The Mastercuts and armor

[Sal Bertucci]

I wanted some clarification real quick. Now, I was reading on the Mastercuts, and the article stated that they were used exclusively in unarmored combat. (The fact that you're not going to be able to cut through plate mail being understood as a given.) However, when I first started reading on the site about the longsword I remember reading that the longsword was designed to puncture chain mail. So my question is "Would it be advisable to use a Mastercut against an opponent who was wearing a chain mail halburk and coif?"

Secondarily, are the Mastercut applicable to other weapons? Poleaxe, staff, etc. I would assume so, but let's avoid assumptions if we can.

[Jason Romandell]

Good Lord, I wouldn't want to get a zorhau in maile. There is a video of John C. haveing a go at a poor dead piggy in chain with a longsword. It leaves a wound that would, if not prove mortal, certainly hurt.

[Shane Smith]

I have done extensive testing of this. In my experience, the maille will not be cut so long as a proper gambesson is in place beneath it. Still, a blunt-trauma type injury is possible if you can land the blow cleanly. I'm assuming everyone knows that very few of these protective qualities really apply to butted maille. So far, I've not seen anyone replicate those cuts that cleave maille armour asunder as seen in some period images. I also note that the armoured fighting manunals do not advise us cutting into armour with a sword either.

Against armour, it is easier to thrust through maille at the halfsword with a pointy longsword than it is to cut it. Even then, if the maille is of good quality, that's alot easier said than done. I have test thrust and cut at some solid link/welded link maille made by George Turner and beyond deforming a link or two, had no success in defeating it. I and Matt Anderson have defeated modern riveted maille from the halfsword with a thrust with considerable ease. There are pictures on the site here in an introduction to armoured longsword article we put together.

[Cooper Braun]

Secondarily, are the Mastercut applicable to other weapons? Poleaxe, staff, etc. I would assume so, but let's avoid assumptions if we can.

The only one I know of specifically (and my knowledge is pretty limited) is with the Boar Spear as taught by Paulus Hector Mair via David Knight and Brian Hunt's book (which is amazing). plate Various 12 teaches what I read as a scheitelhau with a spear (specifically Boar spear, or spear with a long blade/edge). The spear is held in Von Tag, and then snapped down to hit the opponent in the head. I've tried it and it works great if your opponent is in a low guard.

[Jason Romandell]

In the pierod lit. the armor of the day would have been either jacks, or some version on plate. So I would think that the armor they where talking about when they cautioned cutting across armor they might have been refering to such harness.

The problem with maile is its motility. Even with a good gambeson, there is a lot of give to it. So like Shawn said, the blunt force trama would not be something I would want to expiereience.

If you have ever worn maile its flex and ability to conform its shape is at first suprising. (put a haulberk on and bend over, the shifting of the weight can cause some keystone cop moments to the novate).

I often wonder what came first, longer and more concusive blades or the armor to protect from them?

[LafayetteCCurtis]

Secondarily, are the Mastercut applicable to other weapons? Poleaxe, staff, etc. I would assume so, but let's avoid assumptions if we can.

Not as the longsword Mastercuts per se, but there are movements in other weapons that follow very similar principles, as in Hugh Knight's interpretation here:

http://www.schlachtschule.org/pollaxe/pollaxe26.html

[Sal Bertucci]

Interesting and cool. Thank for everyone's input.