The Problem with MASSIVE FLOPPY SWORDS

Having a floppy weapon doesn't need to be bad news.
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[@scholagladiatoria]

Olight 15th Anniversary Event Up to 40% Off + Free iXV Coral Blue Key Chain Warrior 3S Discounts: Warrior 3S BK/Gunmetal Grey, 30%Off (RRP £124.95, Sale price £87.47) www.olightstore.uk/s/XT4OS6 Bundles: Warrior 3S BK/Gunmetal Grey+i1R2 Orange, 40%Off (RRP £144.90, Sale Price £86.94) Warrior 3S BK/Gunmetal Grey+i3T Plus Ancient Bamboo, 40%Off (RRP £174.90, Sale Price £104.94) www.olightstore.uk/s/AUDQDB Also check out the Daily Lucky Spin & Win, get your chance everyday!

[@darkynelp9777]

I know Olight torches only for their reputation for blowing up when being turned on for too long

[@arnijulian6241]

Floppy blade's of large swords might explain why polearms & large spear where so much more popular. The claymore isn't that floppy, quite ridged in comparison & might explain it popularity though it slightly sacrifices reach & just barely fits the category of great sword. Claymore would be my preference over a zweihänder though I'd rather a pole arm like an awl pike, poleaxe et cetera.

[@AnoNYmous-bz2ef]

Q: What do you call a cat-themed Chinese sword? A: Meow dao 🐈

[@soonerfrac4611]

The stiffer the better! TWSS!

[@BUZZKILLJRJR]

I love your videos and love o'light I carry one every day and my shot gun is getting a o'light very soon.

[@ZenithArt07]

The straight face with which he says such brilliant innuendo is worthy of great admiration.

[@pilgrim42]

He almost started laughing a few times.

[@ericaugust1501]

haha. I expect Matt loves making these videos the most.

[@kevinsmith9013]

He knows EXACTLY what he's doing. And he's a pro at it. Cheers!

[@thhseeking]

That's a long-standing British tradition :)

[@AngersFiction]

I had to go see if this had come out on April 1

[@eded9157]

But Matt, sword on their 50s can not expect the stiffness and thrusting power of younger swords. If sword floppyness is ruining your fighting life, please talk to your doctor.

[@wjwelch40]

Possibly do some cardio, saw palmetto also helps

[@ChevalierdeJohnstone]

Can confirm that 50 year old swords can still function perfectly without any embellishments.

[@scottmacgregor3444]

It also depends on the maintenance and amount of use on the sword obviously. A sword that doesn't get much use as probably gonna be in pretty good shape. And well work hardening is a thing, wear and tear does take a toll. Sure you can keep your sword in great shape if you just leave it on the mantel and never use it, but then when the situation comes you're not gonna know HOW to use it. And really, knowing how to use it is more important than whether it's a floppy two hander or a stiff hand and a half.

[@jamesmaybrick2001]

If anything a 50 year old sword is tried, tested and has stood the test of time, any flaws (premature breakage for example) should have been eliminated by that venerable age. So perhaps improved technique can make up for excessive springiness?

[@Dennis-vh8tz]

@@scottmacgregor3444 Nah, regular use is the secret to keeping your sword stiff.

[@navn_ukjent]

What I learned from this video: Matt gets excited about handling massive swords. Matt is used to handling smaller swords, but he gets excited if you put something bigger, beefy and meatier in his hands. Massive swords can be a bit difficult to handle in confined spaces. Giant swords are more likely to be floppy. It's much harder to get them stiff. Matt thinks ideally everyone would prefer a stiffer weapon. If you have a large, floppy blade and give it a proper bashing at the end, it will vibrate (or wobble). If you have a floppy weapon it's difficult to get good penetration. If you have a long sword, you also need a thick spine if you want it to get stiff. You can get more thrusting impact if you have a shorter sword, which will give a deeper penetration. Shorter, stiffer swords are more forgiving, while longer, floppy swords are less forgiving. Longer, floppy swords that are thin can go straight through the target if you hit it right. If you have problems with a long, floppy blade, you can try to half-sword and grab halfway up the blade. This makes it easier to penetrate. If you have a long and floppy sword, you can have problems with the grip.

[@amalawawaw2]

AHHHHH!!! MY BRAIN!!

[@lightningandodinify]

I wasn't ready for this comment 😣

[@cottrelr]

Don't forget that a larger sword can lead to a loose tang

[@paulpeterson4216]

The moral of the story is that if you want to thrust, a thicker wooden shaft is superior to a thinner steel blade.

[@adamgrimsley6455]

Thanks

[@pizdamatii5001]

all these colossal swords got a big buff to their attack speed in update 1.04!

[@felygu9268]

If you know, you know :)

[@fabs5211]

Fantastic

[@Nesymafdet]

Funny joke but they’re not colossal swords

[@pizdamatii5001]

@@Nesymafdet the zweihander is an 'ultra greatsword' in ds1, ds2 and ds3 and it's a 'colossal sword' in elden ring; granted, it's the lightest ultra greatsword :)

[@Nesymafdet]

@@pizdamatii5001 It’s also.. not a colossal sword. It’s a longsword.

[@kinotsu3017]

"If you've got a problem with "The Flop", try grabbing half way up the shaft." That part just killed me 🤣

[@KyeEnzoden]

Half Sorting, it helps the older men.

[@grinningchicken]

"If you've got a problem with the flop try grabbing halfway up the shaft" would save a lot of marriages

[@robh5492]

That one line utterly slayed me. Matt Easton of Scholagladiatoria, once more displaying his adeptness for exploiting our manful immaturities.

[@hansjohannsen6722]

It is the Ron Jeremy solution

[@freestatefellow]

That thumbnail is a work of art. Truly, some of your best work.

[@Oldtanktapper]

Not often will a thumbnail truly deliver on its promise!

[@calebeakin6742]

Absolutely

[@derstoffausdemderjoghurtis]

Didnt even noticed until now! xD

[@pilgrim42]

I know. Even the thumbnail was a double entendre.

[@jodyroane4219]

See the trade off with colossal swords is that you can defeat unskilled enemies pretty easily and without any real risk of dying do to the stagger on hit. But bosses typically do not get staggered from taking a hit and they will likely have a an even bigger weapon to stagger you with.

[@redumulis2448]

Genuinely the only reason to use them is for aesthetics. But just as engravings, this gives you no tactical advantage. If you're wanting range you'd use a spear or a bow.

[@EldenKing18]

Yes and using a good ash of war like lionclaw to poise through attacks is very necessary.

[@crestfallenwarrior5719]

Thats why you should use rapiers for their sweet critical damage, fast attack speed and range, especially the Estoc. A Longsword would be combine more damage with a better moveset or the Balder Side Sword, which is a combination of a Rapier and a Longsword. Faster, longer, better.

[@robertminnie782]

Someone's been playing too much Elden Ring lol

[@Troglor048]

I am maidenless. Cannot level up even with runes... 😔😔

[@pimar5654]

I can't understand how Matt Is able to pull of some Lines with such a straight face 😂

[@lunacorvus3585]

The master of innuendo

[@valandil7454]

Yeah I swear he's doing it on purpose, it's Ronnie Barker level word association 😂

[@TheTallGuyNamedNat]

Practice, lots of it lol.

[@VulpeRenard]

The slightest smile is visible immediately following "So if you've got a problem with the flop, trying grabbing halfway up the shaft."

[@thomaswilkinson3241]

That is easy. You talk and bring across the Point, analysis and interpretation is the listener's thing.

[@32Omicron32]

Amazing! 26 minutes of talking about blade length and rigidity and never once a statement that could be misconstrued as innuendo or sexualized by being taken out of context. Such sentences like "The stiffer the better..." and "not only do you have a very very long grip" never once made me titter or say "that's what she said". I feel like I was missing something before this video, a void of information you might say. Matt is clearly a master of inserting his long floppy sword into all of our collective gaping holes. Thanks!

[@kevinsmith9013]

fucking brilliant

[@hic_tus]

this is because you have a dirty mind, any swordsman timorous of god wouldn't think about such blasphemous things :P

[@Senriam]

You had me in the first half, not gonna lie

[@matthewmitchell6001]

This is pure gold. Matt deserves recognition for being able to keep a straight face. And just being awesome

[@Troupe_Master]

No point in having a massive sword if it isn't hard

[@ED-es2qv]

It still impresses everyone that sees it, as long as you aren’t trying to stick them with it.

[@Daveed56]

age old problem with massive "swords"........ hard on both ends, soft in the middle

[@dimesonhiseyes9134]

Story of My Life

[@GunterThePenguinHatesHugs]

@@dimesonhiseyes9134 😂😂😂

[@asmith7876]

Floppy has never been used in a good way, has it? LOL

[@Gabrielnfs]

The innuendo potential with such a theme for a video is enormous

[@grumpyzebra4450]

One might even say, girthy.

[@ED-es2qv]

It’s hard to follow, though. I need to bone up on my vocabulary.

[@pilgrim42]

HIGHLIGHTS: "As soon as you stick something even bigger, beefier, and meatier in their hands they get pretty excited". "Ideally we'd all like a really stiff weapon wouldn't we? The stiffer the better in most circumstances." “The first [problem]…is penetration. If you’ve got a floppy weapon it is difficult..” “If you’re trying to get good penetration stiffness is always beneficial.” “It really comes down to thickness”

[@ctrlaltdebug]

"thicker is stiffer in most cases"

[@ebreshea1337]

"If you're having a problem with the flop, try grabbing halfway up the shaft"

[@mRibbons]

"..but this massive size does come with some issues."

[@MrMetalhorse]

Just reinforce your sword with a blue titanite chunk to help you make it harder.

[@nothanks7567]

Depending on your build id recommend either normal Zweihander +15 or Chaos Zweihander

[@kavemanthewoodbutcher]

My daughter and I really enjoyed this video. She's too young to understand why I was laughing so hard all through it.

[@kenetickups6146]

What an edgy name

[@thomasholmes8458]

"That thing was too big to be called a sword. Too big, too thick, too heavy, and too rough, it was more like a large hunk of iron."

[@jakemartin876]

Guts

[@megalonoobiacinc4863]

at least Guts started out with a "semi-realistic" weapon. Later tho...

[@zuhalter0071]

The angle of the dangle is directly proportional to the heat of the beat!

[@pilgrim42]

Sounds like Randy Marsh.

[@enjoythestruggle]

'If you've got a problem with the flop, try grabbing halfway up the shaft.' Even Matt cracked up a little at that one. xD

[@cillianbrand3610]

When you’ve got a dagger but it’s still floppy 😔

[@zakjumah]

The sheer amount of double entendre in your videos is honestly mind boggling at times XD

[@mose717]

I had to stop the video for a bit when he said 'If you're trying to get good penetration stiffness is always beneficial'.

[@lefthandedhemawithlordrami8220]

Great to bring up. In Godinho and Figareydo, following through limits the "flop" created by a quick change of direction. However a technique ignored is that the cut must maintain edge alignment throughout the cut to not present the flat to an opponents weapon. Personally I learned about this issue in a rapier tournament, where someone using a 45in blade versus my 36in blade I was able to find the "Sweet spot" on his blade and with a hard beat attack, I was able to get him to lose control due to the wobble and sucessesfully thrust and hit him. But also I will soon be reviewing the new Blackfencer Synthetic Montante, and that wobble is a legitimate issue if you have poor technique.

[@TacDyne]

Very well presented. I have more years behind a great sword than probably anyone else on this planet, 32 years total, and must say you got this right. On point 1, The energy from the bowing blade increases, and if you maintain your pressure and whatever forward momentum you had while your opponent maintains his, someone will have that built up energy released upon them and get knocked back, if not knocked down. I've even had it happen with a schlager that struck bone and bowed. It bowed clear into a half circle and then I went back and down. neither I, nor the guy wielding it doing the thrust, had noticed the blunt come off. That hurt about as bad as being shot! So yeah, that energy is not lost and can still work highly in your favor. On point 2, it is pretty much impossible to have a "direct straight cut". Due to the wobble, it, well, wobbles regardless of how in line you are. If you are out of alignment enough degrees the wobble will cause the weapon to use that bowed energy to jump out of your hands. The handle will bend before the blade if your weapon is proper spring steel and wasn't treated like the rest of the blade. On point 3, please stop wasting so much energy for parrying. Use simple wrist flick motions for upper body and head blocks and a quick extending, or straightening, of the elbows for leg and knee blocks. This also applies to spear combat... well, any combat really. You will exhaust yourself much too early. On point 4, half swording is great for street fights when your opponents are unarmored and are using all sorts of improvised weapons. I never actually found it all that useful in great sword on great sword dueling. I've seen a lot of people use it who absolutely love it, and that's great. So if you find yourself not having any success with half swording, try not using it. On point 5, YES! Handles do wear out too fast. :( Also, I never have liked rat tails. Tapering down to a tiny bolt is enraging, because it exacerbates the handle issue. And then there is the complete neglect blacksmiths show for the handle steel. I have never liked blacksmiths who do not treat the handle the same way as the blade. They bend when you hit at even small angles due to not being properly quenched and tempered. Sure, go ahead and heat it up to 560-580 to temper the handle. Whatever, but just DO IT! instead of leaving it normalized.

[@Oldtanktapper]

For those in awe of Matt’s ability to deliver such content with a straight face, with nary a titter escaping his flinty visage, may I remind you that our generation is made of far sterner stuff! Raised on a diet of Benny Hill and Les Dawson, forged in the fires of the Carry On franchise, our very souls beaten to unyielding stiffness on the anvil of Frankie Howerd, we are more than capable of inserting the most penetrating innuendo and salacious double entendres into polite conversation with utter sang froid.

[@WingMaster562]

I have been spoiled with Giggidy and Nice Number to snicker on even a sliver of an innuendo

[@victorng2789]

Truly impressed with Matt getting through the whole video with a (mostly) straight face.

[@biggerandbetterthings7222]

lol yeah, i just smiled at many points :)

[@maninalift]

Even if you scale up the weapon in all dimensions it will become more floppy. It's a bit complicated but essentially, the strength scales with the cross sectional area (length squared) and the mass scales with the volume (length cubed), so a structure that is scaled up by a factor of two has half of the strength to weight ratio.

[@ieuanhunt552]

The Square cube law is a fickle bitch isn't it

[@JakobDrawitsch]

On the issue of thrusting with a floppy blade: In epee fencing, where the blade is specifically made to bend so that your opponent won't get hurt you still have to take care that your blade is pre-bent. Because the thrust of a straight epee blade can absolutely shatter your clavicle. Again: These blades are not supposed to hurt and they are supposed to bend. So Yeah I'd expect a long blade to still be pretty good at thrusting.

[@Victor83113]

Giggidy

[@francescofavro8890]

yeah, but that's sport fencing, the video was focusing on historical blades.

[@JakobDrawitsch]

@@francescofavro8890 I don't see how that matters for my point

[@francescofavro8890]

@@JakobDrawitsch because you said that epees are specifically made to bend, while matt was talking about two-handed swords bending, so it's not really relevant. It's like if i say that a restaurant puts too much salt in their potatoes and you come in and say "well, sausages are specifically made with a lot of salt to preserve them". which would be a true statement, but we were talking about another thing.

[@JakobDrawitsch]

@@francescofavro8890 That's not at all similar to what I'm saying. My point is that a floppy blade on a sword made to kill probably won't be that detrimental when even in cases where it's *supposed* to be detrimental it still won't be and might shatter bones if you don't take care to manually pre-bend the blade. To put it simply: Even bendy epee blades will hurt and not bend if untreated even though that's *not* what they're supposed to do --> bendy zweihänder will probably be even (a lot) better at applying harmful stabs because that's what they *are* supposed to do Going into speculation I reccon that even if a zweihänder isn't better and just as good as an epee sword at applying pressure to a point without bending (maybe you want to argue that the greater length outweighs the thickness and lack of pre-bend) then the fact alone that it's actually sharp should make it potent enough. But as I said, that's just speculation without anything to back it up.

[@jasonpike9626]

Even if you "just scaled up" a sword it would still be weaker in proportion to its length and to and especially in proportion to its own weight. That'a' precisely why you can't scale up a flea to the size of a human and have it jump over buildings. It would intsead be crushed under its own weight. It's essentially a matter of geometry - scaled up, a sword twice the length has eight times the mass but only 4 times the cross sectional area. so that's 16 times the torsion for only 4 times the cross sectional area so 4 times as much torsion per square millimetre.

[@DavidSmith-vr1nb]

Don Sample said the same thing a day before you, albeit with less maths.

[@antaresmc4407]

No, that's actually not true, it is not the same phenomenom as supporting weight/thrust. The amount if force thrown in is the same, the same human is pushing on it, but a bigger sword has more leverage (which scales linearly), so you gotta make it proportionally thicker (its about stiffness, not strength, so its not about area vs mass, but force on the lever vs stiffness). If mass and area had anything to do here, making it thicker wouldnt help (thicker neans more area but also more mass, both proportionally), and obviously thicker means stiffer...

[@manwithballsonarm6775]

@@antaresmc4407 actually it's mass × weight × length of the shaft ÷ yaw

[@MarkSmith-ki7jj]

Actually it's mass x diameter + (weight ÷ girth), divided by the angle of the tip squared

[@manwithballsonarm6775]

@@MarkSmith-ki7jj Putain mentuer!

[@simondean5227]

It seems to me like having a single edged blade would be especially beneficial in two handed swords due to their tendency to be stiffer than double edged swords at equal width and weight

[@UH1Phil]

Like cavalry sabres, O-katanas, and some large Talwars, to name a few across the world. They existed :D

[@simondean5227]

@@UH1Phil I'm talking about two handed swords in the sense of swords that are 5ft plus

[@UH1Phil]

@@simondean5227 Then there are the Nodachi/Odachi samurai swords which are basically 5ft+ katanas. These were used in battle, it seems.

[@UH1Phil]

@@simondean5227 Oh, also, the chinese Miaodao/Dandao.

[@jordanespinosa2508]

It generally is ideal to have a stiffer sword, with a solid, rounded butt for support on the thrust.

[@Punx63]

Got to add the Nodachi/Odachi in this too they could be rather long too. Lets not forget how the Claymore great sword was also.

[@BarokaiRein]

My girlfriend told me that while massive swords can make you excited when you first grip them they're rarely practical and if they're floppy then all of that size is kinda wasted potential.

[@whiskeytangosierra6]

I carry small Olights on both keychains, and have several larger models for other uses. One thing to look for in the larger models is a strobe function. Detractors to the contrary, a bright strobe in the face will startle an intruder at the very least, and all you really should need is to put them off their stride. From personal experience, a pack of coyotes will find someplace else to be if you blast them with a strobe.

[@acethesupervillain348]

Speaking of floppy penetration, I spent some time looking into Chinese spears trying to figure out when they started using flexible wood shafts, and it seems like it started much earlier than you would think, even around the Tang Dynasty, possibly as far back as the Han dynasty. (it seems that there was a different Chinese word for "rigid spear" and "floppy spear" or at least, that's one interpretation of why they had multiple words for "spear" at the time, bearing in mind that so did we, "spear", "pike", "lance" etc) It could mean that these floppy penetrators weren't as bad as we assume. The tradeoff that we assume they got from floppier flexible wood is that the shafts were more durable, so they could block blows or slam them into shields without fear of snapping. I think hook spears were also more prevalent than has been remembered, so the flexible wood shafts might have something to do with hooking too.

[@fatterperdurabo42069]

I think it's also genuinely more frightening to be opposed by and creates a harder to fight against weapon, as even ostensibly blocking the thing can still result in you getting cut or stabbed by a wildly flailing spearblade

[@DeadlyPlatypus]

The less rigid wood also acts a little like a shock absorber. A piece of hard oak forces your hands and arms to absorb all of the impact vibrations, whereas fir wobbles some of those vibration out. Of course, this is ONLY an advantage when the shock is unavoidable. Otherwise, the flexibility actually induces vibrations. However, "impact vibrations" absorbed by softwood are more harsh and cause nerve pain, whereas "whipping vibrations" caused by the same wood are just tiring. The opposite is true for hardwoods. In battle, I'd rather be able to feel my fingers and have more faith in the longevity of my weapon than stay fresh early on but end up with a broken spear after 30 seconds. You can more easily alter how you fight to conserve energy than you can immediately replace your weapon.

[@stormiewutzke4190]

The formula for thickness to stiffness is doubling the width will double the weight and stiffness where as doubling the width will add 8 times the stiffness for the same weight. A blade is already a complex shape and requires both material science and engineering. The thinner the blade is at any point the better it will cut and pass through material is the basic principle. Then comes structural integrity based off if interested use. Once you get into sword blades it becomes even more complex since you are adding in shock with high hardness materials and bending loads. Then you have to add in performance of both how the blade handles and weight for energy transfer and stiffness. Basically the intended use is beyond what the materials provide. Because of that there will have to be compromise in the design. This is something that can be hard for people to understand and they expect a tool to hold up no matter how they use it. This is where skill comes in and ideally the user has a high degree of skill and the tool or weapon has been designed in a way to allow him to use the tool i in an optimal way. Thats kinda dry but it comes down to understanding the tool or weapon and how it works so they can use it as effectively as possible. I like to break skills down to the elements involved and what is required to perform a task. I find it help to understand techniques rather then just memorizing them.

[@joelvirolainen590]

Seems like the handle is a perfect place to put a damper to deaden the oscillation. You'd need the handle to vibrate at let's say double the frequency of the tang, so the handle would bash against the tang regularly and kill off the vibration. A metal tube in the handle could probably do it if the dimensions were right. Then again, why not a thicker tang?

[@jlatzke]

This might be the most entertaining video I've ever seen on KZbin. I'm going to wait until my wife gets home and show it to her. Bravo.

[@ShuajoX]

The nodachi (and the miao dao's ancestor, the chang dao) somewhat solves this by having a thick blade, but at the cost of weight.

[@draunt7]

Was randomly interested in the subject and saw the ad for O-light. I hate ads, but I actually bought an O-light a year or so ago, and I can't recommend it hard enough. It's my go-to gift at this point for everyone. It's incredible and fits my EDC. It's almost a self-defense weapon if you suddenly flash it into someone's eyes given how powerful it is, and it has incredible battery life + a magnetic back to mount to surfaces.

[@romxxii]

Scottish Claymores/Greatswords in Forged in Fire had this problem for a while: the smiths would almost invariably make them too thin, so they'd flex when attempting to swing at a pig carcass. Ben Abbott finally broke the streak and made one that could cut through a pig.

[@TheDecoyDude]

I like how he explains this as though we live in the 16th century. Really helps me figure out what sword I need to fight a battle in 2022😂

[@coadyedwards6710]

"If you're trying to get good penetration, Stiffness is always beneficial" fucking killed me

[@jk-qe3jj]

"the stiffer the better, in most circumstances" I rather like my weapon floppy in most circumstances. If I walk around with a stiff weapon, people look at me funny.

[@trev6783]

Maybe you could comment on the effectiveness of a short stroke vs a long stroke. Can a short stroke penetrate deep enough to reach vital spots or is the long stroke absolutely necessary. I imagine blade length affects your stroke length and thus change the overall effectiveness. Thoughts?

[@snarkywriter1317]

I wonder if the differences in materials and metallurgy between modern replica blades and the originals would have an effect? Probably wouldn't be major, but it'd be interesting to explore that.

[@kylewilliams8114]

I bet the tempering may be TOO uniform in newer blades, without enough shock absorbing softer steel. But that's also probably why they're floppy.

[@ngaese]

you can also mitigate this by making the blade wider and/or starting thicker and using more distil taper along the blade. lots of big swords were also decently wide for a reason but it also effects weight a lot, and we certainly have a preference for lighter and slimmer blades these days

[@danshabash]

I do recall trying to do a wide cut from below with a cheap two-hander, and the thing flopped to the side massively and nearly caught the back of my foot. Another point against floppy blades - you can nick your legs with em if not careful.

[@christopherpie8559]

To be fair, two of those are practice swords, which probably are made to flex more than battlefield-ready ones.

[@Asgath]

Just tested for my sword for floppiness. Can confirm :(

[@akizeta]

You're a better man than I am. I could never have gotten through this script without breaking down into giggles.

[@vaximillian9460]

“if you’ve got a problem with the flop, try grabbing half-way up the shaft”

[@fredbarnes2600]

I actually saw a bladesmith on Forged in Fire lose because the claymore he made was so light and flexible it didn't transfer enough energy to cut, in fact it wrapped around the carcass being used for the test

[@KurNorock]

I have no doubt that longer swords are more floppy than shorter swords. That's a given. However i also believe that many, if not all, modern reproduction blades are made more floppy than traditional historic swords. Probably for safety reason in sparring and/or because more floppy blades are generally more durable in that they can absorb more force in an impact. And stiffness isn't entirely determined by the spine thickness. The temper of the steel also makes a very big difference. Steel that is more tempered can be more floppy. Less temper makes the blade stiffer but also more brittle. So it is a balancing act that I'm sure many swordsmiths spent many years perfecting. I think historic blades were very likely more stiff, because they weren't worried bout making it safe for sparring or about maximum long term durability. They were worried about ease of use and effectiveness in battle.

[@starchitin]

Usually, I don't catch onto Matt's double entendres until I read the comments.... this time, though, I was laughing like Beavis and Butthead the whole way though the vid....

[@robinthrush9672]

Tactical flashlights are also good for self-defense. The light at those lumens is blinding and will give you an opening to run away without accidentally injuring a friend and you can use the flashlight body as a knuckle brace or cut with the edge on a punch; depending on light design.

[@ieuanhunt552]

a really bright strobe light can be very disorientating. I don't know if those flashlights have that as an option

[@robinthrush9672]

@@ieuanhunt552 He said it's over 2000, 800+ is painfully bright depending on distance.

[@curtisbailey78]

Would be great if you could team up with someone who has a hi-speed camera so you could demonstrate & capture some of these issues in slow-mo.

[@ebreshea1337]

Matt says stiffness is preferable, but he's mostly talking about stiffness imparted by (proportionately) more material and shouldn't be confused with the balance between hardness and toughness of the blade.

[@donsample1002]

Even if you scale up all the proportions, you end up with a proportionally weaker sword, for its mass. Mass scales with the cube of size, while strength scales with the square of the size.

[@WingMaster562]

What was the formula again? Inverse square law?

[@DavidSmith-vr1nb]

@@WingMaster562 Square-cube law.

[@WingMaster562]

@@DavidSmith-vr1nb thanks~

[@luskarian4055]

Laughs in lightsabers

[@PeterSt1954]

Honestly, swords and you know what share a lot of ideas and vocabulary so I think we need to get over it. When I went into engineering a lot us giggled about nipples and male and female parts mating but after a few months we just accepted it. I'm not a killjoy, and I love a giggle as much as anyone, but I think Matt deserves more serious comments - or at least one worthwhile comment along with the "Oooh Matron!" stuff in a post. Honestly, it's wearing a bit thin and wasting a lot of space on the comments column.

[@pilgrim42]

Matt does all of those double entendres on purpose. Take a close look at the thumbmail for the video. Is the position of the sword an accident or coincidence?

[@DH-xw6jp]

People can absorb knowledge and information while still cracking jokes. I'm sure Matt is more than aware of what he is saying on the internet.

[@rantanen1]

dude... you need to relax a little bit, Matt does this on purpose and it's all in good fun, as are the comments making jokes, most people here can see that. There are a lot worse things to be found on youtube comment sections than harmless jokes.

[@edward9674]

If you have trouble keeping your sword straight and true then there's a certain thing blacksmiths can prescribe.

[@risingSisyphus]

Lol the thumbnail

[@texasbeast239]

His Schwartz is definitely bigger than yours/ours.

[@frankharr9466]

O.K. That all makes sense. I would also suggest that if something is busy vibrating, then you're not goign to be able to move precisely. And it seems that if half-swording can be used to make a blade functionally stiffer, then if you start OUT with a stiff-ish blade, it's even better.

[@therealkillerb7643]

I actually had to pause the video and look at the posting date, twice, to make sure that this wasn't an April Fools joke. This was brilliant!

[@maestre97]

"(...) As soon as you stick something even bigger, beefier and meaty in their hands, they get pretty exited usually, I find, I certainly do (...)" LOL

[@devon8438]

The stance, the title, the rubbery pink grip. This is art

[@nevisysbryd7450]

Thanks, and very well-timed. I am currently working with Kvetun on a two-handed sword, so this is definitely pertinent information for me

[@M60E3MG]

It’s a relief that I’m not the only one with a juvenile sense of humor.

[@superrobotmonkeyhyperteamf3194]

I assume that this is one of the reasons many later greatswords especially in the HRE look somewhat different. Couldnt handle one of them yet but i feel like they would be stiffer and the cutting part would then be hammered out to be thinner while the rest has a thicker spine. Would also explain why their blades widen toward the tip. And since theyre often somewhat more heavier on average compared to more "civilian" variants it could be because of the reason of floppiness. Seems to be supported by the depictions where often soldiers would carry swords that have quite the broad blades assumable also heavier.

[@stormiewutzke4190]

The iron used in traditional swords would also have helped because of the stress risers involved and the harmonics that can be a problem with breaking. The way stress affects the handle area makes it one of the problem areas for sword makers.

[@MerkinMuffly]

And all this time I thought Zweihänder was one of the best swords because Dark Souls

[@hmad898]

it was a good sword, it did its job (cutting off spear heads) well, just cant go much bigger than it

[@mikesands4681]

you kept a straight face using the terms floppy and stiff all the way through. very professional. :D

[@BlackSalami27]

Just barely found your channel, and gotta say.. ur a badass. I LOVE medieval/older weaponry and learned A LOT. insta subbed.

[@kevinsmith9013]

"It's very easy to get excited by massive swords" So. Much. To. Unpack. But yes, yes it is.

[@christopher7539]

I'm two minutes in, and already getting strange looks from my wife

[@ghosthero0806]

these are some of the many reasons why i personally prefer bludgeoning weapons (not saying that cutting or thrusting weapons are bad! just my own taste) because you can make quick adjustments in the swing without having to worry about keeping the edge alignment, with thrusting, you're not going to cause penetration anyway, so the loss of energy from flexion (ie with a bo or similar stave) doesn't mean that much. my main reason is because i can carry my heavy duty cane with me anywhere, whereas you're gonna get stopped if you've got a blade on you in most places lol.

[@EthanBSide]

It's not the size or stiffness, as we all know, it's the context...

[@El-Burrito]

"If you're trying to get good penetration, stiffness is crucial" what a quote

[@bigt6889]

You deserve a medal for keeping a straight face during that lol

[@taytay1597]

The way I thought it worked was flexible swords were superior because they're significantly more durable, whereas a very "stiff" sword would be relatively easy to snap in half accidentally...

[@ominousbiscuit]

I don't even want to think about my sword snapping in half

[@Zappina]

Especially if you hit armor with it.

[@draven86]

thank you for the reminder why i dislike large swords

[@foresttaniguchi3168]

I had no idea the longer your sword is the floppier it is

[@animalxINSTINCT89]

Matt Easton explains physics and principles of leverage and shear for 26 minutes. Like.

[@titanscerw]

Seriously Matt, are you able teach this to live ppl with straight face! Glorious performance, sir!

[@tommyblackwell3760]

My inner 5yr old was giggling the whole time, but I learned a lot all the same. Thanks, Matt!

[@zoichikanoe6242]

Matt. At 17:48 I do believe and think, and saw, that parrying with a longsword from mid, mid upper section, can and will be a disaster not only to the cutting edge, as you said, being severely damaged but about another two factor: First is that if you stop the sword coming towards you, or as you said, hit it with yours (even worst), to parry the incoming attack. The force between impact point and top half/ top of the sword will be me monstrous, acting as lever between impact point and top, so longer the blade, later the top will follow the impacting force movement, because of this it can very often bent it or more common twist the blade permanently with the vibration/floppy effect that would not dissipate properly and surpass the shape-recovery speed of the steel. Second and way worst, both swords, by impacting on both cutting edges, will acts as chisels each one and enlarge/extend the blade due to the blade deformation by two small hard surfaces impacting with strength, in this case it's better if it chips completely than push the material toward the blade spine, if the material doesn't have elongation elasticity (which for an tempered blade is not high) it will greatly increase its chances to break or weaken/cripple the blade permanently by creating a weak structure on that elongated tendency (that force remains and tries to push the rest of the structure) that would just love to create a failure (cracks) on another impact.

[@sayasakisaka7609]

Mine is quite rigid and also absurdly heavy; it's a Zweihander from Ritter Steel. I really do love it very much, but holy hell, does it take a different technique to wield than lighter Zweihanders I've wielded. Overall, I do prefer the heavier blade by personal taste, but I can see where it wouldn't be very pragmatic in many situations. Love the channel, this video is awesome, gives me some stuff to think about

[@manfredconnor3194]

Matt, you covered a point here that I always wondered about. A kenjitsu master, that I know once told me that some of the Chinese Dao were made with a very thin floppy blade, because it assisted in cutting. That always seemed counter-intuitive to me because of the blade-alignment or "floppy-problem", but you mentioned that the thin blade can pass through things as if they are not there. If you are "in" the cut, in other words if you have gotten into the target, does a floppy blade aid in cutting, perhaps by wobbling around and helping to widen the cut?

[@franciscoromancirigliano7887]

I love the double edged sense of every single one of your sentences, but now i need a psychologist, and emotional support

[@plsdontbanmeagainyoulibtards]

4:28 "you simply can't have something of this size, that is of a weildable weight, and always make it stiff." oh man, story of my life right there

[@stp584]

Best reason to watch is to hear Matt talk about the quality of stiffness your sword has.

[@mak_x1785]

Yes people often have trouble handling my large floppy sword they find it much easier to handle when it’s stiff

[@SneakybeakyScrub]

this is why fiction with cyborg ninjas or whatever using katanas makes sense to me because theres not really any other design of blade that would work, theyre relatively super thick and theyre pattern welded specifically so they can be a sturdy blade without being flexible and theyre also differentially hardened and its just generally a blade design that makes the most sense when youd want a sword that you're putting way too much force into to cut things as hard as metals or harder. if they tried to use other types of sword that werent thick short swords even if it could survive the force and they hit on the apex where it stays stationary it would still have a ton of trouble keeping edge alignment or cutting well especially with so much less inertia behind it. this also makes the big versions of katanas whatever you want to call them (dai-katana, nagakiba, nodachi/odachi, etc) enable them to not have to deal with these problems just in general of course at the cost of being really heavy

[@KurNorock]

I would still disagree with the statement that large swords/weapons are not good in confined spaces. The entire purpose of formations like pike blocks, shield walls, and phalanxes was to create a confined space for the enemy in front of you. The formation keeps the enemy from being able to flank you. Your collogues to either side of you prevent the enemy from moving to the side to avoid your attacks. If me and you are in a hallway and I have a greatsword and you have a dagger, I would say that I have the overwhelming advantage. I can thrust at you from range or even do quick side to side or vertical strikes, and you have either no ability, or an extremely limited ability to dodge. Sure, I can't generate a lot of power, or make massive swings, but I don't need to. Any quick strike with the leverage generated by the long handle will be plenty powerful. And your only hope of getting to me is to somehow slip past the tip of my sword as I attack, which is made much more difficult for you by the combined space, and then reach me before I can attack again, or tilt my great sword to some angle where I can still attack with some other part of my blade or the hilt. Tight spaces are choke points. And we all know how effective choke points are in preventing the enemy from moving forward.

[@lenwhatever4187]

I suppose most users more worried about staying alive might not notice, not only will the user be fatigued by carrying a weightier load but a vibrating hilt will as well. I would think it would be worse than a reciprocating saw which is enough to drive one to a hand saw already, because the vibration looks to be slower but higher in amplitude. So it is not just a "buzz" in the hand but a movement in the hand from side to side that the muscles right up to the elbow need to counter. I would think a defense against such sword would be to hit it against the flat frequently even beyond parrying. Just an armchair guess on my part.

[@mikoajpietrych6168]

the tang thing makes me very curious about naginata and nagamaki, since they both have rather substensial tangs

[@ghoulbuster1]

This is why you work out and increase your strength, big sword scale better with more muscle!

[@Outside85]

Saw a clip of a guy who had made something of a disaster sword that proved just how floppy it was when the adjudicator took it and gave a pig-carcass a great big whack... and while the carcass didn't have a scratch on it, the sword was bent completely out of shape. Think it was from Forged in FIre btw. Meanwhile over at Fromsoftware: 'I've got it, when we make giant swords, we actually make them giant! Inch-thick blades taller than a basketball player!'

[@Eckister]

23:50 very true, this is exactly what has happened to my practice longsword. I COULD still use it for non-contact practice, since another member of the club I used to practice at welded it back together, but its actual fencing days are done. :-(

[@HappyCupsInc]

This is a 26 minute long innuendo. Perfection.

[@JohnDoe_69]

4:35 "You have to accept a degree of floppyness, sometimes."