What's great lore wise about Bat'leths is that a metric ton of officers and warriors did have custom versions made so much so that in official contests you have to use a standardized version in the competition. So these modifications are not lore breaking or "wrong" exactly which makes it more awesome. :D
That's cool and all, but an Energy Sword or a Lightsaber is still objectively a better melee weapon and would cut the Bat'leth and its user to pieces in short order.
@@OtterTreySSArmy Well energy blades have their own issues, like heat being one as well as the blade having no mass so it's hard to feel where the blade it which means you'd have to train around that. Besides at the end of the day the best melee weapon is a shotgun... There is a reason why in the modern day you don't see soldiers with swords.
@@OtterTreySSArmy Unless the batl'eth is laced with cortosis. In which case the lightsaber blade would shortcircuit on contact leaving its wielder pretty dang screwed.
@@OtterTreySSArmy the big problem with lightsabers is that they require advanced technology that doesn't exist in real life, and doesn't necessarily exist in a given fictional setting either.
@@OtterTreySSArmy No lightsabers in trek, there's one alien race that has something similar but it's about 3 inches long and only used as a tool on that planet
Interestingly I could actually see some Klingons using a bat’leth more in this style during the Dominion War as a response to the Jem’hadar’s own personal blade weapon, the kar’takin. This version seems like it’d be a better match against that weapon so I could see a few Klingons on the front lines inventing/adopting this version to fight against the jem’hadar
@@robertlewis6915 Speculative fiction does. It's easy. It can also be seen as a contraction. Such as a Kara and an Atakin. You put them together and you get a Kar'takin.
@@robertlewis6915 apostrophes really make sense for "foreigner names" in a language like English actually. Nobody gets to know how those names are supposed to be spoken unless you divide the syllables properly. Take the real name "Tobias", which I have heard butchered by English speakers a lot. You can either use real IPA (which nobody is equipped to write in) or use American IPA (to-BEE-as) which gets annoying soon to spell out, or you can make it clearer with apostrophes (Tobi'as). More correct, you could just use the trema sign (Tobïas), but most people think it's just a fancy umlaut and they ignore it or butcher the name even more horribly in their panic as they encounter the weird Ï.
This looks like it's more akin to a pole axe now than a sword. Two handed, wide handed, with a forward spike at one and and a straight spike at the other. Only now it has a hand guard running the full length, which could be sharp or not. The previous round of videos on the topic suggested it was for close-in armored fighting, which... is the same as the pole axe. Skall's movements also seemed closer to what he and others have shown in pole axe demonstrations. The more I think about it, viewing the bat'leth as an alien pole axe rather than alien sword is probably a better way to go. And as that, it's not that bad. Though I agree this version is likely more useful than the original from the show.
@@Crazael Which is why the "Sword of Kahless" is a silly name, because it's not a sword. :-) But overall, yes, it should be compared to other battlefield armored fighting weapons, not swords. (Which seems to be the TH-cam consensus at this point.)
Yeah, kinda looks like it's just a short range take on the chinese qinglong ji poleaxe. Shorten the handle, lengthen the crescent and curve the dagger on the quinglong ji and you've got basically this thing.
This redesign may be more practical and still looks awesome, but aesthetically I still prefer how it originally looked. Either way it’s awesome to see more about this unique weapon and to actually see how it could be used and how well it serves its purpose. Thanks Skall!
3:58 In order to belittle their opponent in front of the crowd and so as not to end the battle _too_ quickly. I could see Gowron's crazy ass Bat'leth-whipping an opponent
Yeah, I was about to comment something along those lines. For a culture where an "honorable death" is the best way to go out, being spared by getting knocked out and possibly captured would be quite a big offense...
@@ProcyonDei Reminds of the first fight in the novels "Red Worm" (Røde Orm), where a Viking captain captures our young hero by doing the same with an axe. The two novels then follow our hero through all famous Viking destinations in Europe over a lifetime.
I will never give in, never give up!! The bat'leth is perfect for something ignored in all of these videos from all of you youtubers. The Klingon takes captives and does not kill (unless they die from being captured, or in a duel). A Klingon does not take captives in the cowardly way, where they tie up their foe, instead, they hold them until they are exhausted, and drag the body respectfully (as roughly as possible, throwing it often). When they stand guard over their captives, they do not restrain them in bondage, instead, they honorably enforce their superiority by standing guard over an unrestrained Klingon , keeping them there by being the more capable Klingon. If the Klingon must guard multiple captives, they block the door, and hold a bat'leth. Using a Bat'leth, with it's spikes, they can block the door and if anyone tries to escape, they will have to go through those spikes. The guard is able to put a spike into anyone who tries to squeeze past them no matter where they try to dodge through, from almost any guard posture. Then, the guard will pin them until they pass out, or if they are outnumbered or facing a superior Klingon, only captured because the guards leader is superior to the captive, they will call for help. The bat'leth is the weapon of war of choice not because it kills the most easily, but because it specifically does not easily kill Klingons, who have multiples of their vital organs, and can sustain significant bodily harm without succumbing to their wounds. The Bat'leth allows a Klingon to assert their dominance over the inferior combatant in an honorable way, so that the defeated Klingon will have time to recognize their place, and gain respect for his opponents. It is always difficult for a Klingon to see where he can maintain his families honor, while submitting to superior Klingon, and often a captured Klingon will be expected to try often to escape while severely wounded, so that his resolution is not called into question, and once he is healed enough to require the best guards to keep him contained (while being unrestrained, Klingons do not use "cuffs" or other restraints on eachother, there is no honor in it), he is expected to challenge his oppressors to a duel to the death. Then, it is expected that they will fight with all of their ability and committment, until the loser is unable to continue, and their body is exhausted. However, Klingons who have lived an honorable life, and did not shy from adversity in youth, will be strong, and even the most devestating wounds given by honorable dueling weapons should not kill this Klingon. Then, when they are healing after being honorably defeated, everyone can know that the most honorable thing to do is to recognize that they have been bested by a superior Klingon, and their new path must be to serve and grow under this new leader, so that they can become better than they were. Their family will be honored for their effort, and their unwillingness to submit until there was no question about their position. But the Bat'leth is for standing in a doorway, so that no one can scuttle out around you, even if more than one escapee tries at once.
I really love this redesign of the weapon. I would only make 2 changes that I believe would personally suit me better. First I would dull the middle of the blade like suggested, even going as far as to make the middle more like just a bar than a blade to increase durability. Second, I would take the large cutting blade on the outside and add a thrusting point to it so it would look more like a billhook blade that doesn't anything spikes perpendicular to it. But overall love the design and I love these types of videos. Keep up the amazing work!
Wow Skall you can tell you have gained such a deep understanding of this stuff over the years. Knowing that small changes like that in design make such a big difference in functionality in real world scenarios. I’ve been watching since way back when you were laughing at weird knife skull spider thingamajigs that you had to sell to customers coming into your store (derp eagle knife sold separately). Ive really appreciate your presence here. Whether it’s being real about mental health, eating problems, and neurodivergence, or just sharing your hobbies and passions. You’ve been a very positive entity in my life the last decade or so, no matter when I’ve come back to the channel. So a well deserved thank you, for entertaining, teaching, but also letting us learn with you.
And here we see a great example of why actually testing a weapon and seeing what it can do is better then just looking at it and saying "naahhh" or testing it out by trying to make it do things it's not meant to do and saying "because it can't do what it wasn't meant to do, it's bad." And the modifications actually make sense too, and this variation looks like it works quite nicely. I'm kinda wondering what other modifications people might come up with next.
I think, in a dueling situation, this weapon might have an x factor for a lot of opponents: intimidation. In addition to just being big, most enemies would have no idea how the weapon functioned and, if the Bat'leth user was skilled an aggressive, they might be hard-pressed to react to the various ways it could be used. They might block that high stroke, but be taken by surprise when a cut rose up underneath their guard, causing them to internally panic even if they avoided it. Looks great to me, and I would welcome seeing various "marks" as the Bat'leth is turned into a more functional weapon! :)
If your going to do that. You should try to make weapons that represent weight, form and function. Not just a look a like. For example. Fake Halberds that are home made can be very bad at giving you proper practice with a Halberd. Since a lot I have seen are too flexible and too lightweight. There for you can't use it in the real historic way of fighting with it. Like blowing past a Sword that is trying to block it.
@@amirhosseinmaghsoodi388 Making it out of Wood, with Rounded off Edges or Points, similar to the idea of a Wooden sword. and then add a Good layer of Padding while Keeping the Proper weight would work on that Front I think. And the people Practicing could wear a level of armor. Like Foot ball Gear for example. if you have nothing else.
You went for the single handle! i love it! doing a single long handle variant has been on my mind for YEARS! I havent even seen more than the thumbnail and this automatically gets a thumbs up from me
I love this thing! It's sort of a hybrid between a hafted weapon and a sword. It fixes one of the problems with hafted weapons - that being that they're awful for parrying and have no hand protection. I like the versatility that the double points on each end add in terms of binding and parrying. The versatility of the weapon also creates a lot of options for feints. Pretend like you're preparing to throw a cut with the long end, then step in and jab with the short instead, for example. I can definitely see this being something with a number of variants - perhaps some warriors would prefer the heavier, sturdier version to the lighter, quicker one. That definitely seems Klingon to me. The biggest drawback I see to this weapon design is that there's no good way to carry it out of combat and keep both hands free. With all the pointy bits jutting out at different angles, you'd want some way to cover them so you don't accidentally stab yourself or your buddies.
I prefer this version by far, not that I can't think of other variations I'd personally design. Either way, I do think most versions of this weapon would be best in hallways, tunnels, or other confined spaces.
When you do the blocking portion, in a space ship the enemies would be limited by the ceiling and walls being close in (like a submarines) in which case wouldn't the batleth be far MORE maneuverabile than standard swords?
@@nickanderson4304 I suppose it is up to your preference, I personally am of the opinion that a big shield (like roman scutum) in pair with a short sword (like gladius) or a one handed axe/mace/hammer would prove far superior in those specific circumstances. I would still opt for a firearm if I had the option, something like an assault carbine (AKS-74U comes to mind) or a semi/full auto shotgun, hell maybe a flamethrower if it was more portable.
@@czarus_the_sniper9924 lmfao yeah a shield and a storm bolter would be ideal. Though your comment on a gladius is interesting. The Klingon battle knife is essentially a gladius I don't know how a shield would do tho. If say you're on a small starship, even the smallest shield is going to be a pain in the ass getting through portholes. Even just on ones back, or like zero G. A shield would just let your enemies kick you into a wall. What I have in my head is a small Klingon boarding party that's knocked out the gravity generators on an early era warp craft. They are going to chop a hole into these narrow corridors and bum rush through, full jump, with a batleth Infront of them so they can hook the walls and maneuver, or straight guillotine anything in the corridor as their 300lb bulk flies thru zero G Like canonically the origins of the batleth are ehh, but as a future melee weapon I think it's got more potential than ppl have thought. As an Axe Man I like having my weapons be tools, and the double hooks would be damn good at arresting falls in zero G. The primary hook would dig into the wall, and the secondary would prevent getting pain cakes into the wall (acting as a foot or brace) Zero G melee combat is something no one has done before yuh kno
Making fantasy weapons practical, could be a new series for your channel. Could partner with other blacksmith channels, where they have a build video, and you have a test and discussion video.
i want to see a HEMA sparring comparison between a canonical Bat'leth, this version, and possibly Shad's sketched up version. I feel like this version is what the Klingons would have come up with in under a year of the first Bat'leth being used in actual battle. Ideally, you'd compare the weapons on how well they fare against anything you'd encounter in spaceship-bound close-combat: axe or tomahawk; some short sword like a dagger or gladius; one of those single-handed weapons plus a (riot) shield; other Bat'leths; a rifle-mounted bayonet. Also, you'd set up a confined space for that: a solid wall or fence as the backdrop, and ropes running horizontally and vertically (representing power conduits) for the front battlefield boundary (which you film through).
I've been designing some fictional melee weapons and I would love to have some of them analyzed. I just can't stop tweaking my designs so I can send them in
This is awesome, I wanted to redesign Illidan's Warglaives ever since your last video. They point the other way but now I have some reference for the poses
Great vid. I love this Viking/Highlander looking Bat'leth. Definitely a double edge blade on the tip works great for this modified version. A perfect weapon for the zombie apocalypse with Tactical slash proof gloves.
I really like this, the changes make sense and it could work and be made, more like some of the more esoteric weapons you see in Asia or the Indian sub-continental regions.
Now that's a Bat'leth. It's also something Shad was thinking of. He removed the small spike that faces you since it could stab you by mistake. The catch seems worth the risk though.
I definitely agree that it is a more useable version, my major modification I would make was already mentioned, but I would probably sharpen the spine of the hook, just for the little bit of extra versatility.
Would it be effective to have something like a European Swordbreaker's spikey comb bits along the blade above the handle? That might make catching blades a lot easier. Just watched Shadiversity's video on Swordbreakers and maybe that sort of option would be a useful thing to have, especially with the amount of leverage you can get with a handle as large as a bat'leth's.
You can probably cut out a rectangular portion out of the center edge of the blade the length of the handle. It would create additional axe like hooking options, lighten the weight and still provide some protection to the hands.
The longer paired points remind me of an old can opener, I could see how one could catch the edge of an armor plate and then have immense leverage to force the point through the armor or bend it into immobility and uselessness.
Honestly this is a huge improvement in a number of different ways. I like the exaggeration of the forward curved hook compared to the archetypical bat'leth with much shallower curves. If I were to improve the bat'leth, I'd make it much smaller, sized for a single-hand grip, and then make two of them, one for each hand. Oh wait, that already exists and is a popular weapon in the Chinese kung fu style of baguazhang. ;)
Reminds me of one of my own fictional designs. A cross between a shortened bardiche and a sword, where there's a very long "beard" running almost all the way down to the guard, complete with optional two-handed grip both at the handle, and up behind the beard for close up work(including easy "half-swording", since you can hold the haft to strike with the guard).
the official length in the show was at one point stated to be as tall as the warrior when they are on their knees. that means that it should be bigger, which means more weight and more reach. the weight compared to a sword is pretty high, but the one example i know of in the show of the weight does put it at the upper end of the polearm weighting.
I would add a wavy patern in the middle of the blade for a tiny bit more bind controle and a sawing ability for grappling almost half-swording situations. And i am for the back edge sharpening.
Ohhh, the redesign shows something fascinating: a Bat'leth operates a lot like half-swording. Well, if you also had a dagger sticking out of your pommel. Anyway, it's really intriguing how with this one tweak, I can see so many half-sword techniques immediately find their way into Skall's movements.
The Forged in Fire show did a historical Chinese weapon like that. It was basically two interlocking crescents, and the smiths had to make two, so Doug could dual-wield them.
No, not really. Those are much more curved, almost a semi-circle, and have a much shorter grip, and only have one blade not two, no blade covering the hands. In fact, other that being curved, they're nothing alike really. Gluing two falx's end to end would be more similar than this.
Cool review Skallagrim. I don't know if it actually makes sense, but I can see Klingons--who would, presumably, be the ones actually using this weapon--preferring it being heavier and more durable rather than lighter. Since they are supposed to be stronger, faster and with more endurance than humans, maybe they'd find the trade-off worth it.
Heavier doesn't automatically equal more durable. As the Forged in Fire videos show, it's often the too-heavy blade which breaks. The extra momentum from the excess weight puts too much strain on the blade.
Replicas of the classic bat'leth tend to have a straighter main section and more curvature of the striking blades, so it might be possible to find a middle ground between hooking and thrusting on a symmetrical design but I'm not sure. I do think that the curvier blocking surface allows for easier drawcuts than a straight blade in that area.
hey Skal I'm here because I saw your post about the video not doing well. I genuinely don't recall ever seeing it in my feed. It is also possible that I mistook it for the first video I suppose, but I don't recall thinking I saw that video in my feed either. I don't know if that helps you any, but I'm here to watch it now.
I liked your video, loved how you fought the "unarmed" opponent as well, haha. How you could have improved is difficult to say. I watched it all the through. Maybe if you had a short of you fighting a cosplayed Klingon that also directs us to the longer video. Not sure, but that's what I thought of.
Skallagrim The middle part could be designed much like a Sword Breaker, maybe not as strictly but nonetheless blunted. If it is extra thick, enough to both catch and allow for torsion to be applied to opposing blades then it could be used to truly break other weapons.
I'd like to see what you think of the idea of a two handed straight sword with the guard style of the Hook swords. I really like the crescent blade guard design with the sharpened spike pommel. The hook end of the sword makes them quite tip heavy but maybe with a straight edge blade it would be quite a nice weapon. Let me know what you think of this
I wonder if you could design a swordbreaker in there somewhere, to catch and hold a sword if it gets caught in the hook at the top of the Improved Bat'leth.
It seems maybe making the center part of the blade more narrow (less wide seeming you are mostly blocking ornparrying with it) and standoff even a bit farther from the hands you could reduce the weight while keeping the spikes thick for durabilty and rigidity in penetrating, also making the handles more oval may help with edge alignment
The weapon seems like a weird mix of polearm and sword I can appreciate. A lot of it functions like a shafted weapon with the grip mechanics, hooking and stuff, but in close range it has the maneuverability of a blade and you can use many longsword techniques with it. I like it.
what about adding a notch to catch blades (something like a khukuri has just above the handle) to the center of the blade or even a few? It could still be blunted but add the ability to take control of an opponent's blade.
If you block a heavy blow, like from a warhammer, it still looks like it would twist and break your fingers between the two rails. Maybe a highly oval handle cross-section combined with a wider space between the rails?
I wonder if the non curved end might even be better if it was longer, straight and thinner like the spike on a warhammer or the end of a halberd. Still have it edged but it might add more flexibility
I definitely see the improvements and the weaknesses as you pointed out. Sill too heavy and slow, but better. My beef was the edge alignment issue. Looks like an eternity to recover (relatively) from that. Looks good vs similar weapons, but still wouldn't want to use one against a sword for the most part. Having a spike in conjunction w/ the hook might provide some thrusting options like a sword if the weight can be kept down sounds interesting, but might be difficult in practice.
You should get a blunt one and do a lot a sparing to see what else you can do with it. And maybe add a fuller some where or make it where it get thinner to the point to shave off some weight. Other than that I think its a good weapon for enclosed spaces like a spaceship or something like that.
I like the single handhold, I made me and my sister wooden ones for practice when I was a lot younger actually but I'm not sore about shortening the lower blade, that can be really useful. Also I actually find the bat'leth a pretty practical weapon. That might be because I hate shields unless used with a double handed spear, but the weight really counteracts the use of anything fast like a rapier, you can defend wit one end and stab with the other. Also it can be used in conjunction with karate.
Having the middle part blunt with teeth like a sword breaker would make it a great catcher. Also, maybe widen the gap between the handled and blade. It would reduce weight as well.
You might be pleased to know this inspired a design for a Goblin weapon I came up with just now, though what I came up with was more like a war scythe with an extra straight blade coming out of the bottom of it.
I have to say, I love the actual lore of the Batleth. Like, it's implied to be a modified agricultural tool, and I can kinda see it. Really like the new version too, as I could see it as some sort of variant of the cannon one
@@hawkticus_history_corner Nope, it's not even close. Scythes are very thin, thinner than swords; because sharpness is much more important than power when cutting something that bends as easy as grass or grains. A bat'leth is even thicker than a sword. Tools that get modified into weapons either get thinner or stay the same, but they dont get thicker as to do that you'd need to either reforge it or weld several of them together. Also, a modified tool doesn't explain the extra spikes. And finally, tools such as scythes all have the handle on the other side of the curved edge so you can use it when cutting around yourself because you cut in half circles in front of yourself. Check out scythe technique videos and you'll see what I mean
@@Hellspooned2 It's not a tool that got turned into a weapon, it's a tool design that got repurposed as a weapon, and they're so much thicker because they're prop weapons. In most games they are thinner. And I used scythe just because it was obvious. The better comparison would have been a sickle
And a shriek sounds out from the Shadlands... I'll start with the 'down sides'... When I watched your first video, I thought that *that* bat'leth looked awful, as the dimensions of the grips was awful, and clearly sub-optimal for handling (but solely a flaw of *that* bat'leth, and not true of bat'leths in general) And, I think that the chopping of the tines, has spoiled the weapon's symmetry (a purely personal taste) But: I *absolutely* give kudos to the smith for re-working it as best as he could: That shows a stand-up, honorable work ethic, which I absolutely admire and take my hat off to 👍👍👍 Additionally, *THANKYOU* for directly illustrating what I said on Shad's post(s) that the bat'leth is a *highly defensive* weapon: It's not a rapier for thrusting. It shouldn't even be thought of 'as a sword', because it simply is not one: It is more akin to a scythe, and as such, best suited for swinging and chopping attacks, and for staff-like blocking techniques. You showed not only how easily it can be used to block an incoming swing, but also how the tines *trap and redirect* that incoming blade, *and* how that point of contact between sword and bat'leth, becomes the pivot-point for a counter-strike with the bat'leth, which is going to cut the swordsman's arm, body, and even their face. This is a weapon which even the most untrained of people could pick up and use to effectively defend themself. In the hands of a trained expert, the bat'leth would be devastating in its ability to inflict damage. Shad's views on the bat'leth cost him A Lot of my respect. Not because we have differing opinions, because as Shad himself has said, people can disagree and still be friends. Weapons choice is as personal a preference as tastes in food or music, and I wouldn't look down on someone simply because they don't like what I like, nor vice versa. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. What cost him my respect, was that even with his knowledge of medieval weapons, he could not see the potential within the bat'leth. He couldn't get past the idea that it wasn't optimized for thrusting, ergo a bad sword, ergo a bad weapon. He simply could not grasp the notion that it excels in the blocking and slashing moves which you demonstrated, and thus would have come to realize that those were the ways in which a bat'leth should be used, and where it would be incredibly effective (I would dare venture superior) against a sword-wielding opponent. And it was that inability to 'think outside the box', that I considered a sign of real intellectual weakness and intractability, and thus not an intellect to be given deference to. Yes, everyone has something to say and add to a conversation, but some points of view definitely carry more weight than others. And in that regard, while I gladly admit that Shad knows his subject, that knowledge does not 'translate well enough' to things outside of that immediate field (even in things which are very closely related, as in this matter) to be considered 'expertise'. It's the difference between 'knowledge' and 'wisdom', and, of someone either having (or lacking) the hubris to realize and acknowledge, when they are talking about a subject which they don't truly understand... Thankyou for such an excellent presentation 👍👍👍
I would have thought more hook “like” ends to the central curve edge.With a canted angle to spines in opposite directions.As you can change side of weapon used it maybe deflect blade away at opposite angles depending on how you wield it.Deflecting strike away or slowing blow however held.
reminds me of a mid point between the traditional Bat'leth and Worf's later Mek'leth short sword [seen in First Contact when they are fighting Borg on the Deflector dish]
I’m a huge fan of the Batleth not so much of Trek. I also don’t usually comment on videos but I appreciate your looking at this. I think the batleth shines in a number of ways primarily in closing the gap on longer reach weapons and then destroying them up close. I 100% agree with the handle improvement but I would have straightened the longer blades more and curved the shorter blades by an equal amount. Giving the over all slope something akin to a reverse katana with maybe just slightly more curve and symmetrical. This would allow for both thrust and hooking actions. I think there’s still a lot of sword breaker type catch options with the crotch of the blades you could explore. I think against a rapier in an open field there is a disadvantage but in the mayhem of a battlefield, inside castle walls or against mounted units it could be massive advantage. Additionally, body size, type and fighting style make a big difference. I look at this a the sci-fi lochabar axe and think if Scots or Vikings had these in the ranks it could have been tide turning tool. I’m a stout fellow and trained in Krav Maga for me this has always seemed like a natural fit. One day I’ll make one. Sorry for the long response.
I would like to see Skallagrim's opinion on the Blade of Kahless AKA the "first bat'leth". When i look at that one it seems a lot more practical. That said these are for fighting in caves and hallways.
What's great lore wise about Bat'leths is that a metric ton of officers and warriors did have custom versions made so much so that in official contests you have to use a standardized version in the competition. So these modifications are not lore breaking or "wrong" exactly which makes it more awesome. :D
That's cool and all, but an Energy Sword or a Lightsaber is still objectively a better melee weapon and would cut the Bat'leth and its user to pieces in short order.
@@OtterTreySSArmy Well energy blades have their own issues, like heat being one as well as the blade having no mass so it's hard to feel where the blade it which means you'd have to train around that. Besides at the end of the day the best melee weapon is a shotgun... There is a reason why in the modern day you don't see soldiers with swords.
@@OtterTreySSArmy Unless the batl'eth is laced with cortosis. In which case the lightsaber blade would shortcircuit on contact leaving its wielder pretty dang screwed.
@@OtterTreySSArmy the big problem with lightsabers is that they require advanced technology that doesn't exist in real life, and doesn't necessarily exist in a given fictional setting either.
@@OtterTreySSArmy No lightsabers in trek, there's one alien race that has something similar but it's about 3 inches long and only used as a tool on that planet
Interestingly I could actually see some Klingons using a bat’leth more in this style during the Dominion War as a response to the Jem’hadar’s own personal blade weapon, the kar’takin. This version seems like it’d be a better match against that weapon so I could see a few Klingons on the front lines inventing/adopting this version to fight against the jem’hadar
star trek really liked its apostrophes,huh.
@@robertlewis6915 Always has
Especially given early Dominion successes.
@@robertlewis6915
Speculative fiction does. It's easy. It can also be seen as a contraction. Such as a Kara and an Atakin. You put them together and you get a Kar'takin.
@@robertlewis6915 apostrophes really make sense for "foreigner names" in a language like English actually. Nobody gets to know how those names are supposed to be spoken unless you divide the syllables properly.
Take the real name "Tobias", which I have heard butchered by English speakers a lot. You can either use real IPA (which nobody is equipped to write in) or use American IPA (to-BEE-as) which gets annoying soon to spell out, or you can make it clearer with apostrophes (Tobi'as).
More correct, you could just use the trema sign (Tobïas), but most people think it's just a fancy umlaut and they ignore it or butcher the name even more horribly in their panic as they encounter the weird Ï.
This looks like it's more akin to a pole axe now than a sword. Two handed, wide handed, with a forward spike at one and and a straight spike at the other. Only now it has a hand guard running the full length, which could be sharp or not.
The previous round of videos on the topic suggested it was for close-in armored fighting, which... is the same as the pole axe. Skall's movements also seemed closer to what he and others have shown in pole axe demonstrations.
The more I think about it, viewing the bat'leth as an alien pole axe rather than alien sword is probably a better way to go. And as that, it's not that bad. Though I agree this version is likely more useful than the original from the show.
I mean, the bat'leth was never really a sword. Klingons have sword analogues and the bat'leth isn't one of them.
@@Crazael Which is why the "Sword of Kahless" is a silly name, because it's not a sword. :-) But overall, yes, it should be compared to other battlefield armored fighting weapons, not swords. (Which seems to be the TH-cam consensus at this point.)
That's also pretty much Matt Easton's (scholagladiatoria) conclusion in his recent Bat'leth video.
Yeah, kinda looks like it's just a short range take on the chinese qinglong ji poleaxe. Shorten the handle, lengthen the crescent and curve the dagger on the quinglong ji and you've got basically this thing.
Well, it's shorter than a poleaxe, but has more edge... so it also has those sword similarities.
I'd say it's the interbreed of both weapons.
This redesign may be more practical and still looks awesome, but aesthetically I still prefer how it originally looked. Either way it’s awesome to see more about this unique weapon and to actually see how it could be used and how well it serves its purpose. Thanks Skall!
3:58 In order to belittle their opponent in front of the crowd and so as not to end the battle _too_ quickly. I could see Gowron's crazy ass Bat'leth-whipping an opponent
Yeah, I was about to comment something along those lines. For a culture where an "honorable death" is the best way to go out, being spared by getting knocked out and possibly captured would be quite a big offense...
Good point. A non-lethal attack could be a form of humiliation.
Also if they wanted a living prisoner for interrogation
@@ProcyonDei Reminds of the first fight in the novels "Red Worm" (Røde Orm), where a Viking captain captures our young hero by doing the same with an axe. The two novels then follow our hero through all famous Viking destinations in Europe over a lifetime.
Same thought. "The Klingon Slap."
I love seeing more practical fictional weapons.
"Bonking them with the flat"
Good lord it is 6 am here and i had to laugh with enough intent to get Kicked out of a pub at this.
I will never give in, never give up!! The bat'leth is perfect for something ignored in all of these videos from all of you youtubers. The Klingon takes captives and does not kill (unless they die from being captured, or in a duel). A Klingon does not take captives in the cowardly way, where they tie up their foe, instead, they hold them until they are exhausted, and drag the body respectfully (as roughly as possible, throwing it often). When they stand guard over their captives, they do not restrain them in bondage, instead, they honorably enforce their superiority by standing guard over an unrestrained Klingon , keeping them there by being the more capable Klingon. If the Klingon must guard multiple captives, they block the door, and hold a bat'leth. Using a Bat'leth, with it's spikes, they can block the door and if anyone tries to escape, they will have to go through those spikes. The guard is able to put a spike into anyone who tries to squeeze past them no matter where they try to dodge through, from almost any guard posture. Then, the guard will pin them until they pass out, or if they are outnumbered or facing a superior Klingon, only captured because the guards leader is superior to the captive, they will call for help. The bat'leth is the weapon of war of choice not because it kills the most easily, but because it specifically does not easily kill Klingons, who have multiples of their vital organs, and can sustain significant bodily harm without succumbing to their wounds. The Bat'leth allows a Klingon to assert their dominance over the inferior combatant in an honorable way, so that the defeated Klingon will have time to recognize their place, and gain respect for his opponents. It is always difficult for a Klingon to see where he can maintain his families honor, while submitting to superior Klingon, and often a captured Klingon will be expected to try often to escape while severely wounded, so that his resolution is not called into question, and once he is healed enough to require the best guards to keep him contained (while being unrestrained, Klingons do not use "cuffs" or other restraints on eachother, there is no honor in it), he is expected to challenge his oppressors to a duel to the death. Then, it is expected that they will fight with all of their ability and committment, until the loser is unable to continue, and their body is exhausted. However, Klingons who have lived an honorable life, and did not shy from adversity in youth, will be strong, and even the most devestating wounds given by honorable dueling weapons should not kill this Klingon. Then, when they are healing after being honorably defeated, everyone can know that the most honorable thing to do is to recognize that they have been bested by a superior Klingon, and their new path must be to serve and grow under this new leader, so that they can become better than they were. Their family will be honored for their effort, and their unwillingness to submit until there was no question about their position. But the Bat'leth is for standing in a doorway, so that no one can scuttle out around you, even if more than one escapee tries at once.
I really love this redesign of the weapon. I would only make 2 changes that I believe would personally suit me better. First I would dull the middle of the blade like suggested, even going as far as to make the middle more like just a bar than a blade to increase durability. Second, I would take the large cutting blade on the outside and add a thrusting point to it so it would look more like a billhook blade that doesn't anything spikes perpendicular to it. But overall love the design and I love these types of videos. Keep up the amazing work!
Wow Skall you can tell you have gained such a deep understanding of this stuff over the years. Knowing that small changes like that in design make such a big difference in functionality in real world scenarios. I’ve been watching since way back when you were laughing at weird knife skull spider thingamajigs that you had to sell to customers coming into your store (derp eagle knife sold separately). Ive really appreciate your presence here. Whether it’s being real about mental health, eating problems, and neurodivergence, or just sharing your hobbies and passions. You’ve been a very positive entity in my life the last decade or so, no matter when I’ve come back to the channel. So a well deserved thank you, for entertaining, teaching, but also letting us learn with you.
And here we see a great example of why actually testing a weapon and seeing what it can do is better then just looking at it and saying "naahhh" or testing it out by trying to make it do things it's not meant to do and saying "because it can't do what it wasn't meant to do, it's bad."
And the modifications actually make sense too, and this variation looks like it works quite nicely. I'm kinda wondering what other modifications people might come up with next.
That's why I don't care for Shad, he's too flippant and reminds me of the Nostalgia Critic... but for weapons.
I think, in a dueling situation, this weapon might have an x factor for a lot of opponents: intimidation. In addition to just being big, most enemies would have no idea how the weapon functioned and, if the Bat'leth user was skilled an aggressive, they might be hard-pressed to react to the various ways it could be used. They might block that high stroke, but be taken by surprise when a cut rose up underneath their guard, causing them to internally panic even if they avoided it. Looks great to me, and I would welcome seeing various "marks" as the Bat'leth is turned into a more functional weapon! :)
We definetly need some sparring footage versus longsword and arming sword, etc.
By the way, video is coool.
If your going to do that. You should try to make weapons that represent weight, form and function. Not just a look a like. For example. Fake Halberds that are home made can be very bad at giving you proper practice with a Halberd. Since a lot I have seen are too flexible and too lightweight. There for you can't use it in the real historic way of fighting with it. Like blowing past a Sword that is trying to block it.
Batleth is quite heavy so some safety should be put in mind if one is to attempt such thing.
@@amirhosseinmaghsoodi388 Making it out of Wood, with Rounded off Edges or Points, similar to the idea of a Wooden sword. and then add a Good layer of Padding while Keeping the Proper weight would work on that Front I think. And the people Practicing could wear a level of armor. Like Foot ball Gear for example. if you have nothing else.
shortsword and shield, axe
Already see Shad throwing his two cents in. Love the design on this... Bat-skall? Skall-Leth? Either way it's cool.
It's a shortened Bat'leth, so a Bat'l. :)
@@Skallagrim So could you say that it's a Klingon Bat'l Field weapon? Aight, I'm out with that one
@@tandemcharge5114 a good one
@@Skallagrim Bat'less
I think shad made a 3d model that looks about the same.
Late to the comments here.... but yeah, I love the alterations! Def seems better than the original he sent ya!
Redesigning a clumsy weapon by a weapons expert makes it at least functional. GREAT JOB way more practical 👍👍👍
You went for the single handle! i love it! doing a single long handle variant has been on my mind for YEARS! I havent even seen more than the thumbnail and this automatically gets a thumbs up from me
I love this thing! It's sort of a hybrid between a hafted weapon and a sword. It fixes one of the problems with hafted weapons - that being that they're awful for parrying and have no hand protection. I like the versatility that the double points on each end add in terms of binding and parrying. The versatility of the weapon also creates a lot of options for feints. Pretend like you're preparing to throw a cut with the long end, then step in and jab with the short instead, for example.
I can definitely see this being something with a number of variants - perhaps some warriors would prefer the heavier, sturdier version to the lighter, quicker one. That definitely seems Klingon to me.
The biggest drawback I see to this weapon design is that there's no good way to carry it out of combat and keep both hands free. With all the pointy bits jutting out at different angles, you'd want some way to cover them so you don't accidentally stab yourself or your buddies.
Klingons are a warrior race. They don't seem concerned about "safety".
yeah, it's excellent, love it too
you could have it attached to a strap for non-battle carrying
Looks like a great weapon for combat in enclosed spaces, like a starship.
I prefer this version by far, not that I can't think of other variations I'd personally design.
Either way, I do think most versions of this weapon would be best in hallways, tunnels, or other confined spaces.
All he needs is a trench coat and he's be on point for Highlander lol This is sick af! I like the customization of the blade.
My theory is he's already an immortal, and when he complains about storms in Halifax, it's just a cover story for his latest quickening.
@@comradebork 🤣🤣🤣 It all makes sense now!!!🤯
When you do the blocking portion, in a space ship the enemies would be limited by the ceiling and walls being close in (like a submarines) in which case wouldn't the batleth be far MORE maneuverabile than standard swords?
A good thing to keep in mind!
Depends on type of sword, really. And there is half swording...
@@czarus_the_sniper9924 yup yup, but wouldn't the batleth be superior in those circumstances?
@@nickanderson4304 I suppose it is up to your preference, I personally am of the opinion that a big shield (like roman scutum) in pair with a short sword (like gladius) or a one handed axe/mace/hammer would prove far superior in those specific circumstances. I would still opt for a firearm if I had the option, something like an assault carbine (AKS-74U comes to mind) or a semi/full auto shotgun, hell maybe a flamethrower if it was more portable.
@@czarus_the_sniper9924 lmfao yeah a shield and a storm bolter would be ideal. Though your comment on a gladius is interesting. The Klingon battle knife is essentially a gladius
I don't know how a shield would do tho. If say you're on a small starship, even the smallest shield is going to be a pain in the ass getting through portholes. Even just on ones back, or like zero G. A shield would just let your enemies kick you into a wall.
What I have in my head is a small Klingon boarding party that's knocked out the gravity generators on an early era warp craft.
They are going to chop a hole into these narrow corridors and bum rush through, full jump, with a batleth Infront of them so they can hook the walls and maneuver, or straight guillotine anything in the corridor as their 300lb bulk flies thru zero G
Like canonically the origins of the batleth are ehh, but as a future melee weapon I think it's got more potential than ppl have thought.
As an Axe Man I like having my weapons be tools, and the double hooks would be damn good at arresting falls in zero G. The primary hook would dig into the wall, and the secondary would prevent getting pain cakes into the wall (acting as a foot or brace)
Zero G melee combat is something no one has done before yuh kno
the batleth video is on of my favs! awesome we got a sequel!
I kinda want to see a HEMA battle between Skall and Shad. Just have the two fight each other for shits and giggles
I like this type of content. Reminds me of the days of fantasy weapons analyzed
YES! Almost exactly the design and handling I argued for after your first video!
AWESOME
Making fantasy weapons practical, could be a new series for your channel. Could partner with other blacksmith channels, where they have a build video, and you have a test and discussion video.
Damn now I wanna see Hema sparring with this against Longsword (a non sharp ideally non steel replica of it)
i want to see a HEMA sparring comparison between a canonical Bat'leth, this version, and possibly Shad's sketched up version. I feel like this version is what the Klingons would have come up with in under a year of the first Bat'leth being used in actual battle.
Ideally, you'd compare the weapons on how well they fare against anything you'd encounter in spaceship-bound close-combat: axe or tomahawk; some short sword like a dagger or gladius; one of those single-handed weapons plus a (riot) shield; other Bat'leths; a rifle-mounted bayonet. Also, you'd set up a confined space for that: a solid wall or fence as the backdrop, and ropes running horizontally and vertically (representing power conduits) for the front battlefield boundary (which you film through).
great to see the redesign in action
I've been designing some fictional melee weapons and I would love to have some of them analyzed. I just can't stop tweaking my designs so I can send them in
Sounds interesting. What do they look like?
@@jedhaydney4176 most of them are designed like extensions of the body
@@Grizzlox Ah.
That thing is badass now. I love the dark blade color. I feel bad for the criminal that breaks into your dojo!
I feel that this weapon could benefit from having a straightforward blade at the bottom. Could be helpful for quick short range thrusts.
Yeah. Also, sharpen the shorter guard blade edge on the outer six inches either end.
I'd add rather than straigthen, add a sort of fleur to the straight and then you can have both th curve and the straightedge
This is awesome, I wanted to redesign Illidan's Warglaives ever since your last video. They point the other way but now I have some reference for the poses
Great vid. I love this Viking/Highlander looking Bat'leth. Definitely a double edge blade on the tip works great for this modified version. A perfect weapon for the zombie apocalypse with Tactical slash proof gloves.
Or the trucker apocalypse.
Thank you for all your "Practical" Kilingon Bat'leth considerations. 😆
Would love to see a sparring video with this. Super cool design, Quin did a great job. Great video as well!
Very nice redesign. It's a lot more practical now.
I really like this, the changes make sense and it could work and be made, more like some of the more esoteric weapons you see in Asia or the Indian sub-continental regions.
It looks so much like what Shad proposed.
That is a very nice design and I while I'm not a sword practitioner myself, I see how that could be more effective. Very enjoyable!
big fan of the finish on the blade!
The grip scales are a nice addition.
Very nice modification and again a good analysis. I did lose it a bit tho at the " Stabby stabby"
I remember drawing an idea for something similar to this as a teenager! Always happy to have my pubescent ramblings vindicated.
Now that's a Bat'leth. It's also something Shad was thinking of. He removed the small spike that faces you since it could stab you by mistake. The catch seems worth the risk though.
I definitely agree that it is a more useable version, my major modification I would make was already mentioned, but I would probably sharpen the spine of the hook, just for the little bit of extra versatility.
I like the redesign very nicely done 🙂
Would it be effective to have something like a European Swordbreaker's spikey comb bits along the blade above the handle? That might make catching blades a lot easier. Just watched Shadiversity's video on Swordbreakers and maybe that sort of option would be a useful thing to have, especially with the amount of leverage you can get with a handle as large as a bat'leth's.
Great concept ! I'm astonished by the fact that nobody evoked the cicada sword AKA sun and moon blade, i.e. this weapon's historical inspiration
You can probably cut out a rectangular portion out of the center edge of the blade the length of the handle. It would create additional axe like hooking options, lighten the weight and still provide some protection to the hands.
The longer paired points remind me of an old can opener, I could see how one could catch the edge of an armor plate and then have immense leverage to force the point through the armor or bend it into immobility and uselessness.
Honestly this is a huge improvement in a number of different ways. I like the exaggeration of the forward curved hook compared to the archetypical bat'leth with much shallower curves.
If I were to improve the bat'leth, I'd make it much smaller, sized for a single-hand grip, and then make two of them, one for each hand. Oh wait, that already exists and is a popular weapon in the Chinese kung fu style of baguazhang. ;)
Honestly I think this design looks amazing.
Great video. Great insights and a great compromise for the Klingon Bat'leth
Reminds me of one of my own fictional designs. A cross between a shortened bardiche and a sword, where there's a very long "beard" running almost all the way down to the guard, complete with optional two-handed grip both at the handle, and up behind the beard for close up work(including easy "half-swording", since you can hold the haft to strike with the guard).
the official length in the show was at one point stated to be as tall as the warrior when they are on their knees. that means that it should be bigger, which means more weight and more reach. the weight compared to a sword is pretty high, but the one example i know of in the show of the weight does put it at the upper end of the polearm weighting.
I would add a wavy patern in the middle of the blade for a tiny bit more bind controle and a sawing ability for grappling almost half-swording situations.
And i am for the back edge sharpening.
The Gowron in the thumbnail is perfect. XD
You even put a klingon wig. That’s dedication for you.
Definitely does look practical now. Good design improvements.
Ohhh, the redesign shows something fascinating: a Bat'leth operates a lot like half-swording. Well, if you also had a dagger sticking out of your pommel. Anyway, it's really intriguing how with this one tweak, I can see so many half-sword techniques immediately find their way into Skall's movements.
Pair of sharp "bladed" knuckle versions that fits the palm would definitely be awesome.
The start of a new series: Mall Ninja Rehab
The Forged in Fire show did a historical Chinese weapon like that. It was basically two interlocking crescents, and the smiths had to make two, so Doug could dual-wield them.
I like that the hand guard also acts as a cutting edge.
Hmm, Improved Batleth looks closely like a daedric crescent from TES: Battlespire.Not identical, of course. Interesting.
No, not really. Those are much more curved, almost a semi-circle, and have a much shorter grip, and only have one blade not two, no blade covering the hands. In fact, other that being curved, they're nothing alike really. Gluing two falx's end to end would be more similar than this.
That was great editing with the thumbnail.
I dig the changes!
Cool review Skallagrim. I don't know if it actually makes sense, but I can see Klingons--who would, presumably, be the ones actually using this weapon--preferring it being heavier and more durable rather than lighter. Since they are supposed to be stronger, faster and with more endurance than humans, maybe they'd find the trade-off worth it.
Heavier doesn't automatically equal more durable. As the Forged in Fire videos show, it's often the too-heavy blade which breaks. The extra momentum from the excess weight puts too much strain on the blade.
Replicas of the classic bat'leth tend to have a straighter main section and more curvature of the striking blades, so it might be possible to find a middle ground between hooking and thrusting on a symmetrical design but I'm not sure. I do think that the curvier blocking surface allows for easier drawcuts than a straight blade in that area.
0:14 i was half expecting him to hold up a normal longsword as a joke lol
hey Skal I'm here because I saw your post about the video not doing well. I genuinely don't recall ever seeing it in my feed. It is also possible that I mistook it for the first video I suppose, but I don't recall thinking I saw that video in my feed either. I don't know if that helps you any, but I'm here to watch it now.
I think it could use a small extra point going opposite the curve to make reverse swings more effective for attacks and hooks.
Personally I would brother have both spiky ends be about the same length and Keep the handle modification that you made
I liked your video, loved how you fought the "unarmed" opponent as well, haha. How you could have improved is difficult to say. I watched it all the through. Maybe if you had a short of you fighting a cosplayed Klingon that also directs us to the longer video. Not sure, but that's what I thought of.
Skallagrim
The middle part could be designed much like a Sword Breaker, maybe not as strictly but nonetheless blunted. If it is extra thick, enough to both catch and allow for torsion to be applied to opposing blades then it could be used to truly break other weapons.
I'd like to see what you think of the idea of a two handed straight sword with the guard style of the Hook swords.
I really like the crescent blade guard design with the sharpened spike pommel. The hook end of the sword makes them quite tip heavy but maybe with a straight edge blade it would be quite a nice weapon.
Let me know what you think of this
I like Bob's newfound sense of fashion.
I wonder if you could design a swordbreaker in there somewhere, to catch and hold a sword if it gets caught in the hook at the top of the Improved Bat'leth.
It seems maybe making the center part of the blade more narrow (less wide seeming you are mostly blocking ornparrying with it) and standoff even a bit farther from the hands you could reduce the weight while keeping the spikes thick for durabilty and rigidity in penetrating, also making the handles more oval may help with edge alignment
The weapon seems like a weird mix of polearm and sword I can appreciate. A lot of it functions like a shafted weapon with the grip mechanics, hooking and stuff, but in close range it has the maneuverability of a blade and you can use many longsword techniques with it. I like it.
what about adding a notch to catch blades (something like a khukuri has just above the handle) to the center of the blade or even a few? It could still be blunted but add the ability to take control of an opponent's blade.
boarding weapon for ship combat. confined spaces and overwhealming attacks wiith both ends
If you block a heavy blow, like from a warhammer, it still looks like it would twist and break your fingers between the two rails. Maybe a highly oval handle cross-section combined with a wider space between the rails?
Most sword attacks are not wide sweeping arcs but quick feints. GL with that.
I wonder if the non curved end might even be better if it was longer, straight and thinner like the spike on a warhammer or the end of a halberd. Still have it edged but it might add more flexibility
I wonder if putting some notches in that front blade, ala a sword breaker, would be feasible. and maybe lighten it up some.
I definitely see the improvements and the weaknesses as you pointed out. Sill too heavy and slow, but better. My beef was the edge alignment issue. Looks like an eternity to recover (relatively) from that. Looks good vs similar weapons, but still wouldn't want to use one against a sword for the most part. Having a spike in conjunction w/ the hook might provide some thrusting options like a sword if the weight can be kept down sounds interesting, but might be difficult in practice.
You should get a blunt one and do a lot a sparing to see what else you can do with it. And maybe add a fuller some where or make it where it get thinner to the point to shave off some weight. Other than that I think its a good weapon for enclosed spaces like a spaceship or something like that.
While not Star Trek canon, I can certainly envisage the Klingons improving their Bat'leth through the centuries.
I like the single handhold, I made me and my sister wooden ones for practice when I was a lot younger actually but I'm not sore about shortening the lower blade, that can be really useful. Also I actually find the bat'leth a pretty practical weapon. That might be because I hate shields unless used with a double handed spear, but the weight really counteracts the use of anything fast like a rapier, you can defend wit one end and stab with the other. Also it can be used in conjunction with karate.
Wow! That's a dream weapon.
Having the middle part blunt with teeth like a sword breaker would make it a great catcher.
Also, maybe widen the gap between the handled and blade. It would reduce weight as well.
Bonking with the flat side would totally be a klingon version of a slap in the face.
You might be pleased to know this inspired a design for a Goblin weapon I came up with just now, though what I came up with was more like a war scythe with an extra straight blade coming out of the bottom of it.
I have to say, I love the actual lore of the Batleth. Like, it's implied to be a modified agricultural tool, and I can kinda see it.
Really like the new version too, as I could see it as some sort of variant of the cannon one
I have no idea what kind of crops would be cut with such a tool. Does not seem realistic at all imo.
@@Hellspooned2 it's a scythe blade. So anything that is like tall wheat or a rush
@@hawkticus_history_corner Nope, it's not even close. Scythes are very thin, thinner than swords; because sharpness is much more important than power when cutting something that bends as easy as grass or grains.
A bat'leth is even thicker than a sword.
Tools that get modified into weapons either get thinner or stay the same, but they dont get thicker as to do that you'd need to either reforge it or weld several of them together.
Also, a modified tool doesn't explain the extra spikes.
And finally, tools such as scythes all have the handle on the other side of the curved edge so you can use it when cutting around yourself because you cut in half circles in front of yourself.
Check out scythe technique videos and you'll see what I mean
@@Hellspooned2 It's not a tool that got turned into a weapon, it's a tool design that got repurposed as a weapon, and they're so much thicker because they're prop weapons. In most games they are thinner.
And I used scythe just because it was obvious. The better comparison would have been a sickle
My favorite adage..."it ain't stupid if it works"
And a shriek sounds out from the Shadlands...
I'll start with the 'down sides'... When I watched your first video, I thought that *that* bat'leth looked awful, as the dimensions of the grips was awful, and clearly sub-optimal for handling (but solely a flaw of *that* bat'leth, and not true of bat'leths in general) And, I think that the chopping of the tines, has spoiled the weapon's symmetry (a purely personal taste)
But: I *absolutely* give kudos to the smith for re-working it as best as he could: That shows a stand-up, honorable work ethic, which I absolutely admire and take my hat off to 👍👍👍
Additionally, *THANKYOU* for directly illustrating what I said on Shad's post(s) that the bat'leth is a *highly defensive* weapon: It's not a rapier for thrusting. It shouldn't even be thought of 'as a sword', because it simply is not one: It is more akin to a scythe, and as such, best suited for swinging and chopping attacks, and for staff-like blocking techniques.
You showed not only how easily it can be used to block an incoming swing, but also how the tines *trap and redirect* that incoming blade, *and* how that point of contact between sword and bat'leth, becomes the pivot-point for a counter-strike with the bat'leth, which is going to cut the swordsman's arm, body, and even their face. This is a weapon which even the most untrained of people could pick up and use to effectively defend themself. In the hands of a trained expert, the bat'leth would be devastating in its ability to inflict damage.
Shad's views on the bat'leth cost him A Lot of my respect.
Not because we have differing opinions, because as Shad himself has said, people can disagree and still be friends. Weapons choice is as personal a preference as tastes in food or music, and I wouldn't look down on someone simply because they don't like what I like, nor vice versa. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
What cost him my respect, was that even with his knowledge of medieval weapons, he could not see the potential within the bat'leth. He couldn't get past the idea that it wasn't optimized for thrusting, ergo a bad sword, ergo a bad weapon. He simply could not grasp the notion that it excels in the blocking and slashing moves which you demonstrated, and thus would have come to realize that those were the ways in which a bat'leth should be used, and where it would be incredibly effective (I would dare venture superior) against a sword-wielding opponent.
And it was that inability to 'think outside the box', that I considered a sign of real intellectual weakness and intractability, and thus not an intellect to be given deference to.
Yes, everyone has something to say and add to a conversation, but some points of view definitely carry more weight than others. And in that regard, while I gladly admit that Shad knows his subject, that knowledge does not 'translate well enough' to things outside of that immediate field (even in things which are very closely related, as in this matter) to be considered 'expertise'. It's the difference between 'knowledge' and 'wisdom', and, of someone either having (or lacking) the hubris to realize and acknowledge, when they are talking about a subject which they don't truly understand...
Thankyou for such an excellent presentation 👍👍👍
I would have thought more hook “like” ends to the central curve edge.With a canted angle to spines in opposite directions.As you can change side of weapon used it maybe deflect blade away at opposite angles depending on how you wield it.Deflecting strike away or slowing blow however held.
reminds me of a mid point between the traditional Bat'leth and Worf's later Mek'leth short sword [seen in First Contact when they are fighting Borg on the Deflector dish]
I’m a huge fan of the Batleth not so much of Trek. I also don’t usually comment on videos but I appreciate your looking at this. I think the batleth shines in a number of ways primarily in closing the gap on longer reach weapons and then destroying them up close. I 100% agree with the handle improvement but I would have straightened the longer blades more and curved the shorter blades by an equal amount. Giving the over all slope something akin to a reverse katana with maybe just slightly more curve and symmetrical. This would allow for both thrust and hooking actions. I think there’s still a lot of sword breaker type catch options with the crotch of the blades you could explore. I think against a rapier in an open field there is a disadvantage but in the mayhem of a battlefield, inside castle walls or against mounted units it could be massive advantage. Additionally, body size, type and fighting style make a big difference. I look at this a the sci-fi lochabar axe and think if Scots or Vikings had these in the ranks it could have been tide turning tool. I’m a stout fellow and trained in Krav Maga for me this has always seemed like a natural fit. One day I’ll make one. Sorry for the long response.
I would like to see Skallagrim's opinion on the Blade of Kahless AKA the "first bat'leth". When i look at that one it seems a lot more practical. That said these are for fighting in caves and hallways.
I've talked about it. th-cam.com/video/qrIv9EORYQc/w-d-xo.html