The Falx

[M. Demetrius]

I wonder if the falx had the same cutting ability as the medieval longswords?

Being curved, it would probably be worse for the defender. A curved blade is always in slicing mode, they tell me, as it hits at an angle to the meat it's slicing. Same idea as a scythe being curved instead of straight-bladed.

Hey, 10,000 Samurai can't be wrong. Ok, theirs curve the other way, but--

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Well, I was thinking of the display and discription given by some re-enactors at york, talking about a corpse that had its legs cleved off, and the bits of wood from the deceased's shield embeded in the bones...

That would ruin your day for sure.... hock: I can imagine the same sort of thing happening with a falx, perhaps!

[brennivs - tony drake]

Ha Ha Falx :?: Giavs the long sword would cause severe cut and blunt trauma but the falx would have a continuous cutting edge and tare through bone and flesh, either way ouch :!: :lol: :lol: :twisted: :twisted:
Regards Brennivs

[Tarbicus]

I must have posted a number of times the scientific findings about the use of the falx. It's main property was kinetic, not cutting. I'm not trawling through RAT finding the flippin' posts again. :roll: :wink:

The author believed the main cause of death could have been crushed vertebrae after a blow to the crown of the head.

[WillMH]

I wonder if the falx had the same cutting ability as the medieval longswords?

Its my understanding that most Medieval long swords were not sharp edged, being heavy and blunt to ensure bones can be broken under the armour as opposed to a cutting blade which is pointless...no pun intended-...against covered flesh.

Will

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

No probs Jim, I was just visualising the way it whacked through the scutum edging in that video,(which I will never find if I look for it) and made a connection to what I saw and heard in York.....

And Tony, I saw the display in York, the sword sliced throught the pork ribs and vertebrae, and the yellow pages below it! hock: Not 100% sure exactly what style of sword it was tho!

[Tarbicus]

Hey, put a cutting edge on it, it's a bad thing to come tearing at you. But the shocking speed with which the falx can be used surprised even the author after he'd given it a fair bit of practice.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I would agree with you in wanting plate on me if I had to face one, LOTS of plate..... and an artillery battalion behind me.... :twisted:

[Endre Fodstad]

I wonder if the falx had the same cutting ability as the medieval longswords?

Its my understanding that most Medieval long swords were not sharp edged, being heavy and blunt to ensure bones can be broken under the armour as opposed to a cutting blade which is pointless...no pun intended-...against cov

Odd idea. In the different fighting manuals from the 14th-15th century, when employing longswords vs longswords, the cut is mostly employed when fencing out of armour. After donning armour, the fencers tend toward wrestling and locking, halfswording, and so on and so forth in order to pin the opponent so as to be able to deliver a thrust at an unarmoured portion.

This becomes very obvious in some manuals. In Fiore dei Liberis Flos Duellatorum from around 1410, the system of fighting is very schematic and logical (perhaps too much so for practical use, some argue) - the cuts are delivered "in the same way" (here I oversimplify) with every weapon. When fighting unarmoured, the longwordman employs cuts. When in armour, the cut descriptions disappear from the manual. Then the fighters pick up pole-axes and the cut is back - now it is possible to penetrate the armour and deliver crushing blows. How this can be translated into the falx, I do not know; the falx is a rather unique sort of weapon, not to mention about a 1000 years removed from the heyday of longsword fencing!

Most longswords are very light affairs - they weigh around 12-1300 grams or so all told.

[edit] This just became very on-topic, thanks to Vortigern Studies.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Yes, I would agree they are far emoved, but as a weapon capable of slicing through shield and flesh and bone, I think there is a comparison?
I would not compare poleaxes though!

As to medieval broadsword being blunt heavy bone crushers, the chaps from Leeds Armoury and the other guy before them in York were quite adament this was a myth! But I am also talking about the so called 'Dark age swords......these things were quite leathal and sharp......

[Endre Fodstad]

Yes, I would agree they are far emoved, but as a weapon capable of slicing through shield and flesh and bone, I think there is a comparison?

Probably...but more to hafted polearms or broad-bladed axes than longswords, I think....

[Tarbicus]

Probably...but more to hafted polearms or broad-bladed axes than longswords, I think....

Based on the way the weapon would be held (two handed with some distance between), I'd agree.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I am under the impression it was a slashing weapon, not so much a polearm as such, even tho it looks like a sickle. I can't imagine a polearme like used in medieval times being weilded in the same manner...?

[Tarbicus]

Some polearms:
http://thomaschen.freewebspace.com/images/polearms.jpg (NB #15)
http://www.silvermane.com/Lochaber.html
http://www3.sympatico.ca/apc/en-hast.htm (just to get it out of the confusion of medieval Europe)

The last one has a good definition: The word «polearm» refers to a trusting or cutting weapon consisting of a long wooden shaft to which a blade is attached. Sounds just like a falx.

http://www.wikirps.org/wiki/Category:Polearm

Take a look at the fauchard in this diagram: http://www.retromud.org/images/weapons/polearms.gif

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Yes those are a diffeent kettle of fish.......but as a comparison to the slice a sword was capable of, and the ability of the falx to also slice through a scutum, and possibly the person beneath, the comparison would not be unimaginable! Naginata etc are not to what I am making a comparison too, gents.