Katana best sword or not?

Question

Is the Katana the best sword ever created or is it not?

Answer 1

Good question,

I bet all the fans of Japanese culture will be screaming YES!  Katanas are strong and extremely sharp; however, due to their hardness they could always shatter or snap if a very heavy blow gets dealt (this is where all the Japanese fans run in and scream NO!  that's not a katana is supposed to be used - it's used for precise elegant blows and the wielder would never use it recklessly) - my response would be that that's fine if their opponent also wields a katana - otherwise they may just have to have their precious sword 'dented'.

The Chinese sword is very flexible, much lighter than the katana and is also very sharp; however, it's lightness and flexibility could be as much as a disadvatage as an advantage?

Broadswords as mentioned before - take a h**l of a lot of strength to weild, b*****d swords and zwei-handers even more so!  Perhaps in the future we can clone all the past greatest masters and make em fight (just kidding)... but it would answer this question.

I guess it just comes down to your body type and skill level.

Answer 2

The Katana is a legendary sword! Here is why.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmLTr9zFe...

Here's what it can do to the human body.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8Kv0y4sT...

Answer 3

Swords are designed with specific uses in mind. They should be judged this way.  I have heard people argue over which is the better sword, the rapier or a Viking type, for instance. This is foolish. What they are actually talking about are fighting styles, not swords. Any sword should be discussed only in the context of what it was designed to do.  

Sword designs came first, and practical styles evolved around them.   Japanese arms and Armour were fully developed by the 1200s, and stayed pretty much the same for several hundred years. The katana is an excellent sword, and quite well designed for the type of fighting for which it is intended.  In fighting with a katana, many of the moves are draw-cuts, and many of the attacks are designed to be struck with the front 6 inches of the blade. The katana is well suited for this, as the blade is strong, thick, and well curved.

Answer 4

It all depends on what you want. If you want a heavier sword intended to bash through armor, or a katana to cut down your opponent via his weak points. All different kinds of swords were designed for different things. The katana wasn't really designed for defense (thats why a samurai's armor was stronger near their forearms) as it was meant  for offense. It just all depends on your personal preference. Just one word of warning: All REAL swords are alot heavier than most people think.

Answer 5

No. And also yes. The best type of sword is highly individual. It depends on the style that the swordsman is using. (ex. Kendo, Arabic, Broad sword, Fencing) As well as the person who is actually holding the sword. For some pepole, a light and quick blade suits their abilities. (ex. Epee, Rapier) Others (People with a big muscular frame) do best with a heavy chopping weapon. (ex. Claymore, Greatsword, Cutlass) Some like me like a long blade meant for slashing. (ex. Saber, Katana)

So before you ask a question like that, ask your self this. Is it the weapon, or the warrior who wields it?

Answer 6

there is no best

a katana was an exceptional  piece of metalwork  but that does not make it the best

weapons were usually designed for the situation they were used in.  A european broadsword was designed to fit European battle tactics.  they needed a heavy hacking weapon that could hack it's way through chain mail or plate armour  Thus they developed the broadsword

A katana was designed to suit the samurai who used a much lighter armour and were much more mobile thus they needed a weapon that allowed for fast pin point strikes.  That's what a katana was designed for.

most weapons had a a few years, if not centuries development behind them before they were perfected for exactly their purpose.

so in their own situation every weapon was the best at what it did

Answer 7

Best sword FOR WHAT?

Depends on whether you are talking about the Épée, Sabre or Double-edged blade.

Answer 8

The Katana Sword-at one point in time, was the greatest sword ever created. The swordsmith makes the sword, and no one has ever created a sword in the same manner as Goro Masamune. You cannot call a sword the best sword created, because that would depend on its maker and the manner of which it was created.

You could consider the Honjo masamune one of the finest swords created, but you can never give a sword the title of best.

They are made to kill and they do that well, but few can ever master the true skill of a swordsmith:

a beautiful piece of work, with a blade sharp enough to cut the wind.

Answer 9

no, it is equally as good as many other swords in history. The Toledo smiths in Spain were making excellent quality swords using a similar "folding" technique in forging too.

Answer 10

Put simply it is not, I would venture to say that it is the second best sword ever created.

The best sword ever created is the long bladed/handled chinese Gim, or tai chi sword. This sword can be wielded either single handed or double handed which gives it an advantage over the katana in range of motion. The katana must be wielded with two hands which restricts reach and range of motion, to give an example: the one-handed lunge of the Gim has a longer reach than the two-handed lunge of the Katana. the Gim is also lighter AND it has a double-sided blade, so it has a speed advantage over the katana. When you make a cut with a Katana you have to twist the sword to make a second cut which wastes time, uses extra energy, and also restircts motion even more. The Gim still has equal power, however because you can use two hands for powerful slices and thrusts when needed.

Answer 11

Amen Bluto!!!

I didn't really want to answer this question and dive deeper in the sensless discussion!

Bluto is correct. Bluto is correct. Bluto is correct. Give him the thumbs up.

Answer 12

no sword is the "best" sword-

and NO YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE STRONG TO USE A BROADSWORD-

the heaviest sword ever was the zweihander- and that came to NO MORE THAN 6lbs (approximately)

your average sword weighed more like 2.5-3lbs.

the examples of european swords you see weighing more are ceremonial or parade swords- highly decorated and not designed for combat use- by comparison- a japanese katana could still be decorative and functional-  european swords were very plain and bland.

your average single handed european sword was a bit longer than a katana and was double edged (however there were RARE double edged katanas- and straight bladed katanas as well).

katanas- or any sword COULD NOT CUT THROUGH ANOTHER SWORD IN COMBAT.  if that is your basis then a long metal rod is the best weapon as that will damage the edge of a katana or straight bladed sword.

much of it IS about preference-

I've studied both types of sword and (granted, trained more with european than japanese) prefer that type of sword for the following reasons:

1- length- in a comparable sword used with two hands, you are generally going to have a longer range by a few inches- of course swords and lengths could be made to taste and size of the person so they were variable- but on average.

2- thrusting power was better- I always felt odd doing a tsuki with a katana- it just seemed unweildy to me.  a very unpredictable and constant threat- I like the threat a thrust can pose at any time.

3- the crossguard is as much of a weapon as it is a meanst to stop a blade from sliding down yours and cutting you- truthfully I'm not even sure that was a real threat if you block properly.  there is much debate about the actual effectiveness of the crossguard and tsuba and whether the tsuba really was just to manipulate the sword and decoraton or actually prevented injury.  My feeling is that if they can penetrate that low- then your arms are exposed so it wouldn't matter.

much of it is personal preference- but if you are going to use a curved blade- then do so with a much deeper curve, like a deep curved sabre.

EDIT: the myths about swords cutting through steel are just that myths. ALL swords need to be heat treated and the "folding" of the blade is not a measure of how good it is- but a measure of how impure the steel is to begin with so folding it many times is actually a sign you are beginnine with weak ore. meaning more potential for mistakes.

whereas a katana is differentially hardened- a european sword is able to absorb a blow by bieng able to "bend" as european swords, and viking swords in particular are extremely flexible-  viking swords could be forcibly bent to up to 6 inches off and automatically "snap" back to thier original shape.

the best sword- misconceptions:

http://swordforum.com/sfu/primer/thebest...

EDIT: also the "broadsword" while technically a catchall term thanks to fantasy videogames and such- is not really a characterization of a sword- the oakeshott typology for swords is mroe accurate- but granted, there is no way in h**l anyone would understand me If I said a type xii, you would think I was nuts.

Answer 13

no,the broadsword is,if you have the strength to weild it