[R Ashby]

Which of these would be the best general chopper? A cutlass/falchion or a katana?

Thanks!

[Stephane Rabier]

Hi,
I would say "a machete" but since there's no machete in the list, I think the falchion is the closest candidate...

[R Ashby]

[Stephen Curtin]

Hmm I think I'm going to have to give this one to the katana, not because of it's 'legendary' cutting ability, but because it's a two hander and so, more powerfull. I would like to say though, that there were two handed, single edged swords used in europe i.e. the kreigmesser (sp?), that would have equal if not greater power than a katana.

[Timo Nieminen]

If by "chopper", one includes "cutter", then a falchion, perhaps. For soft targets. For harder targets, perhaps a katana. Healthy traditional blade with niku (i.e., appleseed edge, not a thin wedge) should be more robust than a thin slicing falchion.

But the list is missing the best choppers! Maciejowski Bible choppers, zhanmadao, nagamaki, bills, halberds, kampilan, kora, khukri, ayda katti, and more.

For a combination of effectiveness and beauty, I suspect that St Maurice of Turin would beat the typical katana/falchion/cutlass with ease.

[R Ashby]

[James Head]

The best 'chopper' is a workman's billhook.

[R Ashby]

that's intriguing! Thanks!

[Timo Nieminen]

For a small chopper, a kukri is great. Concealable? Well, perhaps, depending on what you're wearing. I don't have experience with falcatas to know whether they'd work similarly.

What would be appropriate in the context? Not necessarily realistic to randomly raid history. A whole bunch of small choppers will be functionally equivalent - seax, bowie, the various Indian-and-nearby cleavers (kukri, ayda katti, etc), the various Chinese-and-nearby cleavers, a multitude of Indonesian/Malay/Filipino weapons.

Why find a special name or special shape? It's a long-bladed heavy knife, so why not just call it a "knife"? Unless context gives a sensible specific name, at least it doesn't jangle. (And it works in Chinese, too!)

If it's useful for it to be a tool, rather than a weapon, a lot of the Indonesian/Malay/Filipino goloks/parangs/etc might do. One-handed small billhooks/brushhooks. Japanese hand-axes ("nata") are nice, and good choppers.

[R Ashby]

[Jean Thibodeau]

[David Clark]

A 2 handed falcion like the coldsteel Grosse Messer which is a messer....but you get the point: http://www.teraasekeskus.com/tuotteet/keskiai...serNet.jpg

[Luke Zechman]

If you would like to chop something... get yourself a good axe.

[Tom Kinder]

for a near future urban fantasy I think I like goloks. check out traditionalFilipinoweapons dot com. they have really cool stuff.

[Ron Reimer]

I'd go for a seax.Its the original Viking Army Knife (lol) it cuts,chops,thrusts and its also a do everything knife.It'll split wood,dress game,flip a burger on the bbq, etc.As for being concealable ,well that depends on the length but under a light coat , or strapped to the thigh and drawn through the pocket ,its fairly concealable.
I've played with quite a few seaxes both as weapon for wma and re-enacting, and as a tool in the garden,camping and bushcraft and I can understand why this ancient design is still around as the bowie and similar knives.It WORKS!!!
Ron

[R Ashby]

I think a Kukri would be the go. I originally thought of a messer- it was my first choice, but kukri would be better, being a weapon with a legendary reputation.

The Maciejowski Bible chopper is totally cool, and would fit the bill, but it's too big, as is the messer. Likewise, the bill hook and axes are too big.

It needs to be inconspicuous under a flowing, long coat.

This is awesome guys, thank you all so much!

[Boris Bedrosov]

I would like to add some in the list:
- kopis and very similar to it falcata;
- our Bulgarian predecessors' primary weapon - Thracian rhomphaia;
- Ottoman yathagan, which on my opinion is later derivation from kopis/falcata

[Timo Nieminen]

[David Clark]

Derp! I thought this was for 2 handed choppers, but I miss read. I have to agree with Ron, the seax is the way to go. Exellent versatillity and very durable....and smexy.

[R Ashby]