade saws into the target with no forward momentum, all the pressure being generated from the arm. This takes the inclined plane concept of "low force over large distance = lots of work" to an extreme. This type of attack has almost no effectiveness against armor at all, and is largely situational. It can be useful if your initial blow has been parried (or indeed received), but your blade is still in proximity to an unarmored area (neck, back of the knee, armpit, inside of the legs, injury, etc). This will push the target back. 4) "Reap, contretaille, false edge cut". The blade meets the target at an acute angle "// o " anywhere on the blade except the tip. The mechanics are largely the same as #2, but there are a few difference. Unless this is achieved with a forward curve weapon (e.g. sickle or kopesh) or a reverse grip (e.g. dagger), then it will be with the false edge connecting. Unless the weapon is held with both hands, then the force of the false edge impact will be significantly lower (the triceps is twice as large as the bicep), making its use rare with standard one handed weapons. In fact, this technique is almost exclusive to longswords. The target will be hooked forward instead of knocked back, which is one of the main advantages of sickles, kamas, ice-pick-grips on daggers, predator claws, etc. 5) "Whip, tip cut". The blade is whipped forward with a wrist motion, allowing the tip to reach a high velocity without the whole arm and weapon being committed. These attacks generally connect with the point of the blade only, either with the true or false edge. This transmits almost no kinetic energy to the target and rarely incapacitates the foe, but is one of the easiest attacks to deliver, which is why sports sabre fencing devolved into pretty much exclusively that. The longer, lighter and sharper a weapon is, the faster the point will travel. The target might recoil from pain, but will not be knocked in any direction. 6) "Thrust, estoc". No conversation on the types of attack would be complete without its mention. Interestingly, the actual force of a stab is probably about half as much as that of a chop, because it's not assisted by the triceps and pectoral muscles, or body weight in general, but since that force is exerted on such a minuscule area, then the pressure reaches magnitudes more. The target will be pushed back. 7) "Smite, downward thrust, mercy blow, estoc final". Theoretically, the perfect attack. The weapon is held in a reverse grip, or has one built in (e.g. pick axe, crow's beak), and is brought down on the target with all the force of a chop, but concentrated into a point, reaching the highest pressure that can be exerted by a human. Since the whole weight of the weapon is in a straight line behind the point, all the energy is transmitted. Not always practical in combat because of the unwieldiness and lack of reach, but is omnipresent in tools (hammer and nail, hammer and chisel, pick-axe, hooks, etc.)

[@joaosturza]

this is suspicioausly underview for a channel with 3/4 of a milion of subscribers

[@Skallagrim]

Give it a bit more time. Either way, the subscriber count is always artificially inflated because of how many people stay subscribed without ever watching anything.

[@kingofgaming3894]

Also bear in mind KZbin view count may be higher than stated as it takes time to update.

[@jeremyayers5353]

Skallagrim I'm guilty of that heh. I watched this one but I only watch about 1 out of every 2-3 that you post.

[@WindexDrinker-j6v]

you think skalla's subs are fake? youve got a shit eye for fraud mate

[@joaosturza]

MeawMan no thinkig you tube has gone Cucu again

[@joaquindemancha]

Thanks this overview of terminology as it relates to weapons function was very useful for a table top RPG that I am creating

[@flaviomargotti2901]

you do make a video with war scythe or fauchard fork

[@JackShen]

in knife combat: 1. slash: is using the tip or first 1 inch or so, using a arcing motion 2. draw: is a slash that uses almost the whole blade length, the blade trails behind the handle some. so think more fly fishing that swinging a bat 3. chop: slash/cut that is focused on one area of the blade, mainly the "sweet spot", like using an axe or like swinging a bat. 4. cleave: really doesn't apply as much with a knife, unless you got a long blade, but then that's more short sword territory, and is more like a chop. 5. cut: yeah with a knife you are essentially setting the blade onto the surface and doing a hard push or pull to bite in. 6. snap cut: really only with bowie length or Kukri's, you make a chopping motion but let go of the handle with the last 3 fingers and let the blade trail back, on the strike, you snap the handle back into a full grip before contact, so there is a "snap" assisted with the weight of the knife.

[@skippyzk]

I'm making a ttrpg, and this video was essential. Thank you.

[@fayhay8011]

For me,what makes me differentiate chop from other cuts is that chop is basically smash but using sharp weapons.

[@screaminggoblin36]

In my fencing school, we do Joachim Meyer. We distinguish between a slice made by cutting with an arc but the hands apart on the hilt (i.e. you pull the blade while making that arc) and chopping made by the hands close on the hilt (i.e. the arc is cleaner and the sword is not being pulled towards you).

[@marcisozols2800]

you know its a good video when you feel the need to face palm to a pun, while face palming to a previous pun.

[@Matt_The_Hugenot]

IMHO it's important to distinguish between the action, that is the technique used, and the effect, what happens to the target. To me a cut is a technique intended to move the blade across the surface of the target, i.e. a push, draw, or tip cut, and a chop is aimed perpendicular to the target. Precise definitions of effects are harder. Perhaps we might use slash for a long but shallow wound and cleave when the edge penetrates deeply (channeling Matt Easton)?

[@NewConfucius]

_"All it's left to do, is cut the video, obviusly. Thanks for watching"_ *proceds to cut his camera* Best posible ending!

[@RaspK]

I think "slash" is a useful term in reference to wild, savage, desperate, undisciplined oruntrained cuts; a good example is the typical "videogame" cut, and this is what "wide, sweeping motion" refers to: a very wide and sweeping arc to the swing. Now, when we say "wide arc," you have to imagine this in the form of an actual geometric arc; and "sweeping" refers to it being also rather open. So it's an extended motion (i.e. at greater reach) and at a greater angle over which the weapon is swung. The problem is that "slash" *_is_* also used in reference to tip cuts, as you mention, usually at exposed spots or, again, when this is tied to wide, sweeping motions that drag the tip along flesh (but this can lead to death or painful injury, e.g. by slashing the throat or belly of your opponent, hypothetically; or slashing at points that cause a lot of pain; and let's not forget how a certain manual suggests slashing open the opponent's brow, so that the blood gets in their eyes). I also think that "chop/cleave" are both about the splitting, but also about the verticality of the arc and the implied brutality: they are both swings that are definitvely more vertically aligned and their intent is to bring a lot of force, potentially repeatedly, in order to overcome a great deal of resistance; and the implements used are often heavier tools that take advantage of the leverage we can put behind that motion while also taking advantage of both gravity and the torque going into the swing.

[@tabletoparcade4203]

Cut(Noun)*- Referrers to the wound. Specifically a clean(ish) break in flesh/bone/muscle Gash(Noun)- Similar to above, but bloody. Think 'gushing' Slash(Verb)- Using speed to inflict the wound with an edge Slice(Verb)- Using abrasion to inflict a wound with an edge Chop/Cleave(Verb)- Using force or mass to inflict a wound with an edge *Cut(Verb)- When used as a verb, it means the same as slice- Using abrasion to inflict a wound with an edge Hope this helps :)

[@farabove100]

That ending was dope af, you should do it more often

[@PadraicSmith]

The sound effects coming from your jacket on the knife swings remind me of Blades of Exile.

[@melrakan]

This video is actually useful to me as a writer, even when I have nothing to do with HEMA. It could be useful in describing *certain niches* better.

[@stephenramkhelawon2143]

4:56 No, no, no Skall. It's "this is my last resort". Not "with repeated sharp blows with an axe or knife". :P

[@phatbassanchor]

Love that Axe! The 'Viking Axe' was common throughout Norse warrior culture and extremely lethal! Not only would it cleave or smash shield, helm and skull but was also quite useful to parry attacks, hook legs, shields, disarm opponents AND was even effective as a thrusting weapon due to it's extended upper bout! This axe was feared all throughout Europe during the middle ages for very good reason.

[@Corcky54]

Slash: see slice. Slice: see chop. Chop: see Cut! A cut is a smaller gash/opening in skin, but not deep (Papercut). Chop is with an axe/poleaxe to potentially sever a limb, or a tree branch! "Chopped my arm off!", Slice is a blade sliding across skin/cloth "Slice and Dice" . Slash is... pretty much the same I think, it doesn't deeply cut through, but does impact damage, plus slides off adding a little bit more piercing of the skin. Wait.. Piercing? Is that a verb for arrows/bolts? Uh oh.. What about eviscerate? That's like... Tier 3 "Chopping". I think i'm thinking way too much about it. They're all attacking styles, and cutting styles I think. Anyways, nice video. You are awesome.

[@AnoNYmous-bz2ef]

All types of cut can be put in a spectrum based on how parallel the edge is to the arc or to the direction of the force drawing motion(this can be called slicing): near parallel to direction of force, perpendicular to arc percussive(this can be called striking/chopping/cleaving): near perpendicular to direction of force, parallel to arc Also, come to think of it, thrusts are also cuts in a way... EDIT: 12:53 you can attack like that using the guard but I think punch cuts do exist in FMA

[@morganjones4281]

Scholagladiatora just mentioned on a recent video that your rise had been meteoric. I was thinking about it and I wanted to give my thoughts as to why and maybe give a little appreciation in the process. 1) You take your work very seriously. You have high standards for yourself and you're always continuing to educate yourself, adapt and respond to criticism. Also you've always done your work for the work itself, I never felt for a second like you were doing this because you expected the success you got, nor were you ever desperately begging for it. 2) You're friendly, engaging, entertaining, humble and approachable. Even when you're making an angry rant there's some humor underneath. 3) You communicate very clearly with your fans and post content regularly. 4) You show a lot of practical footage, whether that be sparring footage, destruction testing, or bringing in friends (or your wife of course) to make demonstrations with. This takes a lot of work, and you're one of the only KZbinrs in this arena who does this, and none of the others take this aspect half as seriously as you do. 5) You're multi-faceted, and make videos on a variety of subjects both relating to and not relating to medieval warfare. This last one is key, I think you act as a sort of bridge between broader nerd culture and medieval warfare in particular. A lot of people probably find your videos who were just into anime or video games and next thing they know they're learning a bunch about medieval warfare and making pommel jokes with the rest of us. The other youtube giants in this arena share many of these qualities, but I don't think any of them quite combine all of them like you do. There is of course also just the unknown factor, not everything about KZbin metrics can be easily explained. I'm not trying to make a value comparison on your channel, just trying to think of how it got so popular. Matt Easton, Lindybeige, Metatron, Shad, ThegnThrand, etc. all have their own unique content which is equally worth exploring. Which you know of course, and that's why I love you :)

[@chalcedonycoral1943]

I'm not sure if it's intended veiled pun or not, but with this hair gel, Skall looks... sharp.

[@dallasmann6845]

I always figured the difference was purely verbal connotation. Slash is more aggressive sounding, cleave is with heavier intent, cutting is shallow and basic, etc.

[@andrewkelleher2415]

God I love you humor that opening was gold

[@monoclesquid9667]

How I see slash vs cleave Slash: has more to do with dragging the blade across the opponent to create a wound; more of a parallel, sawing motion. Cleave: less focused on cutting than 'pushing' the opponent's skin (and otherwise) aside along the edge of the blade; more of a perpendicular, hammering motion. I hope this helps.

[@jacktaylor6155]

Also as from what I gathered (from your dictionary) chopping is a process. It takes multiple chops to cleave through something. If that makes sense. Like steps to a walk I guess

[@Chakora]

that cut at the end was what made me like the video

[@dreadthemadsmith]

Those shuffling sounds were unsettling. It sounded like something trying to get in my window.

[@VTPSTTU]

Rather than think about the motion of the weapon as a whole, I would define them by the motion of the edge relative to the target. In that case, a chop would be a strike where the edge of the weapon impacting the target would be doing most of its damage by movement of the weapon's edge perpendicular to the target's surface. A cleave would just be a chop along a plane of weakness. A slice would be a strike where the edge of the weapon impacting the target would be doing most of its damage by movement of the weapon's edge parallel to the target's surface. A draw cut would be a slice where this movement is brought about by pulling the weapon backwards towards the user. A thrust would be a strike where the damage is done by penetration of the weapon into the target causing a primarily linear wound rather than a planar wound. Using these definitions gives a rough idea of how certain weapons are made to attack a target. A knife or dagger is made to slice or to thrust but will generally not have enough force perpendicular to the blade's edge to do much serious chopping. An ax's primary purpose is to chop because most of the force acts perpendicular to the blade's edge. An ax may have some curvature that induces a little slicing motion, but the primary force is still chopping. Likewise, some axes have points that allow a thrust to have some effect, but the ax is not the ideal weapon for that use. Most swords seem to incorporate chopping, thrusting, and slicing actions to different degrees. The straight longswords are good for thrusting and chopping primarily. They may produce a good slice, but that effect seems to depend on the user first penetrating his opponent's body with a chop and then drawing the blade to cause a slice. The non-curved blade is more effective for thrusting because pushing at the handle will transmit force directly to the point. The more curved blades will almost always cause some slicing action because the stroke is likely to cause the edge that is touching the target to move parallel to the target. This design means that less skill is needed to make a slice, but this design means that some force is lost when making a thrust. I give this analysis not as someone who knows swords or sword fighting but as an engineer who has looked at forces and stresses a little bit.

[@Pyllymysli]

Skall after first 4 seconds: "I know, I know, I'll see myself out. I know where to find my coat."

[@Messianic4Ever]

My opinion on such things; >Cut: To part the structure of an object with a sharp object >Slash: A light strike without much power, causing only superficial damage and intended more to deter an opponent from closing on you than to cause serious damage, lending well to lighter weapons. >Chop: To strike with the edge of a blade without drawing the blade across the target, using the weapon's weight to drive its sharpened edge into the target, most commonly done with axes. >Cleave: To strike with a high degree of power, with intention to split your target in half by sheer force, commonly suited to heavier weapons. >Slice: To draw a blade against an opponent's body with the intention of slicing into them with the length of the blade, typically done with swords.

[@soundfxmaster]

the way I define them chop: a cutting motion carrying a relatively small arc and dealing the majority of damage with the weight of the tool slice: a cut where the majority of the damage is caused by drawing the blade across the target (draw or push cuts) hack: a cut where almost all damaga is caused by the impact the blade acting as a secondary form of damage I'm by means an expert but this is just how I use the terms

[@destinytroll1374]

Good video Skall, love the ending! Way to "cut" it short.

[@stevez2158]

"Don't get too hung up on the terminology" *makes a **16:31** long video explaining the difference between different terms for cuts made by weapons*

[@ftlengineer]

I was taught that several of the different terms imply different mechanics, but there are more words than mechanics, so you have overlap. CUT is generally done by extending the wrist. SLASH doesn't really describe any particular motion (so it may indicate an untrained attack with bad form). CHOP involves pulling the back of the handle back while pushing the front forward to produce intense forward leverage. Significant overlap with cut, but the way I've seen it, the sword or knife gaining rotational inertia is the point of a chop, while a cut is about the wrist directly dealing the force to cut. Obviously, there's a fair middle ground where an attack with medium wind-up could be described by both terms fairly. SLICE indicates dragging the edge.

[@The1Helleri]

It can all be expressed as Shear or Normal effort or some ratio of the two (on the applied force end of things). On the actual action of cutting it is two stage. Yield and Plastic flow. That is the initial breakage/overcoming of elastic resistance or hardness (A material's ability to resist permanent surface deformation). Then the propagation of a crack by overcoming a materials toughness (A material's ability to resist self separation).

[@darymetal]

Honestly every cook knows the difference between these terms very well, and it's interesting the fact that the meaning is still the same among both fighting and kitchen context

[@jasondoe2596]

Indeed!

[@NightmareBlade10]

Damn I'd pay for Skallagrim to be my Language Arts teacher!

[@lilwyvern4]

Here, since nobody asked me or cared about my opinion, for the untrained among us, I propose a few loose definitions: Chop: A downward attack using gravity to amplify the force of the swing. A heavy weapon, such as an axe or dadao would make the most use of this. Slash: A wide attack, either sideways or at an angle upwards that does NOT use gravity in its approach to doing damage. Lighter weapons would make better use of these than the mass-favoring chop. Hew: A shorter attack that leaves the forearm mostly retracted, intended for closer quarters. Cleave: More the result of an attack than the name of an attack itselve. Cleaving something is to leave it in more pieces than it was before. Cut some poor sod's hand off? You cleaved (clove?) his hand. Alternatively, placing something on a flat, tough surface and then using your sword to split it, such as chopping a log in two or slicing a vegetable on a cutting board. Slice: A very wide, sweeping strike that would probably get you killed in a real fight. The difference between a slash and a slice is balance. Slashing does not require you to reset your footing when "putting the brakes" on the weapon while slicing does. A slice is the sort of shenanigans you see a greatsword user doing in Dark Souls when they R1 spam it one-handed. Do I know what I'm talking about? HELL NO! I am a total casul scrub and just like putting definitions on things.

[@kibbles5724]

Isn't there something in "The Five Rings" about how you should always cut rather than "slash" with your sword? I don't know if this is reference to a different attitude or actual technique but it seemed to be differentiated in some way. Great explanation of the possible techniques.

[@sylvandoggo4416]

From what I understood if we still want to make a difference between the "types" of cuts, I would put some of them in "power levels" (not necesary strict but just as a *simple* reference) from "weakest" (I say weak but the damage is still serious business nonetheless) to strongest: chop -> slice -> cleave; being chop a cut that can be stopped upon impact (so you need more blows), slice the extra power (pressing the weapon) to sever a limb (etc) during a blow and cleave the cut that can tear apart in one blow "without"needing a second action (the additional press during slice) Regarding cut and slash... cut is the generic term and slash can be used to refer cutting in a wilder way (since you cut several times in wide motion)... slashing can be applied to the first classification... while this is not that objective hopefully some people can agree with this (maybe for narrative purposes?)

[@KalishAlexander]

I'd like to argue a bit about 'to chop' vs 'to cleave'. I'm not sure if it's the same in English, but in Russian we have this term 'to cleave' reserved exclusively for splitting the firewood action.

[@SoulShrowden]

What I'm getting: Cut: umbrella term Slash: a wider reaching cut, what an average person believes is all sword cuts Hew: a cut with more percussive force for cutting through tougher materials (i.e. bone) Chop: a cut where the final strike has the force more perpendicular to the strike surface Cleave: a cut that cuts all the way through (i.e. cleave a limb off) Slice: a more precise cut (i.e. no shredding, a perfectly smooth cut)

[@xanderclemente6250]

15:42 did you forget to cut that out? XD

[@insu_na]

*cleave ftfy

[@spooky4124]

"Where as a slice, where as a slice, where as a slice or draw cut..." XD

[@xanderclemente6250]

d3rrial haha yea my bad XD

[@Agent719]

Something I've been thinking about lately... Maybe you could do a video on the various weapons and armor in the Fire Emblem games? Could be a big viewer draw.

[@MisterDantastic]

I think of "cleave" as being about meat, while "chop" could be through anything - but especially bone or wood or something else that is more solid.

[@chongwonjue3039]

Oh! Skallagrim is back!

[@Skallagrim]

Back? I was never gone.

[@jerotoro2021]

The difference between cut and slash, to me anyway, involves the cleanness of the split. A cut is clean, like what a sharpened sword would deliver, or a surgeon's scalpel. A slash is more rough, involving more of a tearing action, that may be delivered by a serrated edge, a damaged sword, or a swing from a pointed weapon like a spear.

[@walkerpatterson1047]

I've always thought of a slash a a wide and improper strike meant to inflict damage using more brute force

[@baconghoti]

The biggest problem is the words are not from fighting styles or actions, but from everyday life. Butchery, baking, clothing, wood and stone working. Sensibly one would work back from the result into object needed and then movement needed on the object to impart the result. When exactly does cutting become slicing become sawing? Slice bread, saw wood, cut metal, all are done with a similar action using a similar tool.

[@Iruparazzo]

looking up these words with a butchery or cookery glossary might get a little closer to the kinds of definitions we were expecting maybe

[@SneakyBadAssOG]

I would say chop is splitting vertically (like cutting tree with chainsaw) or cutting part of hand/leg and cleave is something splitting horizontally (like mentioned wood or skull). That's why term "cleave in to it". Technically, vocabulary.com definition fit. When you cleave, you split something. When you chop, you chop off something..like head.

[@90lancaster]

I agree you can use some term interchangable and even perform some action with a implement/tool or weapon that are counter to the designed use. But cleave or chop to me implies splitting something - perhaps partially lets look at the sentence "To chop off someone's head" I'd say the 'off' part is a modifier to the chop part that implies full removal where as to 'chop someone in the head' might also be a fair use of language if you smack someone in the head with a meat cleaver. I'd say slash implies a continuing motion. a follow through in a cut such as how a slash might be used as a implied type of or shape of cut in a drawing such as in fashion sense say. Cut to me implies a narrow cut perhaps with something sharper where as chop implies brute force over finesse to me and a deeper downward movement with a lot of penetration - with the modifier "off" or "down" applied for the removal of part of an object or such as in the sentence "chop down a tree". That is how I'd think of it anyway. Hew would likely be a side slanted cut removing part of the material from the main part such as hewing wood. There sure are a lot of context specific words in English though such as plain, hew, whittle, craft, skewer, slice, slash, stab... etc..

[@apollohateshisdayjob9606]

I tend to think of a slash as laceration lacking depth, so things like draw cuts, or cutting with the tip with something like a saber or katana (so a proper cut, but more at the edge of range)

[@necrothescistt8164]

Happy 766k subs to you skal!

[@keithgamble5357]

hey skallgrim do a video on why we don't carry sword now in modern time and your thoughts on sword and knife laws.

[@sam-ed8uh]

hi Skallagrim, I have a video request and I've already looked on your channel to see if you've already made one, but can you please make a rapier video, talking about the history of them and how they were used

[@gingercore69]

i always thought of it as slash = cutting with the tip, chop = cutting with the edge striking flat, and slice = cutting by pressing into and moving the blade either in or out like a saw...

[@OspreyShadows]

liked immediately for the opening joke :) now I get to watch the rest

[@BeamMonsterZeus]

Even though some words are ultimately synonymous, they certainly all have different connotations. The reason these similar words exist goes beyond the literal definition, which should always be examined alongside the connotative effect the word has to the audience you're appealing to.

[@javiersoave]

First, sorry for my english xD. The guillotines are an interesting example. The edge is not horizontal. In this way the cut has a component of slice and chop!! greetings from Argentina!

[@acethesupervillain348]

I would have said that the "slash" is the motion that the person makes and the "cut" is the wound or damage that occurs because of the motion. If I say "I slashed with my sword" it only implies that I made a motion, but if I say "I cut with my sword" it implies that damage has been done.

[@nothim7321]

slashing attacks from a military standpoint usually means fast attacks not necessarily meant to do large amounts of damage but cause confusion and force the enemy on the defensive and limit their offensive options

[@zacrigby4426]

I always thought of chop being a vertical downward cut focused on power

[@Pinky-0-1-0]

2 puns in 10 seconds. I'm impressed.

[@furchtegottgellert4865]

I'd like to see a video about swords vs weaponized wombs.

[@skippyzk]

16:12 That slice effect was seemless, great job

[@Ben_Hard]

Interesting note: In dutch, chopping wood(in the splitting sense) would be "hout klieven", klieven having almost the same pronunciation as cleaving, this further implies that cleaving and chopping are pretty much synonimous

[@maldito_sudaka]

15:42 looks like you forgot to... *cut* that part out.

[@GenLiu]

Slash, as far as I understand it, is only used in literature as a synonym to cut, essentially. So you don't repeat the term over and over again during the course of a fight. It's not the only option, of course, but it's a tool in the writer's toolbox. I never use it outside of this context, personally.

[@Hirosjimma]

Skal, your hair looks good this way. 👍

[@alfrigg477]

9 seconds + 3 puns = instant like

[@briannovak7651]

The m-w slash definition seems to hit a purpose. It’s definitely what I think as I think of slash, as in just more of a “spastic” move or basically a way to “cut” in a non-normal description. Aka it basically is the one you cannot describe here lol so yea I’d put slash in the category you cannot show as a technique It’s the lack of technique