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Message: <blockquote data-quote="barsoomcore" data-source="post: 925776" data-attributes="member: 812">I don't think we should consider curved blades the same as wavy or serrated blades. A katana is curved because the curve maximises both the contact of blade to target as you cut, and optimises the angle of the blade as you make contact (in average conditions) -- both of which make the cut longer and deeper. Likewise sabres and scimitars.Wavy blades on a piercing weapon kind of makes sense to me, though it then limits the blade's effectiveness as a slashing weapon (sometimes there's just no substitute for cutting someone's throat, I guess). I believe the SAS combat manual (it is just me, or does that seem like an absurdly common book to find in bookstores?) claims that the quickest and quietest kill is a thrust below the ear, slashing out to cut the throat and carotid. Don't see how a wavy blade would make that any more fun.Er.Serrated edges (very different from wavy) sound like deathtraps. All I can imagine is getting my blade stuck on some guy's armour. I might as well not have brought my sword at that point. Just one second with my sword not at my disposal and I'm out of the fight.In addition, serrated blades won't cut as deep and so won't kill as fast or as surely. Think about cutting bread with a serrated bread knife as opposed to cutting a carrot with a chef's knife. It takes many strokes to get through the bread -- each stroke only cuts a little bit. It doesn't take much effort but you have to saw for quite a while. Whereas the chef's knife (assuming you keep your knives sharp -- you do, don't you?) whacks through the carrot with ease. Which would you rather do to your foe on the battlefield? Reducing effort per stroke isn't very helpful -- it's not like you're going to be able to saw away at him stroke after stroke.Fight carrots, not loaves of bread. Here endeth the lesson.</blockquote>

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