I loved the “scientific” documenting of the edge-to-edge impact damage ---not that any of us had any doubts. The slow-motion flexing of blades by impact on the flat should also be valuable in convincing the ignorant.
Pity they didn’t have an expert Western swordsman on hand to strike at that ballistic gelatin using a good Medieval or Renaissance blade. That result would have busted a myth I’m sure.
Anyway, as I told the intern for the program when they contacted me for advice on this episode back in March of this year, no sword is unbreakable. They are all perishable tools. But under the right conditions (due to metallurgical composition, quality of forging, tempering, and the context of the blow) any real blade will “snap” from impacts, but not be “cut through.” My advice was borne out.
As one of the few actual authorities on the actual use of Medieval and Renaissance swords, there were several major concerns that I had regarding the methodology (not the results) that are worth opining on:
- The target swords they had were held rigidly in place beyond what any human swordsman would be capable of. A sword fighter’s arm is never completely stationary or rigid but supple and even reactive. A strong impact against a sword invariably moves the hand and arm somewhat so that there is a certain “give” as a swordsman moves to parry or ward off a cut (…although, movie sword fights must ignore this element when using break-away prop swords they want to have snap). Perhaps some of you can explain the actual physics of all this better, but I am sure flexibility this would be a factor in such an experiment (--especially given the manner in which a rapier is properly held and wielded).
- The sword cutting machine they built only moved rotationally, and although my physics is not up to explaining it, when a swordsman strikes he also moves his body so that the blade travels in more than with just simple arcing momentum. For example, a sword strike typically goes forward as it comes down. Perhaps some of you all can explain it better. But again I wonder if this would be a factor in such experiments?
-To my experienced eye, the “battle ready" European "replica" swords they used were quite clearly poor quality reproductions. They were obviously of an ahistorical make with improper geometry, and much too thick. Their comments about their weights were a predictable clue. The narrow bent ricasso/tang on the rapier was also a dead give-away it had an inferior too-soft temper. They were pathetic examples. It's a shame they did not get something likes some fine Albion blades. But, since the myth being tested was about movie swords, which are also not accurate historical reproductions...well there you go.
- The repeated scene from the “Count of Monte Cristo” involved a slender smallsword snapping, rather than being cut, and as such blades were in fact especially rigid and stiff, being intended solely for unarmored thrusting use, they are in fact known to break. So this example was not a good one. In fact, being myself a longtime and somewhat notorious critic of movie & TV sword fights, I actually can’t think of many films that a sword was “cut throughout” except the recent Kill Bill, which was in way meant to be realistic.
Historically speaking, I have found very few references to swords being broken as a result of cutting blows by other swords within the literature of Medieval and Renaissance fencing. However, in the Baroque period we do find some, but again only in regard to the slender smallsword (much as we see modern sport fencing epee blades break under pressure from time to time).
An account by the Dutchman Arnold Montanus in the, Atlas Jappennensis, from the year 1669 does describe a demonstration occurring at a temple in Japan wherein a European smallsword was set up stationary and cut in two. However, putting the account into context, Montanus’s account is actually not all that impressive. It is important to know these light triangular or square blades were very narrow civilian weapons designed for unarmed dueling, not wider military blades for cutting. They were also known to snap during fights if grabbed and forcefully strained by a bare hand. Further, Montanus was not citing any occurrence that took place in combat, but while held stationary in an example of test-cutting. Even then, the breaking and cutting of slender light smallsword blades occurred in Europe itself –and by single-hand swords of far less edge-quality than the katana. Smallswords (as well as early 17th century rapiers) were after all rigid blades never intended for resisting the impacts of cutting blows. An account of the battle between English and Scots at Killiecrankie in 1689 described how “pikes and smallswords were cut like willows” by broadswords as well as how “pikes, smallswords and muskets” had been “snapt asunder by the athletic blows of the Lochaber axe and broadsword.” (Thomas C. Jack, History of the Highland Regiments, Vol. I, Edinburgh. 1887, p. 105). So, the breaking/snapping/cutting of a narrow smallsword blade is no particular feat in my opinion. (Though, ironically, we may note the only documented historical account of gun barrels being actually cut through by swords in combat is European).
John Clements
ARMA Director
www.thearma.org
