Giải ảo những quan niệm sai lầm về KIẾM | FightingStyles | Thế Giới

Key Concepts

• Rapier: A slender, sharply pointed sword, often with a complex hilt, historically used for thrusting.
• Long Sword: A medieval two-handed sword.
• Excalibur: The legendary sword of King Arthur.
• Broad Sword: A sword with a broad blade, typically double-edged.
• Katana: A curved, single-edged sword traditionally used by Japanese samurai.
• Tamahagane: Traditional Japanese steel used in swordmaking.
• Shitae: A Japanese forging technique involving repeated folding and hammering.
• Spring Steel: A type of steel with high elasticity, used in modern swords.
• Damascus Steel: A type of steel known for its strength, sharpness, and distinctive wavy patterns, historically produced in the Middle East.
• Wootz Steel: The original Indian steel from which Damascus steel was derived.
• Fuller: A groove in a blade that reduces weight without compromising strength.
• Flamboyant Blade (Wavy Blade): A sword blade with a wavy or undulating edge.
• Hemoglobin: The iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.

Debunking Common Myths About Swords

This video from Fighting Styles at Spyroom aims to correct common misconceptions about swords, presenting historical facts and technical details to provide a more accurate understanding of these weapons.

1. Rapier: Lightweight and Primarily for Thrusting?

• Misconception: Rapiers are very light and only used for thrusting.
• Reality:
  • Rapiers, despite their slender appearance, weigh between 1 to 1.4 kg and have an average length of 107 cm.
  • Their balance point is concentrated in the hilt, not the blade.
  • The perception of lightness is partly due to their thin, narrow blade and confusion with fencing foils used in sport.
  • Some users find Rapiers surprisingly long and heavy.
  • Rapiers are not solely for thrusting; their sharp edges can deliver deep cuts. The blade, while slender, is not fragile.

2. Medieval Swords: Clumsy and Heavy?

• Misconception: Medieval two-handed swords were extremely blunt and weighed tens of kilograms.
• Reality:
  • Two-handed swords like the "Long Shot" typically weigh between 1.1 to 1.8 kg.
  • These swords were sharp and capable of both thrusting and cutting.
  • The idea of them being "clumsy" is contradicted by historical fencing manuals detailing intricate and flexible thrusting and cutting techniques, comparable to Eastern martial arts.
  • Heavier swords like the German Spadone, Italian Spadone, or Scottish Claymore, which could weigh 2 to 4 kg, were designed for battlefield use against multiple enemies or pike formations.
  • The video argues that a 2-4 kg sword is not excessively heavy for trained swordsmen, comparing it to weightlifters' progression and the years of dedicated training swordsmen underwent.

3. Excalibur: A Broadsword?

• Misconception: Excalibur, as depicted in popular culture, resembles a broadsword.
• Reality:
  • If Excalibur existed during King Arthur's era (5th-6th century), its form would likely be more akin to Anglo-Saxon or Viking swords, as broadswords and longswords of the medieval period had not yet emerged.
  • Given its mythical and epic nature, Excalibur could potentially date back to the Greco-Roman era, suggesting a form closer to a xiphos, gladius, or sica rather than a migration or medieval period sword.
  • The depiction of Excalibur as a broadsword in popular media is historically inaccurate.

4. Katana: Supernatural Cutting Power and Unbreakable Steel?

• Misconception: Katanas possess supernatural cutting abilities and are made of incredibly durable steel.
• Reality:
  • Katanas are essentially curved, two-handed swords with no inherent supernatural qualities.
  • They are not necessarily superior cutters compared to German Kriegsmesser, Swiss Schwert, or Chinese sabers due to their relatively short blade (average 70 cm).
  • The Tamahagane steel used in traditional katanas is made from ore with many impurities, making it inferior for swordmaking compared to steels from other regions at the time.
  • Japanese smiths used the shitae technique (repeated folding and hammering) to remove impurities and distribute carbon evenly.
  • Despite the skilled forging, Tamahagane steel often results in blades that are too brittle, leading to a lack of flexibility. This is why katana techniques often avoid direct blade-to-blade impact, as a bent blade might retain its shape or break.
  • The intricate forging was a necessity due to the poor quality of the raw material.
  • European, Indian, and Middle Eastern smiths could produce swords much faster and cheaper using higher-quality carbon steel (e.g., 5160 Spring Steel) which offered superior elasticity and durability. European longswords could bend up to 40 degrees and return to their original shape.
  • European swords often incorporated design features like diamond cross-sections for armor penetration and fullers to reduce weight while maintaining strength.
  • Japanese swordmaking techniques, including folding and pattern welding, were influenced by Chinese metallurgy.
  • The video suggests that Japanese metallurgy remained stagnant for centuries until the Meiji Restoration, when exposure to European industrialization led to the adoption of better steel.
  • Katanas were effective for their intended purpose of cutting during their era, but comparing them directly to swords from other cultures without considering their specific contexts is "absurd." The goal is not to denigrate katanas but to avoid deifying them.

5. Chinese Swords: Limited to Two Designs?

• Misconception: Chinese swords are limited to two main designs: straight swords (jian) and sabers (dao).
• Reality:
  • While jian (straight swords) and dao (sabers) are common in martial arts films, Chinese swords are far more diverse.
  • Both jian and dao themselves have numerous variations across different dynasties and regions.
  • The Sheng Tang Dao is an example of a saber with a straight, slender blade, influencing Japanese swords.
  • Chinese sword designs have influenced weaponry in neighboring countries like Vietnam, Japan, and Korea.
  • The Shankou (hook sword) is another distinct Chinese sword type.

6. Damascus Steel: Lost Art of Superior Swords?

• Misconception: Damascus steel was a lost art capable of producing swords superior to modern ones.
• Reality:
  • Damascus steel, produced in the Middle East from around 540 to 1860 AD, was renowned for its sharpness, flexibility, and strength.
  • The original Damascus steel was made from Wootz steel, an Indian crucible steel produced over 2000 years ago.
  • Wootz steel was widely traded but production ceased around the 1700s due to competition from British steel and India becoming a British colony, cutting off the supply.
  • Modern "Damascus steel" is typically modern steel with a pattern-welded surface, not the original Wootz steel.
  • Pattern welding existed in other cultures, including Celtic, Viking, and Japanese swords, long before and after the peak of Damascus steel.
  • While research has attempted to replicate Wootz steel, complete replication of the original production process remains elusive due to a lack of detailed historical documentation.

7. Sword Ownership: Exclusive to the Elite?

• Misconception: Only the wealthy and powerful could own swords.
• Reality:
  • While swords were often symbols of status and primarily used by nobility and warriors, this wasn't universally true across all cultures and time periods.
  • In early medieval Europe, swords were expensive and a sign of high status. Foot soldiers often used spears. A sword in 9th-century Europe could cost as much as a good horse.
  • By the 13th-14th centuries, swords became more affordable and accessible. Mass-produced swords in the 1340s cost roughly the same as a day's wage for an English archer, making them accessible to common soldiers and even as secondary weapons for archers.
  • The video compares medieval sword affordability to the price of motorcycles (common) versus cars (luxury) in Vietnam.
  • In many Asian feudal societies, commoners were often prohibited from owning swords, as they were symbols of official or military rank.
  • During Japan's Edo period (1603-1868), swords were exclusive to samurai. Earlier, however, peasant ownership was so widespread that Toyotomi Hideyoshi issued a decree for disarmament to prevent peasant uprisings.

8. Firearms: Immediate Obsolescence of Swords?

• Misconception: Firearms immediately replaced and made swords obsolete.
• Reality:
  • While firearms eventually became dominant, their adoption was gradual.
  • Early firearms (15th-16th centuries) had slow reload times, short ranges, and poor accuracy, giving cold weapons like swords a significant advantage.
  • Even by the 19th century, with the mass production of revolvers and breech-loading rifles, swords remained relevant, especially when empires faced colonial forces still using bladed weapons.
  • 19th-century sword fighting schools were still popular. For example, in 1898, the Dutch issued short, single-edged cutlasses to soldiers fighting in Indonesian jungles.
  • Swords truly lost their battlefield prominence during World War I, when bayonets attached to rifles became the standard for close combat, being faster and more efficient to produce and train with.
  • Modern machetes can be considered a form of sword in some contexts.

9. Cultural Monotony: One Sword Type Per Culture?

• Misconception: Each culture exclusively used one type of sword throughout its history.
• Reality:
  • Popular depictions often show Chinese swords as dao and jian, European medieval swords as longswords, and Japanese swords as katanas. However, these are often symbolic or represent specific periods.
  • The Roman army initially used the gladius (adopted from the Celts) but later transitioned to the longer spatha.
  • Early Japanese swords, influenced by Tang Dynasty China, were straight chokuto. By the Heian period (794 AD), they evolved to curved swords like the tachi, with variations in size (wakizashi to nodachi).
  • Sword types evolved and diversified within cultures based on historical context, technological advancements, and battlefield needs.

10. European vs. Asian Swords: Straight and Long vs. Curved?

• Misconception: European swords are straight, large, and long, while Asian swords are curved.
• Reality:
  • Comparing typical European longswords to katanas might suggest this, but it's an oversimplification.
  • Chinese Great Swords like the Zhanmadao could be longer than European great swords.
  • Japanese nodachi, ceremonial swords not used in battle, could exceed 3 meters in length.
  • Early Greco-Roman swords like the xiphos and gladius were only 45-80 cm long.
  • The distinction between straight European and curved Asian swords is not absolute. Swiss Schwert or saber have similar usage and blade construction to Japanese katanas, and Chinese dao resemble some European sabers.
  • Sword designs influenced each other across continents. Japanese Kyugunto were initially based on European sabers.
  • Sword designs are optimized for human biomechanics, and fighting styles, while having regional variations in posture and technique, are fundamentally based on how the human body moves. European HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) principles can be applied to Japanese Kendo or Kenjutsu and vice versa.

11. Wavy Blades: Increased Lethality?

• Misconception: Wavy or flamboyant blades are more lethal than straight or curved blades.
• Reality:
  • Wavy blades, found on European swords (longswords, schwerthänder, rapiers) and Asian weapons (Indian shamshir, khanda, tulwar, and the Indonesian keris), are a combination of straight and curved elements.
  • There is insufficient historical evidence to prove that wavy blades cause more damage than conventional blades.
  • The keris, despite its fearsome reputation, was not widely popular due to its complex forging, while its original straight-bladed form was more common.
  • Two primary reasons for wavy blade design are suggested:
    1. Aesthetics: Wealthier owners desired unique and visually striking weapons.
    2. Countering Grappling: In European martial arts, gripping the opponent's blade was a common defensive and offensive technique. Wavy blades made it harder for an opponent to get a secure grip, allowing the wielder to disengage more easily.

12. Swords Forged from Human Blood Iron?

• Misconception: Swords can be forged from iron extracted from human blood, requiring a specific number of human lives.
• Reality:
  • A hypothetical calculation suggests around 359 adult humans would be needed for the iron in a longsword. This number is highly speculative.
  • Human blood contains iron primarily in hemoglobin. A single hemoglobin molecule has a vast number of atoms, with only four iron atoms.
  • Extracting iron from blood using magnets is impossible.
  • Even if pure iron could be extracted, its suitability for metallurgy is questionable. It's theorized to be similar to bog iron, which was used in early Japanese swordmaking.
  • Using a hypothetical ratio of 4g of blood iron per person to produce 1kg of usable iron, and considering a 1.5kg longsword, approximately 2352 people would be needed.
  • If the more complex Japanese folding steel technique (which requires more iron to remove impurities) were applied, the number of required individuals could increase significantly, potentially to over 16,000.
  • The video concludes that this is an impractical and "insane" endeavor.