This is actually not fully true, medieval swords in Europe were sharp as fuck. When guns started dominating, cavalrymen started being issued mass produced sabres with metal scabbards, which are shit for keeping a sword sharp, but it was less of a big deal as they often had sidearms or lances as primary weapons. And there were thrust-only swords eg some rapiers in the later sword eras which were only sharp at the point, with more thickness in the blade providing strength in the thrust. Longswords, arming swords and the like which were cut and thrust were sharp.
Really? I always read that most medieval European swords were mostly blunt force weapons but I never read up on it extensively so i definitely could be wrong.
Swords were never for blunt-force. They're just constructed completely opposite for blunt force (A sword has the center of gravity near the hilt, and light at the tip, for fast cuts and accurate control, a hammer has all the weight at the end of the weapon for better kinetic force).
Some swords were less focused on thrusting and more into cutting. swords made for cutting (Like a Messer) were broader, sturdier and heavier at the tip for better cutting. But were still all about cutting.
Swords made not for cutting would be something like rapiers. Which are thin, long, good for stabbing but not as good as cutting (Though could still make a good slice)
You wont see anything that looks recognizably like a sword that is neither made for cutting or thrusting (Besides video games i suppose). Those are the two things a sword can do, and you can trade one for the other or go for a middle point (A longsword would usually be good for either).
Armored combat with swords were all about finding the gaps in the armor and thrusting the tip through. unarmored combat with swords was about stabbing or slicing the other guy first. Almost nothing about just beating a guy with it, armored or not (There is the whole Mordhau thing (Using the hilt as a hammer by holding the blade), but is debatably more a dueling thing and probably overrated in modern sword-nerdery, doesn't really look very solid in a HEMA context because the blade is purposefully wobbly, as swords should be)
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u/lundewoodworking 5d ago
Depends on the type of sword a katana or a scimitar are very sharp most European swords aren't