William,
The question makes me think that you think, all eight cuts are done with the long edge. If you look at Fiore, this is not the case; he says, 'all what's reverso goes with the short edge'.
In German schools, there are no real "8 cuts", but a number of strikes, primary and secondary, and sometimes a simple Cut and a bit more complicated Technic are both called Strikes.
As for me, I am teching the eight cuts with the long edge, and show the short edge cuts as technics or mention, that in some schools those are the real way. I do not think things up, and tell always everyone about those things.
All in one, I belive that cutting all eight cuts with the long edge, in different directions, sometimes even combining them to 2-3 or 4 cut-motions is a good way to learn. For example, fendente to the front, reverso ridoppio to the back and reverso squalembrato to the right all with the long edge makes a beautiful motion, that will teach you a lot about your own weightpoint and about the blade's movement and how to use all this to move in perfect unison with your sword, not stepping or turning to soon or to late. We do a lot of free flourish and stuff so that our strikes my become well balanced, good timed and powerful, yet graceful and effective.
But, as before said, some schools did not recognize a reverso ridoppio with the long edge, for example.
Anyway, when learning to do both, you will do nothing wrong <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />
Simply do not think about this as "8 cuts", but "8 directions" of the sword.
byez
Szabolcs
