I'm far from an expert, but I've spent a lot of time practicing with a bokken (wooden training sword) and the technique he shows here (control/pivot with the right hand, cut with the left) is pretty much identical to a Japanese sword cut (at least as practiced in Aikido and Iaido).

Of course, we all know that Katanas are crap the BEST SOWARD EVAAR!

I agree. Normal/medium sized two handers seem to pretty much all be designed to allow you greater control rather than to add power (an axe or mace is always going to be better for that).

Wieldyness is much more important for them than power. As Lindy himself mentions in another vid swords like the Katana and longsword are backups and personal protection weapons not primary weapons of war. Convenient to carry around, and handy for parrying blows & grappling but second fiddle to almost any dedicated battlefield weapon (Spears, Naginata, maces etc.).

The most notable exception that springs to mind is the Roman Gladius, but it could be described as a glorified short spear with bonus cutting abilities rather than what most people think of as a sword. Rapiers and scimitars could also be thought of as more like spears and axes respectively in this sense.

And then there's the huge specialised warswords like claymores and Zweihanders but as lindy suggests in yet another vid they are a specialised tool for berserker charges and maybe advancing through a pikewall. Certainly not something you'd want to have a duel with or carry around at your waist.

Longswords and Katanas are like modern pistols. Good side-arms, but almost never a primary weapon of war. (Hollywood fails again)


Also.....Longsword totally > Katana. A well made longsword can hold just as sharp an edge as a Katana, has quillons to hook and lever an opponent and a straight focused point that can puncture steel plate. Katanas can maybe dismember someone easier, but that's about it.(all IMHO obviously)

@Chairman_woo, agreed on pretty much everything. I try not to get into the whole "european vs japanese sword" debate, because I think the whole point is moot. Guns > swords

I study the sword for three reasons.
1. meditative practice. Doing a few hundred cuts is a great way to clear the mind.
2. as an aide to empty-handed work. Using a weapon is a great way to amplify flaws in your technique.
3. Swords are awesome.

I'm under no illusions as to how I'd fare against someone who really knew what they were doing, and given a choice, I'd run the hell away

*geek

Adding video to channels (Geek) - requested by ant.

I really like this guy, seen some of his other stuff. He is perfectly quirky and invested enough to do TV shows on this, i'd watch.

It's pretty fun that there seems to be a disproportionate fanbase on the sift for lindybeige. A bunch of us are subscribers, he's got a couple of #1s, including this one for swinging a sword about in his front room...I mean the guy's last video was on modelling gelatinous cubes for D&D sessions; he's not exactly mass appeal.

The gelatinous cube was mass appeal compared to the one on making round-collared beige shirts

thanks for the tips... actually enjoyed blob and shirt making... guy is crazy.
He should rename to "what Men do without (interference from) women"

First I thought that guy was pretty cool aswell until i watched his rants on global warming, melting ice caps and why great britain should leave the eu...