This undoubtedly happened. A European sword would chip and mar, yet due to it's construction it would still be effective as a cleaver/clubber. Also unlike the katana which for most attacks only uses the first six inches of blade, the entirety of a european sword is a weapon. You can slash with the blade, bash with the pommel and punch with the cross guard. I would also imagine European swords were built to be more resistant against such damage, ie. being double edged and considerably wider than a katana.

It may not be pretty, but hilt bashing your way out of a war will still get you home alive.

As some of you may, or may not, know, I am writing a book on swords. Not the history, although I have to add some, but on the properties of swords,.why they cut, how they cut, how they were used, etc. I have just finished the section on the katana, and although there are a lot of comments I want to make, I don't want to write the whole chapter again.
Japanese Katantas are beautiful. They are polished with stones. This allows the grain of the steel to be seen clearly. European swords were all polished in a manner that "smeared" the sureface of the steel. The workmanship on the old swords is simply excellent. Europeans were never quite devoted to the fine detail that you will find on katanas. How good are is the katana as a sword. It is perfectly designed for the style of fighting in which it was used. As to which came first, style or sword, no one can actually say for sure. It has been hyped to an unbelievable amount. Just as the Samura has been hyped to an unbelieveable amount. Until the 14th century the primary weapon of the Samurai was the bow. After the Japanese had been scared witless by the Mongols, and the fighting moved from the plains areas to the mountains, the yari and the naginata became the primary weapon. One would rely on the sword only after the primary weapon was lost.
In the 11th-12th century a katana was developed that was tempered to a hard spring. These were considered excellent swords. Only one maker did it this way. No matter that they say, the sword is made from steel, and the best steel in the world has it limitations. I t will not cut a machine gun barrel in half, nor will it cut through rock or concrete.
The sword has been valued at most places and times because you could carry it with you. Same as the handgun. The handgun is not as good as a rifle, nor is the sword as good as a spear. But they both can be with you all of the time. (Curiously enough, the most warlike of the Europeans, the Romans,showed no particulary reverence for the sword. Didn't go around naming them or giving them personalities. Just a damn good tool for killling folks).

Hank;

Looking forward to that book. :D Any ballpark date for it to be available ? Oh, please don't feel rushed by the question I realize it could be months or even years. :eek: :lol:

Oh, any other things currently available from you Videos or DVDs ? I seem to remember something available from Paladin Press that was advertised in the " Blade " magazine.

DVDs are just more convenient: Not all of that FWR / REW stuff. :eek: :lol: