Why Are Japanese Swords Curved? (you may be surprised by the answer)

An explanation of how the Japanese sword got its curve. Are there advantages to curved swords over straight one?
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[@Linfamy]

3:12 powerpoint presentation within a video that’s basically a powerpoint presentation. Swords!! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZoWbnmZ3hLuSf7s Please consider supporting the channel =) 🔸PATREON (blog, art): www.patreon.com/Linfamy 🔸MERCH: teespring.com/stores/linfamy (shirts, stickers, phone cases, and more!) 🔸DONATE: www.paypal.me/Linfamy

[@Evergreen4477_Typology]

Softer metal can be made just as sharp as harder metal, however the blade made out of softer metal will dull the cutting edge faster or roll the edge. While harder metal dulls the edge slower, it’s prone to chipping. What really matters is good sword geometry and a middle ground between too hard and too soft. Hope this helps👍

[@Linfamy]

@@Evergreen4477_Typology that's true of course, I just had to simplify for the vid :)

[@martinguzzoni6656]

@@Evergreen4477_Typology Samurais attacked with the hard edge and parryed with the soft back of the blade, to avoid damages on the hard breackable edges, this obviously only can be achieved by having skill with the sword and respect for the oponent.

[@martinguzzoni6656]

japan didn´t have large amounts of quality steel, so they begin using the tamahagane, or "jewel steel" instead, that was more breackable, they mixed it with soft stell and the rest is history

[@Linfamy]

😂

[@AyubuKK]

The only true reason: Because they just looked more aesthetically pleasing that way.

[@Linfamy]

They do look nice 👍

[@AyubuKK]

Linfamy Very fancy and sleek indeed.

[@ahmadniam3568]

Remember lads : Waifu > META

[@phantom_servant7980]

@@ahmadniam3568 the sword is better than sword

[@JBlox-xx5bu]

(you may be surprised by the answer)

[@Big_E_Soul_Fragment]

"They have curved swords. Curved. Swords." - some random guards in Skyrim

[@AzraelAngel945]

“You see those warriors from Skyrim? They have straight swords, straight swords!”

[@fungisrock8955]

those warriors from Hammerfell

[@itsblitz4437]

Skyrim for the Nords!

[@matilde_5]

I thought about that right away!-

[@AlexanderKrasnovIsTheMan]

Was looking for this comment

[@jaystrickland4151]

Curved swords have the added advantage of being less likely to be stuck while slashing. If you look at Calvary that used straight swords they preferred use the point rather than slash.

[@juancassinerio1580]

if you use a straight sword while riding a horse, when you hit someone your sword it going to fly from your hand

[@plingplong528]

@@juancassinerio1580 maybe there is a technique? Napoleon cuiraisser use straight sword instead curved one

[@FrankCastle-tq9bz]

Makes sense - the original samurai were cavalry archers and the sword was a secondary weapon for them…

[@juancassinerio1580]

@@FrankCastle-tq9bz the original samurai where people from the nobility that could afford buying a horse and taking care of it

[@MinecraftBuildStuff]

I mean, depends on what you mean by stuck while slashing, technically while slashing it's not really supposed to be stuck

[@makatadaito1351]

Hi. I'm a bladesmith ❤️I forge Japanese swords for over 6 years. The reason why tachi is more curve is that it has thinner motokasane and wider motohaba and longer blade it produce moto-sori at tachi The sword start to warp much curve because of those reason that's why tanto doesn't have much curvature even at yakiire or differential hardening In general idea the tachi was much curve because of longer proportion the warping happened in longer blades

[@EvilXero359]

I've heard that the primary reason for the curvature of the blade allows the swordsman to unsheathe their sword easier, thus providing the swordsman a tactical advantage in battle. Is this true?

[@IsaacChoo88]

@@EvilXero359 I'm pretty sure they developed the sheathing skills based on curved swords, not the other way around

[@EvilXero359]

@@IsaacChoo88 k, just thought I'd ask cause I took a beginners class for katana handling

[@ZenoDLC]

So basically... They try to make it sharper and thinner on one end while trying to make it thicker and stronger on the other end?

[@makatadaito1351]

@@IsaacChoo88 that's right! Asian are small people and has disadvantages of drawing long blade

[@walnutyuh6456]

"cuz they look cool" - Japanese Man

[@code066funkinbird3]

Me as a filipino also a weeb: i guess you right tho i csn give you a respect

[@randommemesv.2987]

@@code066funkinbird3 you are not a weeb

[@randommemesv.2987]

@@code066funkinbird3 just say you watch anime

[@code066funkinbird3]

@@randommemesv.2987 I do love watching anime it's was amazing

[@luisgabrieldelmo772]

@@randommemesv.2987 yes we call it weeb

[@alperenerol1852]

And remember when you have no other choice, switching to your pistol is faster than reloading your sword ie Isshin the Sword Saint.

[@Linfamy]

Indiana Jones understands this.

[@Karamuto]

+1 like for Sekiro reference

[@shaggyrogers9028]

Sekiro, how my blood boils

[@erklid2882]

that mf called himself sword saint but when shit got real he pulled out a gun and a staff

[@leoalcaraz6153]

A better question would be why is the katana so bad ass; it’s the only sword ever used in modern pop culture

[@Linfamy]

Good marketing? It does look cool though 😎

[@leoalcaraz6153]

Linfamy yeah broad sword and rapiers just don’t quite cut in an action flick

[@b.b.holmes8255]

Well yes, but actually no

[@lnsflare1]

*sad lightsaber noises*

[@heistingcrusader_ad3223]

Maybe due to sleek design and the fact that these swords are lighter in weight

[@The_D0C70R]

I'm pretty sure it's curved for two main reasons: 1) The wielder knows which direction the blade is facing while the sword is sheathed 2) It's easier to draw a curved sword

[@ImNoah]

That’s an interesting argument. 🤔 I haven’t heard it before but it would make quite a lot sense. If you’re in the heat of the battle, you‘ll most likely not have the time to check which direction your sword is facing. Even if the main weapon was the bow 🏹, if it actually comes down to close combat the who draws his sword first will definitely have an advantage. 🗡

[@Final_Boss]

Correct.

[@unnamedkillaz8677]

Its actually an underrated argument

[@Drepano]

the first one is nonsense since if it wasn't curved it would've double edge

[@The_D0C70R]

@@Drepano not necessarily. It would be very difficult to make a double edged sword with differential hardening.

[@MrMrx123456789]

You sir! You're now my Japanese History Sensei! Love learning history from you!

[@Linfamy]

:D

[@MrMrx123456789]

@@Linfamy This is now my History class since I already graduated 5 years ago °-° I need class

[@Linfamy]

@@MrMrx123456789 school has its fun moments 🙂. Weird how we tend to fall asleep in history class, but seek out history vids 😅.

[@myrojyn]

One of us! One of us!

[@polleyjw]

The legendary WAnker vs. DWeeb debates. I remember reading about them in high school.

[@Linfamy]

Very famous debates

[@charliewhite578]

The right answer of where the tachi with a nakago is actually, both of these things. Early Yamato Den from Nara made swords in the Jokuto style, even going into heian period which is why Buddhist Ken swords/tanto are straight. The school that made Warabite-tou was called Mokusa, and essentially what happened was that the Yamato Den smiths making Jokuto, were making swords in the North for their warriors to use, and in the process adapted the Koshizori from the Warabite-tou. The construction of the Kenukigata no tachi is exactly the same, in terms of how it was smoothed to the nakago tachi, the type of Koshirae isn't so important. All of this led to Mokusa making nakago tachi but with the warabite smithing techniques, Yamato den eventually making curved tachi in the Amakuni school and Senjuin school and the Sanjo smiths making curved nakago tachi in Yamshiro as well as the foundation of the kobizen school. IE. The origins of the Japanese sword as we know it, is from both the Jokuto AND the Warabite.

[@WildBillCox13]

Good stuff. Thanks for adding your thoughts to the forum.

[@yamiyomizuki]

The straight double edged sword was symbolic in buddhism before buddhism ever came to Japan, the Japanese wordsmithing tradition has nothing to do with it. Look at Buddhist art from China, Tibet, and India, you will find straight double edged swords.

[@charliewhite578]

@@yamiyomizuki very interesting reply! I don't know so much about non Japanese Asian history. I do know that Ken were specifically made by yamato den as Buddhist smiths, namely straight swords, and I do know that straight swords were made by them quite late on into their extant use. Perhaps, for purely religious purposes, or quazi religious use as sohei needed to carry weapons into battle?

[@yamiyomizuki]

@@charliewhite578 ok before we get any deeper i think we should clarify terms. My understanding of is that chokuto would refer to a straight single edged sword, more or less like those used in China up to the song dynasty, and ken as referring to a double edged straight sword similar to the Chinese jian. I assume that's how you interpret those words too but I just want to be sure. The ken would be chosen due to the religious symbolism more than anything else. Even curved katana style swords will often have an image of a ken with a vajra hilt to symbolize... well more things than i feel like getting into without being specifically asked to. The chokuto style of sword doesn't really have any specific symbolism in buddhism and as such i can't say why they would be preferable to the Yamamoto den.

[@charliewhite578]

@@yamiyomizuki just based on extant historical works. Yamato den started making curved tachi waaaaay later than alot of the other schools like Mokusa, Sanjo and Kobizen, but weirdly enough yamato den made the first curved tachi called the kogarasumaru, just didn't really stick for whatever odd reason. Chokuto were very often double edged. I have seen multiple period double edged Chokuto in Kasuga Taisha shrine, and other places too. In fact, the Kogarasu Maru its self, is double edged. This sort of develops into my thinking as to why Yamato den were making straight and double edged swords longer than everyone else around them. At least, based on extant works that still exist. It's very possible that I am totally wrong, since Oda Nobunaga and Hideyoshi destroyed a massive portion of the Yamato Den school. Mostly Senjuin and Tegai works as far as I know, as alot of taema, shikkake and Hosho, bar sue Hosho were in samurai hands by then since the schools were mostly extinct during the nanbokucho era thanks to Godaigo Tenno messing around in eizan and yoshino against literally everyone.

[@SakaeOba18]

Linfamy makes me differentially harden. I wouldn’t mind him curving me over 😳

[@Linfamy]

O_O 😂

[@Thunor93]

Bruh ....

[@joannamysluk8623]

*_*Bonk_**

[@David0lyle]

Wooh a masher posting.🤭

[@allthatsheiz]

😳😳😳 say waaaaaaaaah 🤭

[@mriaschug5432]

Reasons why I watch linfamy: 70% history lessons, 20% his voice acting, 10% girl crush haha

[@Butterballz23]

This is a really cool channel. Thanks as always man!

[@Linfamy]

[@Prem-j9l3s]

I appreciate you trying the Japanese pronunciation and not slaughtering it. It’s actually pretty good! Your pitch accent is off but it’s acceptable. Thank you for actually learning how to pronounce it a little!

[@edi9892]

Fun fact: There are two types of automatic edge alignment: 1) if you got a forward curved blade like a Kukri or Yatagan, it acts like an axe in the at it wants to face the ground which makes it easy to hold the weapon correctly, even if the handle is round. 2) a backward bent wants to turn in your hand 180°, but when you swing it, the blade wants to turn the other way.

[@Linfamy]

physics is amazing

[@Fulblade]

Not so sure about this one guys. I cut with Japanese swords on a regular basis and there isn’t an automatic edge alignment. It takes practice to line the edge up in the direction and angle you intend to cut. What I’m hearing from the video and reading has more to do with balance as it relates to geometry and weight distribution of the blade. You’ll often see a taper on a Japanese blade as this creates a desirable balance which helps more so than blade curve.

[@edi9892]

@@Fulblade a Katana is almost straight. Obviously, the effect is minimal. A shamshir is a different story...

[@Fulblade]

Right. That was the essence of my comment, it’s not a factor in my years of practice with Japanese swords. I will say though that a curved blade cuts better than a straight blade. There are some physics there that would be fun to explore.

[@shashwatsinha2704]

@@Fulblade it's really simple. Just consider a circle vs a straight line: any line directed to the centre of the circle will be perpendicular to the surface.

[@matthewct8167]

Thank you for addressing most of the questions I have about Japanese swords.

[@justin9656]

i agree with you. for the fight on horseback they switched

[@NickiesChannel]

I’ve literally never even had any thought regarding this but now I’m super intrigued *clicks video*

[@leodouskyron5671]

The technique and different materials (the metal is iron but the carbon count differs between back and front) are used to make the sword curve. While making it not curve is possible there really is little reason to do so. A curved blade from horseback is better but it also is beautiful. The katana is a work of art meant to be useful but primarily is meant to be a badge of station.I strongly recommend seeing how the blade is made by both Japanese traditionalist and those in the west trained in the technique. It is a lovely watch in time lapse.

[@MrKIMBO345]

As a former debater of my college, I like how you uses the debate of the subject. 😃

[@GRM0420]

I love how he described "war"

[@MarkMisterMr.Hamaguchi]

Alignment is the main thing. It’s actually quite difficult to get proper edge alignment with a straight sword because a two handed stroke has a rotating or rolling grip where the rear hand starts on the bottom & ends up on the top.

[@senioravocado1864]

"Why Are Japanese Swords Curved?" Because they want to make it curved?

[@justtetsuo7175]

I love how thorough and well-researched these videos are!

[@Thesandchief]

A curved blade and a straight single edged sword like the japanese daos, made from the same steel. The curved sword will be more resilient. Less like likely to break

[@bigfrankfraser1391]

its because of the quenching after differential hardening, the softer less hardened steel on the back of the blade bends from the sudden temperature change, causing the curve, and once cooled completely then boom, curve

[@WinnipegKnightlyArts]

It seems like a combination of aesthetics, practicality in manufacturing, and ease of use. You see a lot of convergent design on curved single edge swords of about that length (sabre, shamshir, etc.) and they make certain actions, mostly hooking and cutting behind the opponents blade a lot easier. The most interesting thing in many ways is that they use a two handed grip on a blade of that length.

[@wiegraf-FNC]

"you're a poppycock" oh my god. Never laughed so much

[@Balorkio]

I honestly thought it had something to do with cutting, similar to the old guillotine. Because back at highschool I learned that the guillotines blade was originally flat, causing it to not always instakill and sometimes bounce back off of someone's nape. So they changed the blade to make it curve to slice better. So my thought process is, that it was used to either execute people in a more ''friendly'' way or for battle. However this is just my take on it, and its probably very wrong

[@thawsmst3138]

"You fool!" *immediately thinks of Excalibur*

[@darthzayexeet3653]

“A Baka-Neko? Must be a really dumb cat then…” (The best joke you have ever heard)

[@againwithadifferentname4880]

Look, just because I want to snort his ashes after he dies, to gain his historical powers, doesn't mean that I am a fanboy. Got me dead

[@ivorbuela1709]

I know this video is kinda late, but man Linfamy's swords drawings are awesome, especially that chokuto with a pommel(i think) in the end.

[@baysword]

We should never discount the whims of fashion. "Hey the Chinese do it this way. Let's be cool like them.". "Those bad asses look cool with curved blades."

[@robmanzur601]

I love your videos great work 🙇🏻‍♂️

[@Linfamy]

❤

[@solutionghostsimple6470]

We all gonna ignore how this man tortured a poor Pikachu for the purpose of this video?

[@l.lawliet2915]

Totally the content I watch at 3 am.

[@Vanalovan]

Ngl, “Differential Hardening” sounds like an early sign of erectile dysfunction

[@peacebewu]

the difference in tempering between the blade and the back of the blade also makes it curve when you quench the sword. I've seen a katana being forged then dipped in a glass container full of water(to demonstrate what happens when a blade is quenched). The blade curves forward then backwards as it cools in the water.

[@AGS363]

My problem with the "horseback theorie" is that you do not hace to slash while being monted. Were are many exemples of cavalary blades, that are straight (Scythians, Romans, Medieval Knights, sudanese nomads, Tuaregs, most militaries after Napoleon).

[@sobrev1viente]

And that the other main weapon of the samurai besides the bow was the naginata, later replaced by the yari

[@kozakos1999]

Also, that the curvature of the blade is not sufficient to be efficient in slashing. Which makes the katana only slightly better than slashing, and worse at stabbing.

[@juancassinerio1580]

romans are not a good example of cavalary, mongols are and they used curved blades, and medieval knights use mostly spears not swords. But tha main reason medieval knight didnt use curved sword is the same reason muslims didnt use straight swords, one looks like a cross and the other like a moon shape

[@AGS363]

@@juancassinerio1580 That is the most silly BS I ever heard on this matter. Hopefully you are a troll, if so you reached a masterclass of skill.

[@anotherhistoryenthusiast5874]

Wether you cut or thrust is more determined by the type of armor in use.

[@dutchraider2]

The reasons are a mix of: 1. Materials available. 2. Performance. 3. Usage. 4. Culture. (without using japanese terms :D) Because of the type of iron ore, they had specific smelting and smithing techniques that made them able to make the edge strong steel and core/back softer steel. The strong steel was waaay harder to make, and the soft steel was basically an abundant waste product from that process. So economically it made sense to use more soft steel in their blades as well. Using two different types of steel in one blade basically makes a curved design a lot better and way more resilient when they came up with the hard edge, soft core idea. Also having one edge is a lot cheaper (less harder steel) and easier to maintain (sharpen) then when having two edges. The advantage on horseback is probably just a bonus, because as stated in the video, they usually used other weapons on horseback anyway. The usage also plays an important role. As drawing a curved blade is faster than a straight blade and quicker/easier to align. Because of the culture, quick draw time could decide life or death. As mentioned in the video as well, there weren't often very large scale battles where people used swords. They were often used by samurai which were basically noble men sipping tea and visiting others when something happened. Also the curvature differs based on time periods of peace and war. Usually they were a bit more straight during war periods and had a bigger cutting tip. But were more curved with smaller tip in peaceful periods. Probably because too much curve will make your reach suffer a bit, but was more esthetically pleasing to look at (just like a smaller tip was prettier). Their main usage was a status symbol after all.

[@ringlhach]

Keep in mind, too, that with a lot of the Japanese swords- looking at you, katana- you ended up with different weapons depending on the length of the hilt. It's not impossible that older polearms were... not reforged, but remade or maybe remounted as mounted combat and combat in general started to mean less than having the sword on you as a status symbol and for gutting uppity peasants.

[@syanfod125]

I have never been this early, I started watching your videos after the Genpei War btw 😳

[@Linfamy]

Woohoo!

[@両角-k4q]

In this way, the Japanese sword is made so that it can cut things by rotating it around the center of gravity without pushing or pulling it. The sword with a bracken shaped grip was found in the Tohoku region of ancient Japan. Warabite sword is also preserved in Shoso-in Temple. It's called warabitekatana, Warabite sword is one of the Japanese iron swords Some of rare examples are warabi-teto (which is called Kurozukuritachi in Shosoin) and kurotsukuri-no-tachi which have been housed in Shosoin since the Nara period, and kurourushi-no-tachi from the Heian period housed in Kurama-dera Temple in Kyoto, which is said to have been carried by SAKANOUE no Tamuramaro. For example, Fushu's warabite-to (curved swords) were developed into a kind of sword, Kenukigata Tachi (Tachi with a shape of tweezer), that would be used by samurai Fushu were superior in fighting on horseback, and the warabite-to (curved sword), an unsheathed sword used on a horse, became the original shape of Kenukigata-Tachi (hair-tweezers-shaped Tachi [big sword]) that developed into Japanese swords. Although relics of swords from the early Heian period are scarce, and the transition of styles or how and when Japanese original curved swords were formed are not fully figured out academically, after the mid Heian period (around the 10th century), when the turmoil of Johei and Tengyo occurred, Warabiteno Katana (curved sword) which was easy to use when riding with its warped body of blade was used instead of conventional straight swords.

[@msarilyn7677]

at 1;39 you got it right and the reason the Tachi is different from the sword below it is this thing called differential hardening which was a technique for blacksmithing invented around the same time. A Tachi is created using differential hardening while the sword below it was not thus the reason for the difference.

[@ericshun2552]

I think the Japanese wanted to be quirky and unique, not like the other girls

[@illyasvielemiya9059]

i feel like this have been touched on your video about all of Japanese sword. So the early minutes feel like a rehash. But I enjoyed the later part of video

[@Linfamy]

👍

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

PERSON 1: I love Katana PERSON 2: Yeah, especially her sexy body curves and... PERSON 1: Are we talking about the same sword? PERSON 2: What sword? I thought this was about the new Mortal Kombat game.

[@thanthanh5190]

PERSON 2 may prefer it as female

[@CounterMS]

Solution: bang the sword

[@Twizted.]

@@CounterMS manga about that

[@eeshsinger]

Yay a new episode of weapons with linfamy

[@Linfamy]

Woohoo!

[@alejandromolina7270]

"Whatever the case, after the curve tachi, the Japanese had a fever, and the only prescription was..." More Cowbells? "...more curved sword." Christopher Walken isn't getting those golden plated diapers.

[@bogdantsyganok7459]

Depending on how hard it is to keep a blade straight during diferential hardening there might've also been an economic/time incentive

[@MrHanderson91]

Glorious Nippon steel folded 100000000 times to defend my waifu and tendies

[@theveryhateableowl1991]

Shut noob

[@thehammerman4436]

One thing not mentioned in the vid. Speed and ease of draw. Curved bladed swords are easier,and faster, to draw than straight ones of the same length. Also, you deliver more force and get a better cut with a curved blade as apposed to a irregular chop with a straight one.

[@koopaking6148]

"Nincompoop though" "Poppycock" Sounds like real life debating...

[@junglejim7664]

The tachi was hung with the edge downwards, with the scabbard suspended from a waist belt much like European swords and scabbards were. Its blade was quite long and the curve assisted with the drawing of the sword, whether on horseback or on foot, but drawing was a relatively slow deliberate process. After combat changed from large scale mounted battles to smaller actions on foot, the long tachi was found to be less useful and the uchigatana was developed. This was scabbarded with the edge up and was quite a bit shorter than the tachi. In fact, some of the tachi were shortened to be mounted in this fashion. Its overwhelming action was the speed with which it could be drawn and brought into action. The uchigatana was further refined into the katana and wakizashi which each continued using curved blades.Katanas have blades over 60cm and wakizashi have blades between 30 and 60cm. So, the curve was there to assist getting the sword into action and also allowed for a more efficient cutting stroke.

[@lanceey5997]

*”What is Tachi with an extra I?”* *”Itachi”* “Wow, didn’t know you got it that fast”

[@youaremidlol]

A sword can turn into an anime character with only one letter

[@jbmaxwell6547]

Most amount of education in a comical brief well done grasshopper or Master I think he is very wise one of great thinking

[@alamtarokainkavan4524]

If anyone tells me that one day I will watch Wanker(William Anker) and Dweeb(David Weeb) debating about Japanese sword an hour early before I watch this video, I would think you've lost your mind.

[@Linfamy]

😂

[@zikutan5651]

I do agree that the best reason is edge alignment.the blade naturally positions itself for better slashing and a straight blade would be easier to break then a katana because of the angle of contact when struck.

[@baconchan9117]

Simplest answer: (For long swords) Curved swords are easier to unsheathe

[@rftrbnm850]

battou jutsu

[@mj_out]

Very insightful!

[@idolevin8795]

I'm still waiting for that Japanese swear words video...

[@duplicatemap4160]

Same here

[@charliewhite578]

I think the reason the curved happened was out of ease of use on horseback, not for slashing, but having a straight sword bounce around like crazy is hard to get a grip on if you actually need it while a koshizori curved tachi moves less because its aligned with your body. Other reasons include durability. Tachi, even with blocky af heian period construction broken remarkably less than chokuto, most likely for as you said, the edge alignment reason.

[@Linfamy]

I differentially harden in the bedroom.

[@sovietlamar1294]

😐

[@oravasong6111]

I guess that won't be on live feed 😆 😉

[@Linfamy]

@@oravasong6111 not until I'm *really* desperate for money..

[@makatadaito1351]

BTW the chokuto was straight because it was quench at opposite side just like katana-kitchen knife that is made nowadays in Japan

[@noxious9832]

Old Japan: Swords, bows and wepons all over Now: We dont do that here sorry.

[@Z020852]

1. Maybe the curve made it easier for drawing and controlling the curve was due to looking for that balance of easy to draw, helps slashing (plus they figured out how to maximize this with how your wrists do the cutting motion), doesn't give up too much for stabbing between breastplate joints, easy to reinsert into the sheath, etc. Contrast this with how very long (because they're high up on a horse vs infantry who may have spears) straight heavy cavalry swords that were used by the Roman/Byzantine and Chinese empires were sometimes strapped to the front of the saddle and the rider has a shorter sword on him for if he gets knocked off his mount. And as for the Franks' long straight swords: 1) they had shields, and huge ones earlier on; and 2) they had maces and hammers as lower maintenance (vs swords) backups to the lance. Which would be cost/time/effort-effective (even if just for their page) if you're just going after some poor peasant that was lucky enough to be issued a helmet, which half the time was probably during a rout. Think of this like how a sushi chef uses an expensive Shirogami #1 yanagi to slice expensive chutoro but a yakitori (or ramen) chef uses an SK tool steel or Hitachi yellow steel honesuki to carve a chicken with a lot of bones. 2. Maybe we're not looking at the other angle enough. Instead of just thinking of whether this is better from horseback either for fighting or drawing, what if it was also because the curved sword had some kind of advantage against the sort of armor they went up against? Goguryeo, Silla, maybe even the Tang initially when they still had straight swords might have worn armor that presented a problem for straight swords; then their own O-Yoroi later on might have been made to counter this; then finally whatever the Mongols (and the conquered Song) had. I can't think of what that might be, BUT something might have been figured out while Yamato was helping out Baekje. 3. It might not even be opposing armor. It might be that the advantage in slashing also means they more easily cut through or otherwise not get caught on branches so you don't accidentally (and comically) lose your sword when chasing somebody anywhere that isn't a wide open field. Like when they first ones to get the title Shogun (not Yoritomo) went after the Emishi. Then it persisted partly because of the curve having other advantages on horseback and partly because they had an incentive to chase routing enemies running into what sometimes might be more wooded areas (even if they weren't sadistic or extremely utilitarian in depriving the enemy of manpower): they had to take heads.

[@milkelangelo1]

I agree with your point, but i fell that you missed something: a curved blade usually also breaks less due to the fact that the shape distributes the stress along the sword

[@blackfeathersonangel]

Hi, I’m late to this but thought the point might be useful. In kendo we use two different kinds of practice blades, shinai (made of bamboo) and bokuto (made of wood). The bokuto is curved and the shinai is straight. In a match, part of how you align your blade against your partner is to aim for his throat but this connects to a further goal of presenting the least amount of visual surface area to your opponent. Your blade should appear not as a line but as a dot to your partner, which is a lot harder to defend against. A bokuto creates a better dot of a target than a shinai, I think because of the curved blade.

[@adityam9001]

I absolutely condemn the Pikachu abuse in this video

[@Linfamy]

He was being bad

[@samwise5493]

Moving the curve from the handle to the blade would allow for a stabbing action and the befits of slashing also. Look at the transition itself, as you hold both. The curved handle would place the tip further back making it less practical to stab, but ideal for slashing. The curve in the will do both actions well.

[@iampeachy1188]

Question is - did that Pikachu survived or killed for demonstration 😹😹😹😹😹

[@Linfamy]

He knew what he was getting into 😤

[@extrashifty578]

my answer before watching the video because when you swing that thing it goes in an arc, it made for slashing not bashing. it is also easier to take out.

[@KamiRecca]

"It has something to do with Inertia... and Albert Einstein... probably" Well.. yes. You now how the japanese believed that swords had souls? It was actually one soul, that of Albert Einstein.

[@Linfamy]

Ohhh 🤔

[@KamiRecca]

@@Linfamy you can trust me on this. i too was once a sword inhabited by the soul of Albert Einstein.

[@Linfamy]

@@KamiRecca i am honored to meet you, vessel of Einstein.

[@KamiRecca]

@@Linfamy ^^ Speaking if. the honor is all mine, always a pleasure when the channel answers. Let me say i highly enjoy your work.

[@Linfamy]

@@KamiRecca thank you. And I highly enjoy your keeping Einstein's soul safe.

[@RavenTanahishi]

i have actually needed this

[@geldbeutel506]

I was really triggert when I read the title that Differential hardening is the reason for the japanese to use curved blades and I was about to write a comment 5 times longer than this one too explain that it is edge alignment what makes a curved sword better for cutting than a straight one. Thanks for saving me the effort to do that.

[@LegorocketsAnimation]

My first thought (as an aerospace enthusiast) was the curve helped lower the drag as the blade travels through the air, similar to a swept wing on a jet. Then i remembered this is a muscle-powered weapon, it is not going to go fast enough for drag to make enough of a difference to justify designing a new type of weapon.

[@rhettratt5830]

the real question is: "why are curves katanated?"

[@Linfamy]

Interesting 🤔

[@basantprasadsgarden8365]

I think that the Horse Back theory is a better explanation Because, in India, in Ancient period, the Straight Swords like Khanda where popular, but in the Mediaeval period, as the Chariots where replaced by Horses, the Straight Swords like Khanda become more of a Prosperity and Religious symbol and the Curved Swords like Talwar (which you have shown in a picture btw) dominated the battlefield The use of Talwar became so Common that, the word Talwar is used for Sword in many Languages

[@jasonarmstrong5750]

You see those warriors from the East? They've got curved swords. Curved. Swords.

[@kaiokizen]

something i learned about a year ago, was that katana's at least are forgiving with their edge alignment. This is because the swords weight is more towards the outside of the sword, the blade side, which aligns itself when swung. edit: i commented this about five minutes in, then i watched the rest. didn't know you already said it.

[@Shahfjjj]

A

[@Linfamy]

B

[@PsychedelicMakai]

@@Linfamy c

[@Claro1993]

ECHO

[@Linfamy]

Foxtrot

[@oravasong6111]

Gee

[@David0lyle]

There is a lot of occasions in history where there’s a question about how things got planned. A lot of the time, that’s the mistake right there. The curved swords were probably the best sword to use from horse back but if you’re planning an attack lances or bows would be the first choices. I’m saying that they MIGHT have used swords, even trained on how to use them from horse back, this might have made them more popular than other types but it’s fairly unlikely that this was a primary driver. Keep in mind that today most military forces still train with knives, bare hands and so on. To my knowledge no one plans attacks with these as the primary weapons.

[@Toonox]

one of the advantages is also that curves spread the force inflicted on point of the sword in average the best because geometry says so ( the corners of a square are its weak points while the middles of the sides are the most durable. the same applies for lines where the ends are not very durable. circles do not have corners so curves profit from that.) because of the curves the upper half of the sword is also closer to your body when blocking/slashing which actually supports lighter armor because you don't have to give up your defence when attacking. of you think about it that way knifes and daggers are actually among the worst wapons for neutral fights because you can't use it fast if your using a heavy armour and you don't have any defence if your using it with light armor.

[@rhythmandacoustics]

I like the FF7 sound efx when the finger shows up.

[@christopherchoi4285]

The anime Dr stone actually talked abit about differential hardening its pretty cool to see it referenced

[@erikanders3343]

Also you should talk about curved blades in Japan are made from two grades of steel - basically a metal taco where the jacket is softer the core tamahagane

[@CourtneySchwartz]

Which also plays into differential hardening too, since carbon/vanadium steel cools at a different rate wrt iron or different steels.

[@shanegau4402]

I was to understand the curve creates a smaller point at contact which makes it a bit easier to cut deeper or worse where a straight blade will of course not its more surface area of the blade giving it a bit of blunt damage.

[@CourtneySchwartz]

Yes, like a pressure point.

[@CourtneySchwartz]

Same reason why getting stepped on by 6” heels hurts much worse than by Air Jordans.

[@WildBillCox13]

Disclaimer: Not an expert. Thanks for providing a forum for dissemination of ideas, Lin. Your point that Ashikaga samurai were horse archers is the important one, imho. An expansion, adapted from ideas explained in my Conversations with a Dragon (set in 1180-90ad) might help further explore the idea, however. To wit: "Samurai fought on the battlefield as individuals, of course. Too much testosterone to do it any other way. The finesse lies in the composition of his (Tamoe Gozen wants to know my location) personal unit. Not standardized, this unit might be composed of almost anything, but my view is as follows: A) The noble son, with horse. B) Retainer #1 carrying his bow case, additional spare strings and eights of arrows. This retainer is also armed with yari. C) Retainer #2 carrying his sword case and daisho maintenance gear. This man also armed with yari. D) a free agent retainer, whose specialty or role might vary. In Covos no Doragon I postulate a lesser son of a splinter family eager to win position. He is your "samurai swordsman" of the period. He can't shoot, but he sure can slash! And he does not ride the horse. Only the leader/archer ever uses the horse for anything (even sex*). And he seldom rides the horse in combat. This is an exigency placed on the man by the terrain (uneven and uncertain) and the size of the Japanese horse before breeding in Arabian blood started. Consider, too, that a mounted man might soon outpace his support if he "charged" into the fray. No, the archer holds his saddle, letting the horse pull him up hills and over soft ground. That saves horse and man, uses the equipment lightly, and leaves maximum effectiveness when the unit gets to the fight. Further, from my perspective, the horseman never fights with his sword while mounted. Like the wild west gunfight, that is a fantasy. Sit atop a horse, Lin, with a standard katana and estimate your reach. See what I mean? The horse melee weapons were naginata and nagamaki. They have the blade. They have the reach, and they are taught from horse stance (kiba dachi). Sure, you can use an o-katana, or tetsubo, but you'll fall off your horse leaning out to connect with any power behind your swings. In my view, the intended tactics were those of any horse mounted archer: scoot and shoot. The nicety is his bringing along his own mini fortress of retainers. Enemy horse troops won't want to get too close-yaris poke holes in horses, leaving the archer to act like a tank destroyer against enemy infantry advances. Harmaki do, jingasa/kabuto, and a basket cloak will protect the archer from most of the enemy ashigaru archers, sling stones, and hurled epithets. And his unit, light armored and light equipped due to sensible distribution of duties, is the most mobile unit on the battlefield until the Onin war made everyone into carbon copies and mass troop units became standard. Finally, keep up the good work. Your content is informative, amusing, and entertaining. *He rides her to yoshiwara-wait; where'd you think I was going?

[@KeithTKO]

Katana used on horse back is called “do tanuki.” It’s much longer than regular katana so it reaches enemies on ground.

[@katsuragirin6168]

It also thicker so you dont have to worry about breaking.

[@rayvinhubilla2289]

That pikachu was like 😳

[@idraote]

I was beginning to wonder about a video about swords by Linfamy with no bawdy jokes. Then they came and I was relieved. 😝

[@mikeschmidt2526]

my theory is, that curve swords are also made of fight against swordwielder. i remember dooku's curved lightsaber and it remind me a bit off. it have more capability and flexible to land fatal blows. the curve also rise to hit someones throat or feets. In the ancient japan, where most samurai using katana or tachi, it is nessassary to fight against swordwielder

[@jascrandom9855]

I think you got it wrong about the Differential Hardening and the roll the clay plays. The clay doesn't cause the curve of the sword, but the difference in carbon composition in the steal used to make the Edge and the Back of the sword. The clay is used for esthetic purposes as it leaves a mark in on the blade. Sword smiths would use it to give the sword beautiful designs on the blade like paintings.

[@gunsenhistory7919]

What you are saying is correct but the clay allows you to isolate the microstructures you want where you want, like martensite and ferrite. If you have a low carbon steel core wrapped by a hard carbon steel billet and you do not apply clay, you will have martensite all over the sword except for the core. If you ude clay you will have martensite at the edge and gradually perlite at the side, which is a better solution

[@dadbod7196]

I'd always thought it was better for slashing because less parts of the blade gets stuck in their body and also better for parrying because the curve can deflect the blade off at an angle

[@allanh5618]

Perhaps they wanted to cut better, leaving stabbing mostly to spears, and moved in that direction, and a hardened curve helps. They ended up with a blend of features usable in a variety of circumstances. A longsword is similarly useful in a variety of conditions, but leans more to stabbing than slashing.

[@ドラは何ペーナンチュン]

I think the big difference between the Western sword and the Japanese sword is "straight movement" and "circular movement". When "Aikido" will be compared with "karate" in a martial art also, may it be a fascinating comment? 西洋の刀と日本の刀の大きな違いは、「直線的な運動」と「円の運動」だと思います。 あと、武道において「空手」と「合気道」を比べてみると面白い論評になるかも？

[@johnlin3959]

A point about "controlling the curve". Just because you can control it doesn't mean that it's an easy process. I imagine that attempting to differentially harden a straight sword and preventing it from curving is a far more exacting process than trying to generate a curved blade. If the intent is to generate a curved blade, then the depth of the curve can fluctuate a bit without it being a big deal. But if the intent is to generate a straight blade, then the margin for error has to be within your ability to correct via grinding.

[@MNkno]

Differential hardening might be the answer due to the number of swords being made, there were not as many swords in the era of straight blades.. but the curved blade was during the ages of more widespread warfare, thus more being made. Not having to compensate for the curve produced by differential hardening (plus the curve looked cooler, and the curved sword MIGHT have been easier to draw from its scabbard) would be an advantage if you needed to turn out large numbers of swords in a short time.