Are SWORD CUTTING tests in reviews POINTLESS?

[@5thearth]

I'm reminded of when Joerg Sprave sharpened a length of unhardened mild steel bar, put a basic handle on it, and cut a tatami. Basically anything will cut if it's sharp, heavy enough, and edge aligned. The real quality of a sword is in less obvious features like balance, edge retention, and resistance to bending/breaking.

[@inregionecaecorum]

Yes I remember that one.

[@louisvictor3473]

Yeah, but that is cheating. Any tatami would look at Joerg and just give up on existing.

[@SSchithFoo]

@@louisvictor3473 Yeah he can bench like 160+ kilos

[@Immopimmo]

@@louisvictor3473 Jörg Sprave doesn't use tatami mats, he uses rebar mats.

[@JosephKerr27]

Let me show you its features!!! It's a sharp bit of metal. Klar, ja?

[@FortuneFavoursTheBold]

I think cutting (and thrusting) tests by themselves are more valuable to the reviewer than the viewers. If the reviewer is experienced enough he can gain more insight of how the sword or the weapon handles in scenarios where the user intends to cut or thrust with it. This is why the verbal feedback from the reviewer is always more interesting than merely showing the cutting tests themselves. It would also be interesting to hear the feedback from the reviewer about how the sword handles in dry handling, and even sparring (but that's out of the question for sharp swords).

[@itinerantpoet1341]

It's useful for product evaluation-what I'm more worried about is all the sword fetishists who think having a razor sharp swords means they know how to fence.

[@FortuneFavoursTheBold]

@@itinerantpoet1341 The title is "Are SWORD CUTTING tests in reviews POINTLESS?" In. Reviews.

[@itinerantpoet1341]

@@FortuneFavoursTheBold I hear you Kane. I just wish people who were engaging in this exciting new sport were understanding that cutting/thrusting is actually 1% of the art, and the other 99% is controlling the opponent's blade you can strike without the possibility of reply. That's why I'm very forceful today about having no sharp swords, but training 3-4 hours per day, with more emphasis on footwork (mobility) and counters (parries) than strikes. The strikes become trivial once you have the muscle memory-it's the other stuff that is hard.

[@FortuneFavoursTheBold]

@@itinerantpoet1341 which is why I specifically commented that a reviewer needs to provide feedback about how THE SWORD HANDLES in actual usage. Test cutting with actual fencing techniques, not just sitting in a lame duck stance, on top of drilling experience. About sparring, it goes without saying. I don't know what you can bring to the conversation of sword review by keep bringing up the importance of sparring. What would you have reviewers do? Go out and spar with people with sharp swords in clubs?

[@MarcRitzMD]

You always neglect the Status-Symbol aspects when discussing swords. Especially necessary for officer swords. Please test-wear your sword while strutting through your town center and measure the rabble's reactions.

[@rolfs2165]

Hm, yes, that definitely needs to become part of sword reviews. How comfortable is it to carry around in its typical style and how stylish are you while doing so?

[@johnladuke6475]

And does it get in the way while driving? Does it make it hard to reach your cell phone? Important considerations.

[@CraigLYoung]

I'm a sword enthusiast but not a sword user. I enjoy the historical and the technology aspect of your videos. Sill seeing you use a sword as it's ment to be used is a credit to your skill and demonstrates how the technology was ment to be used.

[@itinerantpoet1341]

I agree. Schola's research is useful.

[@calebmccoy9685]

I think they are useful to show the quality of the sharpening (when you buy it) and to get an example of how it handles while cutting. Its not something we can see while cutting but it gives the reviewer important information to confirm suspicions about the effect of the balance on cutting, grip, etc. Showing the cutting gives credence to the conclusions, and I also appreciate the off the cuff comments/first impressions done while cutting. Also it looks cool.

[@StormBringare]

I would like to argue that there is at least one point to every cutting test, they're mostly edgy though.

[@hendrikvanleeuwen9110]

You seem to have a firm grip on the subject.

[@Psiberzerker]

@@hendrikvanleeuwen9110 Not to mention a rather sharp wit.

[@leofedorov1030]

You appear to have gotten back into swing of things.

[@Psiberzerker]

Ooh, you guys are so edgy, it's killing me.

[@stevenkobb156]

No more puns...arrggghhhh! LMAO

[@patrickkelly5590]

Some of us are old enough to remember when it was nearly impossible to find a replica sword that wouldn't fall apart during cutting. Cutting tests were far more relevant then.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

All excellent points sir. One thing I would add about the benefits of test cutting is that it gives a viewer (particularly those who are fermiliar with the reviewer) a sense of how the sword moves. I would imagine it is a small percentage of viewers who take something meaningful away but a keen eye can spot dynamic properties of the sword or discomfort in the user. Cutting in videos seems to be a bit of "photos or it didn't happen" kind of thing. It is a filler that shows something somewhat interesting. Personally cutting is fun to do but less entertaining to watch. When I do I am always looking for the more subtle things. Did it look hard to stop, was it a strain to star or stop, did you keep reorienting it in your hands, do you have a look of pain because the sword hurts to move.. That kind of thing. (one more side note about tatami) Apart from all the things you noted as variables, a big one is if the tatami is "used." Some tatami is made as a target for cutting. Some of it is made as flooring. If you get a batch of used stuff it can be full of oil and other foot related residue that adds to the variability. The used stuff is often thicker in general because it is made to function as flooring first and foremost. That said, whatever it encounters over its life as a floormat can add to the challenge. Some of those mats feel more like cutting wood than straw. Great video!

[@scholagladiatoria]

Thanks Matthew - really useful points.

[@LuxisAlukard]

8:15 That's Skall, right? I like how he talks about his bad cutting days, and when he does a review and cuts badly - he admits it's his own fault.

[@AnotherDuck]

He's usually upfront about what he feels about the cutting, which is more important than how well it "objectively" or visually cuts in the video. And a lot of it is about durability and edge retention, since Skall tends to be a lot harder on the blades than most reviewers.

[@keithallardice6139]

One of the reasons (but not the only one) that I really value and appreciate your reviews is that you will always be honest about everything - so I feel like I know all I need to about the sword before you cut with it and am prepared for the results of the testing. For example, sometimes you'll say a sword is not as sharp as you'd like but has excellent edge geometry, so I know that it's likely to surprise us in a good way. If your edge alignment is off, you will let us know as well, so that we don't judge the sword for your own errors. Don't ever change, it's always a pleasure to learn from you Matt.

[@ianwalker3144]

I want to argue that we learn more than relative sharpness. You yourself have shown us swords that look and feel good but loosen up or start rattling after even bottle cutting. Fit and finish, as well as basic craftsmanship, are best revealed in test cutting (or sparing, if you're using a practice blade). Thanks for all your hard work and effort teaching us stuff!!!

[@erinwedekind]

I would expect that the chief value in test cutting for review is the subjective information - How it feels to cut with, rather than just how well it cuts

[@Omniseed]

Exactly. For our purposes there IS an empirical data point to discover in test cutting- do we like our sword?

[@FedericoMalagutti]

I really like that you pointed out that fencing and cutting should be trained together to achieve a more, let's call it, complete sort of Swordmanship! Nice video, thanks!

[@NecroBanana]

I also think cutting certain targets tests the sword's fit very well. Skall has done many videos where swords that are cheap have a better fit than more expensive swords.

[@stevenkobb156]

Sharpness tests also depend on the integrity of the tester. I have seen testers like Matt, Skallagrim, and others gripe about their own skill on a particularly bad day when they might be having issues with edge alignment, being out of practice, target materials, etc. So when these experts tell us a sword is sharp, we absolutely know we can trust them because if something is off with technique, they will tell us. Thanks, Matt, for your objectivity and expertise. You always Crack me up when you qualify a statement by saying you're not an expert. Because of your extensive experience and research, your inexpertness (yes, it's a word) on some topics often demonstrates more expertise than that of many experts. Confusing? I meant it as a compliment, of course.

[@jaytoppo1670]

I don't mind much for that side of things but as they're made for a specific purpose, there's no harm in showing testing, I like the stories behind them and the aesthetics/quality of the weaponry you show Matt, great informative channel on the subject of weaponry over the centuries... keep em coming mate!

[@mallardtheduck406]

I want to see a Spadroon cutting video...no matter how bad it is. And Oscar, aka Cat Easton Review it!

[@johnladuke6475]

What do you think he should use to cut the spadroon, though?

[@xToddmcx]

Oscar's reviews are too heavily influenced by how much sushi is placed on the sword.

[@Goshu1]

That's horrible, there are plenty of other objects to cut instead. Leave the cat out of this.

[@mallardtheduck406]

@@johnladuke6475 Good Question, perhaps a a cornucopia of oddball items. Maybe an Ice block chop, lol.

[@mallardtheduck406]

@@xToddmcx Yeah, true..."Cat's Do Thing's "🐈

[@afinoxi]

Are they pointless ? No , not really. Most swords do have a point.

[@probablythedm1669]

A groan, a sigh, and a slow clap. 👏 You earned all three today!

[@jaketheasianguy3307]

To me, bottle cutting is just to test sword sharpness, nothing more. But tatami cutting or wet rolled newspaper are to challenge myself when it comes to edge alignment testing Only people compete in sport HEMA might considred test cutting useless since all they care about is sport competing instead of learning the martial art. This is the first sign of martial art devolution

[@EclipsisTenebris]

Oh no, nothing is less forgiving for edge alignment than thin, empty plastic bottles.... except maybe really hard wood but that's more for damaging your sword. Trust me... if you cut a empty bottle right, it feels real good... if you do it wrong, you WILL know... because it won't keep standing.

[@jaketheasianguy3307]

@@EclipsisTenebris I did tried cutting an empty bottle, wish my sword was sharp enough to cut through it tho.....

[@alejandrolievano5573]

What would be the impact of blade geometry on test cutting? I imagine it would define if it performs better on some materials than others, obviously it would be affected by the sharpness.

[@IsaacKuo]

Of course they're pointless. They're edgeful.

[@TheWhizzard]

Goddammit, that's what I came here to.... Point out.

[@sandeman1776]

That's a pretty edgy position to take. Lol

[@hyttennis]

now that's some sharp... wit

[@user-dp7xd5lq8l]

Well, those puns never flail to make me laugh.

[@johnladuke6475]

I also came here to comment this. Instead I'll tell you al to cut it out.

[@CanadianCuttingEdge]

I am a knife reviewer, mostly folding knives. I stopped doing cut demonstrations in my videos because the long list of caveats leave it not very relavent, especially when a blade is MUCH more than how sharp the factory or custom knifemaker sharpened the knife. Which is exactly what is said in the video. I focus on the actual specs, materials, and fit and finish and try to emphasize that learning how to sharpen a knife can make almost any knife a very usable tool. Even a very sharp knife made with crap steel is a fairly useless knife, while a very well made knife with awesome steel but poorly sharpened before being sold is still an awesome knife even if I cannot cut well with it out of the box. And that is just a summary, there are more variables too.

[@itinerantpoet1341]

Appreciate your perspective!

[@Dennis-vh8tz]

Thrusting tests are much more pointed. And generally have more penetration too.

[@Greenmick6982]

Many, many valid points here. Great video Matt. I think cut testing is an essential part of sword ownership, as it gives you an idea of the overall reliability of the sword. Heat treat, steel quality, loose or ill fitting hilt furniture, edge rolling, weight and nimble handling of the sword - all of these would make a difference in combat and will greatly impact your level of (dis)satisfaction with your weapon for the price you paid for it. If you are a practicioner, and not just a collector, why would you ever own a sword you cannot rely on or that youre loathe to use? You need to know you can rely on your weapon in even the most dire of scenarios (with context, of course lol).

[@andrewk.5575]

Personally, my problem with test cutting has always that when people cut bottles or tatami mats they don't cut the way that you would in fencing. The desire to cut through mats and water bottles neatly seems to encourage people to take a rigid position within extension distance of the "opponent" and then take 1-3 diagonal chops at the target. Trying to do this in a bout would be patently ridiculous because anyone who tries to take a guard within easy reach of his adversary is going to get hit immediately, plus I at least have always been taught that (cutting) swords are meant to be used with pushing and pulling of the edge to create a slicing motion, if you're going to chop you might as well use something with a short edge like an axe.

[@itinerantpoet1341]

And they have to take time to line up the cuts and do all this preparing. (And often, the body mechanics are still suboptimal, as you point out.) If you can't do it without thinking, it doesn't apply in fencing. Compare to: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4ukenVrechgjLs They guy in the video I posted is still pretty young, and I don't know if he considers himself a master, but he's certainly looks like someone who has been well trained by a master. He's pretty casual and doesn't exert much excess energy.

[@elanman608]

The thing is cutting is a very visualy exciting part of the testing process and tells part of the story of testing and reviewing a sword. Far more people watching a review are looking for a visualy exciting and informative video than are watching to decide weather to buy the sword or not.

[@zoiders]

The Romans made that astute observation that a simple gladius wound to the torso of more than 2 inches in depth is almost always a one way trip to Elysium.

[@itinerantpoet1341]

In the extant (no reconstructed) Chinese sword art, they say the same-there specifically referring to liver, kidney or spleen, which I am assuming is the case for the short, thrusting Roman sword. (But it's been pointed out to me by medical professionals that if someone is fat, you have to go deeper;)

[@ParryThis]

Whenever people ask me this, i usually tell them that cutting tests are just my favorite part to do because they are fun. That's why i include them.

[@johnladuke6475]

Sure, cutting reviews are pointless, but they're definitely edgy. I'll see myself out now.

[@SchmokinJoe]

No stay, that was actually good.

[@thomaswilkinson3241]

Good one. Please stay, we do not tend to react sharp when being punned.

[@scottmacgregor3444]

Stay. I like the cut of your jib. You've got a rapier wit.

[@100dfrost]

Matt, I watched a video yesterday in which by way of introduction The man said his name, and told of the 2 cutting contests he had just won. He was cutting soaked tatami mats with an Albion Soldat , so the cutting was predictably quite good, as should be expected. I still watched and enjoyed the video, although there were indeed no surprises. I get your point here, but I still like to watch the cutting. Good video, thanks.

[@mallardtheduck406]

Actually Matt, I have a dream cut testing target, a 5" diameter, 7' solid carpet paper tube. I am going to use my 35 year Old MRL Del Tin Arming sword, the "Moonbrand" type style and Italian 14th Century medieval sword. I really like your Katana, I would love to have that same model, except copper Tsuba, Chrysanthemum Iron guard, and bright red Saya. Good and Safe Test cutting Matt!!!

[@DGFTardin]

Good points, but I was expecting you to mention thrusts as well. It is so common to overly fixate on cutting, when some swords obvioulsy where meant to thrust most of the time.

[@emarsk77]

Matt, I think you forgot to mention an important point: abusive or mildly abusive test cutting - such as against green wood - can expose construction issues such as loose fittings, improper temper, hand shock, etc. (as one of your recent videos showed). As for sharpness out of the box, why is it so important to rate? If a sword or a knife isn't dull when new, it will be eventually anyway, and anyone who buys one should be able to sharpen and hone its edge as desired. In fact, cutting tests would be probably more interesting if the sword has been properly sharpened anyway, no matter how it was out of the box.

[@bokkenwielderful]

Sword review acting school 101: If you review a sword in the first act, someone better be cutting with it by the third. ~ Sun Tzu Arts and Crafts of War.

[@louisvictor3473]

Sun Tzu's Arts and Crafts of War is the book we need, but art of war is what we deserve :(

[@euansmith3699]

Isn't that the rule of "Chekov's Chopper"

[@1IGG]

@@euansmith3699 yes, chekovs gun.

[@Rob_Fordd]

Is there anything in European sword guides/records, etc... that go into this? I know that test cutting effectiveness was considered a critical part of Samurai training. To the point they'd use death row criminals for targets over Tatami if they were available...

[@scholagladiatoria]

Yes. So called 'sword feats' are very well documented in treatises by John Musgrave Waite and Professor Harrison. They were quite widespread in 19th century Britain and also in places like India. We only have a tiny amount of information for anything similar from medieval Europe though.

[@jaketheasianguy3307]

There were alot in western countries, people use saber to cut fish, meat, fruit and all kind of targets

[@Rob_Fordd]

@@scholagladiatoria Oh yeah I remember the british saber quality test. I was thinking earlier, but unfortunately like you said there are areas where the sources can be surprisingly scarce. Sometimes things were considered so mundane at the time people just didn't bother recording details.

[@zoiders]

@@tbishop4961 Its always been far more common since western iron age agriculture came about to use a maul for slaughtering larger animals.

[@zoiders]

@@tbishop4961 I've not worked as a slaughterman my self that was my grandfather (both of them) or my great grandfather that operated a master butchers in the north of England. Veal isn't a common dish here so there's not much call for bleeding out a calf. Do you have any more examples of patronising toxic masculinity you can try and reference?

[@shmuckling]

I'm not against cutting test videos, I think they're probably more likely to attract new viewers, which is great! I've been around long enough to know that's really not what this channel is about, but I'll still gladly watch your cutting videos. :D

[@Riceball01]

I think that something wasn't mentioned that test cutting also does is give you an idea of the overall build quality of the sword, something that you can't determine just by holding and looing at the sword, or every by swinging it around. Doing a bit of light abusive testing can tell you how well the sword was made, not the fit and finish, but the relative quality of the steel in the blades, the tempering, does it start to rattle after a cut or two, and so on.. Those are the kinds of things that I think only cutting things that are a bit stronger than water bottles will tell you. I will caveat this by saying that there are, of course, exceptions. I have a regulation Marine Corps NCO sword that I bought years ago and it developed a rattle after only a bit of handling. I wasn't swinging it around and I certainly wasn't cutting anything with it since I knew that it wasn't meant for anything more than ceremonial use. So it's entirely possible for a poorly made sword to show its quality, or lack there of, without being used to do any test cutting, but I think that most swords that aren't pure wall hangers won't, or shouldn't show problems from just handlijng.

[@temperededge]

I may have missed it in the video but durability is also one of the major things you learn from test cutting. Some swords I owned developed a rattle after impacting wooden targets. The blade can warp or chip. The binding can sometimes move or come loose too. Edge retention is another property worth noting after test cuts. You can be surprised by how quickly some swords lose their edge. And this might be anecdotal, but I find I also lean something about the sword's handling when cutting things in quick succession. Swords can feel different in the hand when hitting things than when I'm just swinging at empty air, not expecting any resistance.

[@RobertFisher1969]

On the subject of sharpness: With kitchen knives we make a distinction between “honing”, which removes any bends from the edge of a blade, and “sharpening”, which actually removes material from the blade. Most of the time, I’ll only hone my knives, and they seldom need actual sharpening. Is the same distinction relevant with swords? Do you hone your swords or only sharpen them?

[@JanetStarChild]

One of my gripes with HEMA KZbinrs is the tunnel-vision focus on cutting. It's like, 99% cutting; 1% thrusting.

[@adam5words688]

Love the video ! All the little tidbits are fun to consider and discuss I feel

[@andreweden9405]

Very important point! I was just ranting about a particularly dumbed-down documentary, and I'll often hear the person talking about how "this" or "that" sword is "legendary because of its sharpness", or this or that steel was "renowned for its sharpness", etc. It makes me want to scream because such a statement ignores the fact that sharpness is often not inherent to a blade, and it's oftentimes not even determined by the blade's maker! A sword by a crap maker can be sharper than one by the finest maker as long as the bloke at the grinding wheel is particularly skilled!

[@NashArcher]

For me, Cutting is just showing how sharp it is that is all. Many buyers always looking for sharp sword without considering the type of sword and how it was used. Even with blunt sword you can still do damage to someone. Yes cutting is overrated. Trust me I always try to explain to customer that it's now how sharp the sword is but how you use it. But many fail to understand the art of using a sword or any weapon. anything can be lethal with right hand

[@itinerantpoet1341]

I no longer own any sharp swords because I'm not a collector and have no use for a sharp sword. Both my own teacher and Five Rings say the sword doesn't matter, and those are the two most credible sources I've been exposed to, based on patient validation over a few decades. I did some cutting tests in my early 20's, and that was enough-it's not rocket science-it's channeling intention and having put in the thousands and thousands of hours of correct training to be able to do it reliably. Most people I see doing cutting videos seem to have only put in a few hundred, if that, which should indicate how trivial of an exercise it actually is from the perspective of swordsmanship.

[@stormiewutzke4190]

Rope cutting is used on ABS smith's blade evaluations. It has been recognized that it also only test sharpness. This has been testes when smith's have forgot to harden pieces but were still successful with road cutting.

[@mata6669]

What about for durability testing/quality of the weapon? Skallagrim sometimes does "abuse testing". Its cutting and it shows the durability of the edge and general quality of the weapon. If the hilt starts to rattle after a few hits on a thick branch, just imagine if it had hit a bone or armor.

[@MyFriendsAreElectric]

I watch a lot of bow reviews... It's interesting seeing what people found they could measure for review purposes... There's a fella that made a rig to pull a bow mechanically while shining a laser from the riser to show how much the riser will flex in the shot process... Although podium results would suggest it didn't matter as users made good use of the bows anyway... Same here I guess. You could build a rig designed to hold a blade static at several fixed angles and apply something moving to cut at consistent velocities. Might be interesting from a point of view of having something to measure, but as you say, it's measuring one quality that does not necessarily impact the value of the sword.

[@bmxriderforlife1234]

Hey Matt I just watched one of the videos you did discussing late viking early Norman period swords. Did you ever do the video showing the one you were having mounted? And could you possibly do some more Norman content. Potentially showcase some known examples of artifacts? Even just pictures are fine, covid and all.

[@Sareth94]

honestly, some people are just *too* skilled for their cutting tests alone (without commentary from them) to be useful. Like Philip Martin / Aikidoka - I swear the man could cut double mat tatami with a soup ladle

[@Cyotis]

Would you do a video on how you sharpen your swords? Or do you have any recommendations on resources? I would like to sharpen my swords. I just bought a cheaper sword that I could practice sharpening on. I expect to mess it up as I get better.

[@messeringaround1426]

I tried a couple of different methods, but what worked best for me was using a slack belt grinder following the advice in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mp_Hm6Vpjr2mgqM There is a follow up (kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5StlJJ3jalqrJI) to that video, which is also interesting.

[@Cyotis]

@@messeringaround1426 I will have to give those a watch! Thank you so much!

[@daveh7720]

What would you think of using plastic pipe, like thin ABS or PVC, as a cutting target? It'd be similar to dry wood in hardness but it'd have consistent properties through a wide range of temperature, humidity, and precipitation conditions.

[@carloparisi9945]

I agree you're testing sharpness, on a good sword, because a bad one that rattles or comes apart will show those traits in test cutting more so than in handling per se, I think. It's like shooting for score a gun out of the box, score depends on the fact that it was sighted in at the factory if the gun is good, if it's not, either the group is too large for sighting in to make a difference, or it will jam, or it will break, all things that do not show as you're looking at the piece.

[@moranjackson7662]

Isn't blade geometry an important thing to try and analyse cutting performance? I have a Chinese Sword and it was realy bad at Tatami mats. It wasn't the sharpest, but not bad either. I had the feeling that the blades geometry was quite bad. Other swords I tried it with, worked much better. The other swords were european and a Katana.

[@stevenkobb156]

Like our minds, a dull sword always can be sharpened. Matt makes another great point regarding cutting different materials. Hatchet and axes meant for wood cutting have very different edge geometry than weapons. A more obtuse angle helps split the wood, reduces the chance of getting the blade stuck in the target, and makes the edge more durable against hard wooden targets.

[@zoiders]

I think you just described the very things that make them good weapons though.

[@stevenkobb156]

@@zoiders well, axes used as weapons have a more acute edge and a thinner head so that they can penetrate more deeply. This works because flesh and bone don't bind as much as wood. Weapons also have a lighter head to be weilded more easily in battle without tiring out the user as much.

[@andyclare03]

I cut quite a lot with bottles and katanas, Water bottles are extremely underrated as a cutting target , the police use water tanks for ballistic tests to slow bullets, water in any sealed container is extremely dense and if your edge alignment isn’t spot on , your blade rolls onto its face and a humble water bottle is then capable of destroying most swords such as katanas. Fantastic fun though and costs nothing compared to tatami mats . Good video 👍

[@joegillian314]

I'd be interested in seeing a video specifically on sharpening the katana.

[@charlesgargotta23]

In cutting tests I'm least interested in the quality of the cut itself. I'm looking for failure in construction grip wrap, tang break, rattling parts, all of that is my first concern along with did the blade take damage which is testing heat treatment skill. This shows up well In harder targets like tatami with a dowel core or bamboo and these tend to give more shock to the hand and rattle the assembly. That's what a cutting test should indicate is overall build quality especially with a poor swordsman swinging the blade.

[@mikeorick6898]

What's the point? Or should I say edge? If you can fight, you can cut. If you can cut, it does not mean you can fight... The sword? Anything with an edge can cut if you know how.

[@itinerantpoet1341]

'zakly. Anyone who trains for real and has tested their cutting understands that it's all about channeling intention and, ideally, muscle memory. And quite frankly, hickory axehandle to the head from someone who trains seriously can be pretty determinative. In the words of the greatest swordsman in recorded history: "Anything can be a sword"

[@LordSevla]

Test cuttings are FUN TO WATCH and this is relevant here on youtube, watching someone only talking is kinda boring.

[@jamestalbot6916]

I feel that cutting tests, are more for working on your edge alignment. And that is something that has to be remembered, is that you may have an awesome sword. The Best sword EVER made. But if you throw a cut that does not land properly, or if you do not keep the sword going smooth all the way through the cut. It does not matter how sharp the blade is. It will not go through smoothly, and much of the time, it will not go through at all. And that would be a problem. Edge alignment is one of the very Most important parts of HEMA, and in My opinion, that is why cutting tests are done in the first place, This is not a direct argument against this video, I am merely clarifying on a point I think I need to make. It is probably most commonly meant to improve the edge alignment of the sword user, However I do believe that it Is necessary to test sharpness a good amount of the time, but only when you have good edge alignment so that the test is not sullied, and does not make you grind away more of the blade because it does not seem sharp enough.

[@3iggystheorem232]

I practice with a cheap m1850. I want to try a two handed European technique. Can I use an even cheaper katana?

[@itinerantpoet1341]

Katana has less range than the longsword, but my sense is that the force-against-force clashing style of reconstructed European longsword is similar in spirit to fighting two-handed katana, just not practiced well or with viable strategies for unarmored combat.

[@p7outdoors297]

I haven't even started the video, but I'm anticipating the innuendoes

[@andrewsock6203]

For viewers the cutting tests do show how wieldable a blade is to a degree. It’s nice to see a blade perform. Bottle cutting does show a bit of profile performance as well. Two swords can be razor sharp and cut a bottle but the one with the thinner profile leaves the bottle standing. I think there are things to be taken or learned from all practice cutting and I’m glad you include cutting in your videos Matt. When buying a sword it’s nice to see a same/similar one used on targets. Anyway it sure is fun and fun to watch.

[@RagPlaysGames]

It depends. On the medium, on the skill of the user. It should at least show you if the sword comes dull from the maker.

[@blaisevillaume2225]

I'm pretty sure I've seen enough movies to know that, if you want to judge the quality of a sword, all you have to do is balance it on your finger and then flip it up in the air to catch it.

[@richardk6238]

Matt, on the subject of replicas and antiques, how do antiques fair in cutting if they're cared for? Does the metal fatigue, hilt loosen up etc, or does it still perform the way it did when made? I know using valuable antiques is frowned upon, are there some common and cheaper ones?

[@tackledartist0779]

This video was hard to pay attention to as a whole. My eyes were on that beautiful sword the whole time.

[@GeFlixes]

What a cutting test, especially one that is a bit of a sword torture test against hardwoods for example, does is very quickly show quality problems with a sword. In Matts reviews some swords almost disintegrated after a few hits.

[@gammawu5383]

God I love ginger beer

[@CDKohmy]

Is there a benefit to thrusting tests compared to simply thrusting at a pad with a blunt?

[@randyhavard6084]

It's entertainment, doesn't have to have any other purpose.

[@itinerantpoet1341]

But not very good entertainment. What I hope to see for this new sport of mat cutting is cutting multiple mats in quick succession, no pauses, with grading like X-sports, based on difficulty of the cut and execution. A guy cutting a single mat with a single type of cut is not very entertaining to me!

[@MedievalGenie]

As someone who both forges and tests his own swords, this is quite handy to note. Are they actually getting better if they start getting sharper than before? Maybe not.

[@Cleanpea]

A good trumpet-player can sound really good on most trumpets, even really bad ones; what matters to the trumpet-player then, is how it feels to play, how the instrument facilitates the technique and the ease of use, so that it becomes effortless to play. Smooth passages can become risky with a poor instrument, more energy has to be spent just controlling it. In the end, the less you have to compensate for deficiencies and manage your technique, the more one can focus on the actual job, which is making music. In the case of swords, they are instruments of slashing and stabbing, they require just as much care both in the making of, and use of it. In the end, it is all art.

[@Matt_The_Hugenot]

In some cases a person who is a worse cutter will show up things that a better cutter won't. I can't get edge alignment right and find that some blades are much more forgiving than others.

[@andypanda4927]

Diff in cut due person? Got my issue,lately. Cannot swing fast. Glacial speed my forte'. Just talking yard tools for myself. Inch thick stuff takes 2 or 3 hits that easy cut up to 2 inch limbs inmyn20s. Wimpy, I am now, waaah! Good vid, Matt!

[@richard8808]

I always wonder why, when a reviewer knows a blade isn't sharp, they don't sharpen it before doing a cutting test. I'm a handtool woodworker and, unless you buy top-end tools, you always have to sharpen blades before using them. Even the blades that come sharp will need to be sharpened after use, and out of the box can usually be improved with a little honing and polishing. How sharp a blade is out of the box just isn't very interesting (unless you've never had a sharp blade, in which case it's good to pay for something sharp so you know what to shoot for when sharpening). If you plan on using it, you will need to sharpen it before too long.

[@bokvarv1926]

The issue with the cut tests is generally to shoow how overly hyped the so called "razor" sharp cutter of the catan is, when you cut just a good and fine with a "blunt" eurpoean longsword that is why the cutting tests as done are 100& useless, however a cutting test in the right context ac be very informative and useful.

[@itinerantpoet1341]

Agreed. Blunt swords can definitely cut-I know this from personal experience, and Matt has said the same thing. The elephant in the room here is that the sharpness of the sword has nothing to do with controlling the opponent's blade so you can strike cleanly without the possibility of reply. And, quite frankly, imho, that's why you see so much emphasis on cutting-very, very, very few people are willing to put in sufficient time to gain any real mastery. So they look for low hanging fruit that boosts their egos and gives a false sense of competence, which won't translate when facing someone who has put in the time.

[@squatch2461]

Wonderful video, but you didn't confirm that the Viking sword is the best choice for home defense. okay, seriously, Really good to hear you point out a good sword can be sharpened, but a sharp rubbish sword will still be rubbish. to paraphrase ; )

[@nathanwhitney9159]

I've wondered this quite a bit. Excellent video

[@GhostbustersXX13]

I always wanted to know if there is or isn't proper foot-work required in the testing videos.

[@suntiger745]

So... Cutting tests can be useful, but needs to be taken within the proper context? Yep, this is a Matt Easton video alright. ;)

[@ThirdLawPair]

Your discussion of how the type of target interacts with the type of sword seems really consistent with discussions of how differences in Japanese and European swords were really a function of the type of armor used in the time and place that those swords were made. The type of sword you want depends on what your are expecting to cut into.

[@simonyu8838]

I think there is still merit to testing a review sword's sharpness because it is helpful to know if a sword is going to need sharpening by the user when it arrives. So that's one point of merit even if cutting tests don't mean quite as much as one might think.

[@Slythus]

id say a well done cut is a sign of a well shaped edge (and user ability) a badly done cut can show blade durability, or lack there of

[@faenrir11]

I don't understand why HEMA community is so fixated on out of the box sharpness. For any blade that is actually used, factory edge is the most ephemeral aspect of it. It will get dull and will require re-sharpening. Quality is in the blade geometry and steel, factory edge is only a marker of customer service. I have never, ever formed an opinion on a knife based on factory edge and I fail to understand why it would be different for a sword. Factory edge should be reviewed and noted, then a sword should be sharpened properly and then reviewed properly. Without sharpening all swords properly, how is a reviewer supposed to objectively test their quality, when factory edge quality is not taken out if the equation? To me personally, that has been an insanely frustrating part of HEMA sword reviews for years, on pretty much any channel I know.

[@johnladuke6475]

Valid points, for sure. I think it deserves a bit more weight than you suggest, though. There's a certain indication of pride in your work if you ship your blades "actually" sharp, which reflects on the standard of construction for the rest of the piece. Not very common with swords but too common with knives is an actual promise of "razor sharp" or something similar, which is a claim that definitely needs to be tested. I do agree that it's frustrating to watch a potentially excellent sword reviewed poorly because the reviewer was test-cutting with a butter knife.

[@itinerantpoet1341]

@@johnladuke6475 I don't have a problem with a sport of cutting mats, but it does concern me that we now have thousands of people with fantasies of sword fighting, razor sharp weapons, very little time using the weapons, and no few (if any) qualified teachers.

[@SirBlade666]

How sharp does a sword need to be for actual combat? Either dueling or warfare. Does the other guy die faster if you hit him with the "razor" rather then the "butter-knife"?

[@nextlifeonearth]

I'd like to add one thing and that's how a sword may aid in its edge alignment more than another. This may be due to how rigid the sword is, where the centre of mass is and the geometry and material of the handle. This won't show on camera though, it's something the reviewer will have to note.

[@rogerlafrance6355]

The real test of any weapon is the full force strike against another weapon. Breaking or bending is not unknown. A full force heavy weapon strike will knock a man over, out, break bones even if its just a big fat pole weapon.

[@ericmelto7810]

Test cutting is my third favorite thing. Review and history is 1 and 2. When you have all three it’s the most awesome.

[@euansmith3699]

Watching cutting videos has certainly given me an appreciation for just how friggin' sharp swords can be. :O

[@kevindecarvalhocampos6868]

Have you ever done test cutting with a tulwar? I don't remember you ever doing one.

[@MartinGreywolf]

There is one thing that makes cutting tests, as they are most often done now, entirely pointless. Swords themselves. While we do have manufacturing methods that are capable of micrometer precisions when churning out copies of a single object, we don't use them on making sword replicas (because no one will pay that much for them). Whether the swords in question are made by hand or by machines, there will be a noticeable variance between two swords, even if they were made by the same person in the same batch. This doesn't make them bad swords, but it means that looking at one sword in isolation, especially in something that already has a ton of other factors affecting it, doesn't tell us much. What matters is how a given manufacturer or a given sword type performs overall, when looking at a few dozen examples. You can get some idea of how it will perform based on how much care went into making of a single example sword, but it is only a very general thing. What is much more important to do is test cutting hard targets that have the potential to damage the sword - the performance there depends on design and material quality a lot more than on some differences in thicknes on the order of fractions of a millimetre.

[@mikaaalto3135]

Sword cutting tests in reviews are definitely not meaningless. They are fun to watch and give the viewers an idea of what they can expect if they buy the sword being tested. Also helps sword channels to grow. Do you really think Skallagrim would have gotten 1+ million subscribers without cutting stuff up? As for me, I bought a cheap machete that had a point (unlike most other machetes) in order to use it as a self defense weapon. My Katana replica is a little too long to wield comfortably indoors. It was paper cutting sharp straight out of the box and I also was able to slice up a water melon with it with ease. It worked very well on wood. However, it was rubbish on plastic water bottles. Didn't cut through them, just sent them flying through the air when hit. It was a major disappointment. I had to do a lot of grinding on the blade in order to make it go through water bottles (just). My Katana can easily slice through plastic water bottles all day long. So it's not just about sharpness, it's about edge geometry, blade thickness and a multitude of other things, just like Mr. Easton said. I like my machete. It's a fun beater sword. But I don't quite trust it as a weapon. I think I will invest in a Wakizashi (like a Katana, but shorter) or a Roman Gladius for those confined spaces.

[@MrHansBen]

Matt, What swords/sidearms did the Dutch and Portuguese carry when they were trading with/involved in Japan in the 16th century? Did they carry the same kinds of swords? Did one group of imperial adventurers rely more on guns and pistols? Did the Japanese notice or care about any difference?

[@Kooma4Yew1600]

Scholagladitoria: gets to the point of the video by 5:30 Also Sholagladitoria at 5:32 : now for the real ones, let's get this knowledge.

[@avizlakishvili8625]

I'm not a historian but I do not remember a battle ever being fought against tatami mattresses

[@itinerantpoet1341]

What about the great tatami war of 1976?

[@bo_392]

"because it's fun!" hell yea

[@ericvanvlandren8987]

I almost always begin by stating what a great video this was, but in this case ... not so much. Matt states that really the main thing test cutting shows is sharpness of the blade. I disagree. I think there are several things which can be learned. Keep in mind that as much as many people own a sword to wave it in the air, or hang it on the wall, or collect and fetishize it - at the end of the day a sword is a tool. A tool that cuts, or thrusts, or parries, etc. (or combinations, you get the idea). To learn about a tool it must be used and not imagined or projected. That is where test cutting comes in. In addition to sharpness I think a good test cutting session can tell you a lot about the tool (sword). Given consistent targets, as Matt points out, one can learn things like edge alignment. Not how well the swordswoman aligns her sword based on her skill but I refer here to how the design of the sword lends itself to maintaining edge alignment when swung. Closely related to that, test cutting can reveal the balance of the blade in ways that just waving through the air can not. Another thing we can learn is the precise center of percussion - as opposed to the supposed center based on an estimation when simply looking at the blade. Then we get into things that can only be revealed from performing multiple cuts. Things like, how well does it hold that sharp edge? It was sharp on the first cut, but what about the twentieth? How does that compare to other swords and other steels (and even other methods of honing a blade). What about grip comfort? Fine to hold it in your hand in your living room, or to wave it in the air - but what about when you actually impact something, hard, with it in your hand? Does it feel comfortable? Does it chafe over time? And leaving aside how the grip rubs your hand - how does the grip surface wear over time from being gripped and swung into something? As I see it there are many things that can be learned about a sword from test cutting, beyond simply how sharp it is.

[@nicolaiveliki1409]

I wasn't really paying that much attention but I don't believe you said an appropriate amount of 'context'

[@hadrianbuiltawall9531]

I always assumed that cutting tests (by warriors/soldiers at least) where to teach the user how the weapon feels in contact. No amount of shadow boxing is better that hitting a punchbag. Tatami mat targets don't show how sharp a sword is, they show the swordsman has a smooth, accurate stroke. If they haven't then the tatami mat falls over.

[@RedmarKerkhof]

It's not about how sharp a blade is, but how sharp it stays. I've seen someone sharpen milk. (kiwami japan)