If you’re up for doing more testing, I would like to see cloak and dagger vs rapier!

@dogmaticpyrrhonist543

17 күн бұрын

This feels like a lead in to pithy comment that cloak and dagger always defeats the honest opponent

@radivojevasiljevic3145

16 күн бұрын

@@dogmaticpyrrhonist543 why? One (minus) long (plus) versus two (plus) short (minus) weapons, one offensive and one defensive.

@dogmaticpyrrhonist543

16 күн бұрын

@@radivojevasiljevic3145 no, I will not explain in detail my dumb play on words.

Coat or cloak wrapped around the left arm with a long dagger in the right hand is a formidable combination.

@benjaminb505

17 күн бұрын

Baratero-style 🗡

@ScrubDaddy265

16 күн бұрын

Makes me think of the small sword duel in The Duelists where Carradine’s character had what looks like an oven mitt on his off hand.

@Leftyotism

9 күн бұрын

Or beach towel.

"Weird like walking around town with a 50 cal barrett slung over your shoulder" Clearly Matt has never been to Arizona.

The dagger that allows you to run like hell.

@titanscerw

17 күн бұрын

"... tell her how the IRA made you run like hell away from the green and lovely lanes of Kileshandra!"

@PalleRasmussen

17 күн бұрын

@@titanscerw Pardon? I might be uncultured (I am Danish after all), but I have no idea what you mean.

@titanscerw

17 күн бұрын

@@PalleRasmussen no worries, mate, just random associations at the end of long work week, on the phrase: 'run like hell away' :) That is all.

@user-tv4lz5ie5u

17 күн бұрын

​@@PalleRasmussenLook up "Come out ye black and tans"

@BOTCOMM

17 күн бұрын

Everyone runs faster with a knife

It's interesting to see all the Medieval dagger fighting manuscripts and techniques, when most modern martial artists seem to think every knife fight will end up with two dead combatants. I wonder whether it's due to differences in historical vs. modern knives and daggers, the loss of tradition, or just because the circumstances on the battle field have changed too much.

@DoctorWhoBlue

17 күн бұрын

I think this largely comes down to the difference between something like a knife duel and a knife attack, which is what modern martial artists are mainly concerned with. If one participant doesn't have the skill or desire for caution, your options become very limited and low-percentage

@nevisysbryd7450

17 күн бұрын

That is hardly modern. Achilles Marozzo specifically taught dagger for dagger vs dagger fighting because it was especially bloody, liable to doubles, and consequently rare, such that anyone challenged to a duel could choose the weapons as daggers and get the other person to back off.

@fredericosanchez9000

17 күн бұрын

Modern knifes usually have no handguard so you have no way of parrying the opponent's weapon with them. Daggers usually do have have handguards.

@runakovacs4759

17 күн бұрын

@@fredericosanchez9000 they're also WAY longer than a modern knife. Like, fore-arm length is not uncommon.

@fredericosanchez9000

17 күн бұрын

Most knife fighter today also have zero training in terms if parrying.

The gauntlet dagger combo reminds me of the Scottish Highlanders with a Targe + Dirk in one hand.

@darraghchapman

17 күн бұрын

Good shout! I didn't think about it, but that's very true.

@BCSchmerker

17 күн бұрын

@kimashitawa8113 *Some targes have spikes on their bosses.* Useful for parries when the wielder has a half-basket-hilted broadsword.

Alehouse daggers do appear to have briefly been popular in England, perhaps 1580-1630. A few references are earlier or later. For that place & period, wearing an alehouse dagger wouldn't have been weird. They were primarily civilian weapons. Sir John Smythe considered them unsuited to war.

Hi Matt, in my experience a cloak helps you a lot against a thrusting sword, if you only have a dagger. Against a backsword, you should try to cover your retreat and run out of the fight; however, being a country fellow my question would be: if the only steel weapon you're allowed to wear or can efford is a dagger, what's your excuse for not having a good walking stick along with the dagger? I'm not aware of any law of the past that forbade sticks where daggers were allowed and if it is solid, a stick is better for parrying and riposting against a cutting sword, until it snaps, but by that time you could have put the swordsman KO or stabbed him with the dagger.

@kimashitawa8113

17 күн бұрын

Interesting, using a stick to parry reminds me of those Zulu shields with the sticks sticking out or pictures of KNIL-soldiers i've seen that use a Klewang sword and parry with their rifle. I think just pairing it with a stick in the other hand would be kind of effective, at least maybe better than an empty hand, although i do think i would prefer the cloak like you mentioned.

@carloparisi9945

16 күн бұрын

@@kimashitawa8113 I'm thinking about parrying and riposting sound blows with the stick, like they did in the 1800. It was not a new idea and I think it would work to some extent, if the stick is also assisted by a dagger.

another thing to think about in a realistic setting is how is an injury itself going to affect someone in that situation a thrust might be very deadly but it's not going to be instant whereas a big slice might be more survivable but would a large gaping wound affect someones abilities to keep fighting more immediately than a lethal thrust would

@williamromine5715

17 күн бұрын

I don't know anything about swords , but the other thing about a real duel is that the point system of fencing makes a slight hit on the hand equal to a full deep stab into the chest. Of course, I understand why they have to use a non leathyl(sp) point system of fencing, but I noticed the minor stab to the hand and major stab to the chest were scored the same, which isn't very realistic.

A sword catcher/breaker, that could work on its own i think.

Thanks for the information ⚔️

Its so cool how Matt uses the saber at 2:45

@Sssaaatttuuurrrnnn

16 күн бұрын

It's really fun to watch Matt swing things around. The videos he's done with shamshirs and zweihanders are great for it.

@lalli8152

16 күн бұрын

​@@SssaaatttuuurrrnnnYeah. Although the movements are simple experienced people just do it so fluidly its cool to watch. Its bit similar in something like boxing if you see experienced boxer do something like shadow boxing compared to novice

Great video as always, we need NEED a reaction to the Shogun pistol scenes in Episode 9. All i could think was Matt’s gonna have a field day.😂

Look forward to your testing 👍

This swordfighting business seems dangerous with this proximity thing. What if instead of delivering the blade itself directly we took the blade and delivered it either with some support from a sturdy material or under a flight trajectory, from a distance?

@demoths

16 күн бұрын

I feel like putting a hefty dagger on a ten foot pole would be a good move.

My choice would be the PSA Dagger, obviously.

@rumplefourskin6775

13 күн бұрын

U cheeky bugger 😂

I'd love to see a video testing the possible utility of using a gauntlet instead of a side arm.

In my club we sometimes put on hove gloves and use only those against swords, as if they where steel mittel gauntlets. The most usefull thing with that is, in my experience, getting into a bind with the back of the hand/hands, run in and grab at the hilt. I especially like holding my hands over each other, like a cross, because that way you can kinda lock the blade in and restrict the ability, of the enemy, to disengage.

Ah, the theoretical side of the practical last last time. Looking forward to this!

Thanks for the video, Matt. Question: Do the forward curved quillions have a defense cost from not being in line with the blade (as with a straight cross guard)?

I like the same solution as for a Fluorine Metal fire. A good pair of running shoes

Video idea since you mentioned gauntlet: unarmed full-plate armored fighter vs unarmored opponent with rapier/sidesword and dagger.

To balance the weight, wearing the gauntlet on your free hand could be a compelling "dual wield" combo with a dagger.

thanks

A someone who has tested Merelo system and advice with dagger vs sabre i would say that there seems to be points you are missing when comparing to rapier. Sabre allows better use of free hand from the dagger wielding guy. While it is easy to be nimble with the cuts, there is always one side of the blade which is dull... and you can put your hand / forehand there even from longer reach. This allows the hand to go more into play. Not by much, but still an possibility that as a "sabre man" you should take into account, making rising cuts better option than if facing other sabre. Very short sabres allow also use of legs and kicks more due to range. And you can be pushed into situation where you need to know how to adress them with the weapon combination you wield. Generarly lower range of the weapon, the more limbs become problem.

Great channel! I love how you test and investigate things with a critical mind! But one question: In your previous video, you tested rapier v. dagger in sparring. Here you say saber would do better against dagger, but have you tested that in sparring as well?

I'd honestly want something as big and robust as feasible with a complex hilt of some sort to protect against hand sniping.

Great content as usual, now to watch it. :)

When dagger blades get long enough, they basically become Hobbit swords.

When someone says dagger what comes to mind for me is something small. The sort of daggers from something like rapier and dagger fighting are practically short swords.

Having spent a lot of time on daggers, if you can have two daggers you have a moderate chance of survival against a cut and thrust sword. Ive even done double dagger vs sword and buckler

Very interesting - I suppose if you're out with a tavern dagger and a gauntlet, you're pretty much asking for trouble.

With gauntlet and dagger would it be better to have the gauntlet on your off hand and the dagger in your dominent hand? You could bind the rapier then punch.

If you're doing follow-up tests, I'd love to see two daggers vs. single rapier. I'm sure you'd have two daggers laying around, so it's easy to test. Having two offensive hands to close with, plus being able to bolster the defensive capacity of either with the other while only really losing the ability to fully control the rapier/sword arm (rapier cutting edges are still ouchy with bare or gloved hands) seems like a net benefit. Maybe time to crack out your Wing Chun skills, Matt ;)

@KlausBeckEwerhardy

17 күн бұрын

Funnily enough I once went with two Japanese sai against a bihander. It worked quite decently - but my partner did try to stab too often. He mostly went for the cuts.

@robo5013

17 күн бұрын

What would the point of that be? The purpose of the test was not that you would be bringing a dagger to a sword fight but what your chances would be if you were attacked with a sword and all you had was a dagger. If you were going to be carrying two weapons to begin with one of them would have been a sword.

@darraghchapman

17 күн бұрын

@@robo5013 I quote myself: "If you're doing follow-up tests"

@darraghchapman

17 күн бұрын

@@KlausBeckEwerhardy I did consider sai and tbh knowing butterfly knives were something he was trained in just left it open; they fulfil much the same purpose but we're splitting the same hairs. Against a zweihander introduces other interesting options. If I had a dagger I would freak out and back off against a huge blade doing moulinet GTFO sweeps... I'd just have to close if I saw an opening, but eeehhhh.... ;/

@robo5013

17 күн бұрын

Why would he do a test on such an unlikely scenario? So, like you, I will also quote myself here: "If you were going to be carrying two weapons to begin with one of them would have been a sword." That would be the most likely thing to happen, not carrying two daggers.

So I know this wasn't quite where the video went, but I do think ease of wear and ease of draw are bigger factors for a self defense dagger than the shape and weight of the guard and blade. I find a little 6-8 inch bollocks dagger worn at my side when sparring spear and longsword is much easier to deploy then the longer daggers that my other sparring partners have.

@nevisysbryd7450

17 күн бұрын

Swept and basket hilts, especially, are unreliable to draw under pressure.

@dogmaticpyrrhonist543

17 күн бұрын

@@nevisysbryd7450 the forward swept guard on Matt's parrying dagger would be easy enough to draw. The thing is a monster though. The size of the blade and the guard is a bit hefty for a daily carry.

@nevisysbryd7450

17 күн бұрын

@@dogmaticpyrrhonist543 It has a risk of getting snagged on something, though it is not that big an issue, yeah. Things like knuckle bows are the real risk. Yeah, though, that thing would be really obnoxious to carry around on a daily basis.

We need to see you walk around and sit down with such a dagger sheathed for storage. How much does such a handguard get in the way? Add a basket hilted saber/sabre to the other side, and test the same.

I'd also be curious to see if offhand gauntlet + dagger fares as well or better than main hand.

Like a coathook you say? There's a question: you're in a medieval tavern when someone pulls a weapon to attack you; what mundane nearby object would you grab to defend yourself?

Modern day overseas travel in poverse countries. You might run into an individual with like a machete and perhaps all you'll have for defense is a kitchen paring knife from the supermarket. Narcos in Mexico or gangs in Haiti. Both Somalian and Hootie Pirates. It's all so extraordinarily common in Africa.

3:58 bought this as my first cold Steel product in 2020...i now have probably 30 products...

Honestly it's a weird reference but there's a scene that I remember watching The Animated Peter Pan as a kid. And Pete's just fighting Captain Hook with a dagger and Captain Hook's got this big old honking Rapier looking thing. 😅 For some reason I had a flashback of that scene.

Thoughts on the Bruewahr(sp) it think it is a dagger with a nagel in this case?

1:10 “or something like this” (said while gesturing towards own nose) Next fencing video could be interesting.

I want that dagger so bad

Is there any historical references to bare hand Vs. Sword, specifically redirecting the blade by pressing against the flat with your palm like a parry? Have you ever tried this is sparring, it seems like it would be really hard, I wonder if it would be practical to grab onto the tip of a missed rapier thrust with your bare hand, or perhaps while wearing some leather gloves.

On gauntlet, it is likely some used a maille paryying gauntlet with a dagger. I've also heard in some LVD (or vulgar) sources about wrapping the cloak on the dagger hand.

The rapier guy makes himself vulnerable when his swordhand is lifted and/or overextended. And you want a crossguard that has a realistic chance of "catching" the enemy blade, and not to break or trap the blade as stated, but for enough control (your winden will be strong, his will be weak) for you to run in and close distance. Any other way you cant fucking win unless you use a dirty trick.

If you have gauntlet and dagger ther you can try out having in idefferent hands, like dagger + buckler stíle. you got protetction and speed.

are there contemporaneous accounts of alehouse daggers being seen as a bit odd

Would you be willing to try cloak and dagger v rapier I have to imagine that would give you a bigger advantage than just dagger

It's a good idea to use riding gloves, the will protect the hand and forearm and allow for grabbing the blade, without getting looks!

I wonder how a katar would compare. It seems less suited to wear and not as ideal for binding, but Im still curious

This almost sounds like a paper rock scissors game. Against a dark alley strong arm with a dagger, the hanger is the best weapon. against the hanger, a rapier is the best weapon. against the rapier, the dagger and surprise/speed is the best weapon (vs a hanger). Seems like the individual chose the armament based on what he expected to encounter, and I imagine most people expected the strong arm unless you expected your honor to be insulted.

ok. so I've read that Irish preferred a dagger/gauntlet instead of a buckler. there's even art that shows it. for dagger, it supposed to go along your elbow in an icepick grip and I imagine that you would do a round motion to displace the incoming attack. so... how viable is it? have anyone tested it in sparring?

How about a dagger in the on hand and a gauntlet over the off hand?

Any opinions on using a large Bowie knife of the type sometimes described as a "Civil War Bowie" with a "D" guard instead of the large dagger?

if you were at a tournament and had two plate gauntlets, would that mean that hits to your hands would not count towards the opponents points (meaning you could parry their weapon with your hand, maybe even control it)?

What about the sword breaker matt🤔

how about sai or butterfly knives

Would katar be a good choice? It has protective sides. Kind of.

The best self-defence dagger against swords in history is the one you have with you when attacked by someone wielding a sword.

I think two of those daggers would be petty potent, lol. I wanna design a basket hilt with quillons

I dueled double dagger vs double rapier. Superior skill and speed can overcome the reach advantage.

I thought you said Hema was dead Scholagladiatoria?

Whats the biggest dagger you would carry in the modern era Ive tried carrying a commando dagger but its quite long.

I think a dagger in one hand and a buckler in the other is quite portable and a decent option against a rapier.

What about gauntlet plus dagger

What about swordbreaker?

@familieverduin4467

17 күн бұрын

I had the same idea

How effective would sticks and canes be against swords? I'd assume swords having the upperhand for sure, just interesting to me because of how much fiction shows the villain with any particular sort of "gentlemanly" sword and the hero only has a stick or cane and they fence.

I bought me a dagger with a 14 inch blade and a standard crossguard from a seller in a middle-age fair. It was called something, but I forget what. Any help?

@dashcammer4322

17 күн бұрын

Parrying dagger?

Cinquedea!

I might disagree with the concept. A parrying dagger is a great accompaniment to a rapier, but it seems historically, if one is using a dagger against a sword of other big weapon, defense is done more with body displacement, and the dagger is used more aggressively for striking, not as a parrying weapon. You just never saw depictions of quillion daggers worn without the sword, while a lot of long Rondels, poigniards, baselards and whatnot exist that were carried singly. And the more the blade hand moves around, the less important hand protections are.

Answer: the biggest dagger you can get...say about 30"....Oh, you mean that's a sword?

Sword and buckler are famously effective. How about testing dagger and buckler vs. a cut-and-thrust opponent?

I was 100 percent sure something flew off of that sabre at 2:43

@Myomer104

17 күн бұрын

It was a glint rolling up the blade.

And you CAN half-sword a rapier (or any sword for that matter)

Maybe Dagger in one hand and gauntlet on the other?

Rouge class explained in detail

@nevisysbryd7450

17 күн бұрын

Rogue*

@purplefuzzymonster17

17 күн бұрын

I usually imagine a rogue with sai or butterfly knives, which have styles built for fighting swords, rather than European daggers.

@Ajmes

17 күн бұрын

Why is there a class involving red makeup?

@purplefuzzymonster17

17 күн бұрын

@@Ajmes (cough)Bard(cough)

Seems like the ultimate would be a gauntlet on your off hand and the dagger you were showing. Many of his hits were to your hand.

The optimum dagger against a rapier is a.......rapier!

@5:23~~further proof that *Unicorns* were carnivores. That's why cattle horns are shaped to defend from _rapier horned ponies._ ;^} & what does Matt Easton look like with a proper twirly mustache?

Why not treat your rapier like a cut-and-thrust sword in defence and, when given the chance, end the duel with a proper thrust?

have you seen vinland saga ?i think you may like that anime

👍

A question and a comment. Instead of gauntlets, why not wear mail mittens or even reinforced (with plates, mail or hide) gloves? I don't see why carrying a basket hilted dagger on your person would be frowned upon if basket hilted swords were socially acceptable...

F-102 Delta Dagger would be decent, I think. PITA to carry around though.

A Sai or Hachiwari, mayby a Jitte.

What about the Japanese Police Sword Breakers?

Sounds like the Spyderco Emerson wave opener isn't gonna work.

0:25 You ARE very offensive, Mr Easton! 😏

How about a Katar?

Wouldn't it be better to have the gauntlet in your opposite hand? So dagger in one hand and gauntlet on the other.

Keep in mind if you're carrying only a dagger for self defence, it's likely you are in a fairly safe place and not expecting a fight. Like less than 1% chance of trouble. So convenience and comfort is a high priority. If you actually thought you could be in real danger you'd arm yourself better or avoid the situation.

@WilliamKeloren

17 күн бұрын

There existed laws in some regions prohibiting people to wear anything other than dagger in certain towns after dark.

Everyone knows the best dagger to defend against a sword, is the KH-47M2 'dagger' hypersonic ballistic missile. It gives you the extra range needed to really cinch those close, melee sword fights.

Wouldn't a sword-catcher be even better?

@shaunnaude5190

17 күн бұрын

I think it might actually bedetrimental....the speed at wich thethrust comes in will have to be matched and even exceeded by the dagger wielder to be able to catch a rapier in the recesses of the dagger and you may end up not being able to do so and instead eating the thrust to the hip or lung area as twisting on the rapier or trying to do so will inevitably end up exposing said areas.Also if armed only with a sword breaker you end up binding not only the opponents weapon but also your own, a rapier sits secure in the users hand and is difficult to dislodge it would rather bend or in the worst case break bear in mind that even a broken rapier can still be used to thrust juat not effectively so. All the above could however be completely wrong too so Matt could perhaps test this for educational purposes.😁😁😁

@QuentinStephens

17 күн бұрын

@@shaunnaude5190 Yes, but your swordbreaker is in your off hand, which leaves you with your main hand to do something. Like punch your attacker. But yes, a follow-up video is well warranted!

The best sidearm to defend against swords would obviously be the pistol.

I just grab a.... hey i have all kind weapon to hand... :)

"...gauntlet against sword..." **God of War 2 flashbacks**

The pistol in your pocket?

Sadly, it has NO hand protection whatsoever, but my 18-inch, 2-pound camp kukri is at least long enough for the job....and more likely to be on hand than a dagger I don't own. Oh well, it's one more reason to invest in some heavy gloves.....