KATANA UP

[Vygar]

The katana isn't any better at cutting through armour than any other bladed weapon.  In fact, these swords had hard but brittle edges that didn't fair so well against materials of similar hardness.  Any parrying done with the katana, is done with surfaces other than the edge in order to protect it's sharpness.

[Fluffy_Muffin]

Ah here it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxYvwEnKRjA

The broadsword apeares more sluggish and unbalanced, but they both cut well.

And by finely crafted i meant the weight, balacne, sharpness etc. not the art.

And Vygar is right the blunt side of a seasoned warrior had many little notches from parrying.

[Tempest]

I am not a katana lover(and i used to play as a ninja) but here is some katana love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih7bmzFQ9rI

[Boss_Awesome]

I've seen enough anime to know that katanas easily slice both armored or unarmored opponents in half with a single strike.  Watch some anime if you don't believe me.

[Opium.dk]

Is this is a troll thread? Please say it is.

[Fluffy_Muffin]

It is what the community makes it.

The community is full of trolls so yes, this is a troll thread

[Opium.dk]

It is what the community makes it.

The community is full of trolls so yes, this is a troll thread

Incase youre cereal.
The katana is nowhere near as powerful as the anime cartoons you see, portray it.

The katana is sharp yes, but its also fragile and easy to break, as someone else allready said, it was mostly used to cut down  peasants.

[Farrok]

The katana is sharp yes, but its also fragile and easy to break, as someone else allready said, it was mostly used to cut down  peasants.

and not any sharper than other cutting swords ...but don`t forget that the katanas nowadays are not that fragile...they were because of bad steel now with the globalism the japanese can buy better steel from other lands

the almighty katana is something out of fantasy...most swords are of similar quality.

and no im not an katana hater or lover...i like all weapons though i hate that most people think the only swords the japanese have are katans

asian swords are not better than european swords and eurpean swords are not better than asian swords...

and again...hard to understand because a sword to cut down 4340349 enemies in one strike like in hollywood movies...the Sword might be a good overall weapon but much better weapons exists to for example kill heavy infantry or other enemies.

polearms were the primary weapon for many armies for a reason.

[jspook]

polearms were the primary weapon for many armies for a reason.

Mainly striking distance and price
add to that the fact that sword in inexperienced hands is only a danger to self, whereas almost everyone can use a pointy stick.

Swords take training, time, upkeep, and 3 times the amout of metal that most polearms/pikes have.
most polearms also started out as farming implements before they were later adopted and weaponized by the millitary.  Take for instance, the billhook.  Designed for cutting branches and taking care of orchards.  used quite effectively by press-ganged farmers during war to kill mounted knights, pulling them from their horses.
the peasants knew how to handle their farming tools, and the majority of armies in the middle ages were serfs protecting their lords interests.  It only makes sense that they designed the polearms in such a way that these people would have the greatest advantage with something that was more familiar in their hands

[EponiCo]

add to that the fact that sword in inexperienced hands is only a danger to self, whereas almost everyone can use a pointy stick.

Huh?
Well I don't have a sword but I have some pretty big knives I use without training. And so far I havn't hurt myself ... don't cut myself regularily ... am still alive. Well...

[Leiknir]

Huh?
Well I don't have a sword but I have some pretty big knives I use without training. And so far I havn't hurt myself ... don't cut myself regularily ... am still alive. Well...

Now try cutting your potatos with a spear. Might not be that effective, but you won't hurt yourself at all

[Paul]

Katana was easily able to cut through the thickest steel armor. That's the reason why Japanese didn't use metal armor or shields. It even occationally happened that atoms were sliced from a cut of really well crafted katana. This would then lead the brief existence of unstable fission products, giving the sword a faint radioactive aura. It is assumpted that Godzilla was created because of this, when a missed katana swing cut through a pitchblende rock next to a lizard egg.

[Fluffy_Muffin]

Incase youre cereal.
The katana is nowhere near as powerful as the anime cartoons you see, portray it.

The katana is sharp yes, but its also fragile and easy to break, as someone else allready said, it was mostly used to cut down  peasants.

I dont watch anime cartoons and infrom yourself about the making process before you say that they are fragile and easy to break cause thats BS.

The metal wasnt beaten into place in a conventionaly way it was folded and stretched over and over again untill the sword got its basic shape, thats why it was able to flex and still remain sharp. It wasnt a brittle piece of metal i dont know where you got that from.

[Dunecat]

Katanas are underpowered.
Edit: corrected link, now it works.

[Oberyn]

The reason the process was so complex was mostly due to the poor quality of the iron ore they had to use. It was an interesting process and ingenious, but I wouldn't say it ended up producing "superior" quality weapons compared to other places. They basically had to do a lot more work with the ore to get it to the same strength. I also don't know about fragile, it was probably as fragile versus armor as any other curved, slashing weapon who's main purpose was never to get through armor. The katana was mostly a status symbol for samurais anyways, when they actually went to war they would usually use a naginata (polearm), yari (polearm) or bows.