double edge swords

[dark soul]

well.....this is stupid but.....i dont know what that means.....double-edge swords or two-edge sword.....can some1 tell me?

[Indemaijinj]

A double-edge sword is a sword with sharp edges on both sides of the blade.

Short-swords, long-swords and bastard swords are double-edged swords.

Scimitars, sabres, falchions and katanas are single-edged swords.

[Rataxes]

A double-edged sword can also be something that can have both positive and negative aspects or consequences. Dispel Magic is typical example of a double-edged sword, since if you're not careful, it can actually dispel your own protective spells, as well as removing your enemies protections.

[dark soul]

o.....heh....ok....
so single edge sword is more used for slashin then jabbin and double edge swords are good for both....then y are single edge swords even good?

[Angelousss]

scimatars tend to be heavier allowing more armor penatration
Katanas are made to be perfectly wieghted and edged.
I don't know all that much about falcion and sabres

[Indemaijinj]

Falchion: Heavy scimitar.

Sabre: Essentially a scimitar too, though their blades tend to be less broad and curved.

[Pyrenk]

Falchions and scimitars (and all single edge blades) are best for slashing, as they are light, and the blow is more powerful. Double edged swords tend to be heavy, like the bastard&two-handed varieties, but there are exceptions, such as the dagger (unlike the single edged knife). Double edged blades are more suitable to stabbing, but can be used for slashing as well. Anything else you want to know?

[SixOfSpades]

Whether a sword is single-edged or double-edged dictates nothing more than the way the blade is wielded. Any single-bladed weapon can easily be made double-edged with no serious changes to the way it is used, and vice versa. The only real indicator is that single-edged blades (such as the saber, the scimitar, the katana and the wakizashi) are almost always curved, both to remind the user which side is the pointy side, and also because when the blade is being drawn across the enemy, as opposed to slamming directly into the enemy, it requires less strength to cut more deeply.

There are also swords without blades. Fencing foils and epees have no cutting edge. (Foils don't even have a sharp point, although epees do--the "blade" of the weapon is also triangular in cross section.) Rapiers and Longswords are double-bladed, although they were primarily used for stabbing: This allowed the longsword a better chance to pierce your adversary's armor, and was practically the only way you could kill with a rapier. (The blade was so light that a slashing attack would almost certianly not be lethal.)
It is also common to see 2-handed swords where the first few inches of blade (the first few inches closest to the hilt) are left dull, so that you could raise your sword faster: By holding the sword closer to its center of gravity, you gave yourself much more leverage, and so could make the sword more maneuverable.

[Butterfingers]

Actually, a sabre is more like a heavier rapier. It was primarily a fencing weapon, until it was refashioned for use by horse mounted calvary. The blade is long, thin, and flexible, slightly tip heavy, and designed to be swung while mounted in the saddle.

Not all short swords are double bladed. The most notable to mention is the common Roman short sword. They were dull along both sides, sharpened around the tip. Being quite blunt along the sides allowed them to break or shatter enemy blades during a parry, the sharpened tip made them good for up close stabbing and slashing. Might seem stupid, but, hey, it was these short swords that allowed the Romans to take over the world.

There are a few rare examples of katana like blades that are double edged, but, these are quite rare, and, while they have all of the flexibility a katana is famous for, they lack the strength and the durability.

For all around ability, strength, damage, defensive and offensive capabilities, I love Ghurkas. They are a strange, odd, difficult to use weapon. Supernaturally sharp, oddly shaped, both heavy and light, they are amazing blades. With but a mere flick of the wrist, the blade creates enough momentum to actually cut off a human arm or leg with very little effort. They can be thrown, but, only with many many many years of skill and practice. Using a Ghurka is like playing chess... You can learn the basics of the blade in a short time, but, spend the rest of your life mastering it's use. I own several, and, can safely say, even when they look identical, no two Ghurkas are alike. Each feels different, swings different, cuts different. I like to use mine when butchering deer or other large animals, as they take all of the effort out of butchering.

I collect all sorts of rare weapons, old implements of impalement, and I have a great love of old items of eye poking.

[SixOfSpades]

Another odd little participant in the "curved, single-edged class" is the cutlass: Very much like the saber, but with a shorter blade and a slightly more pronounced curve. It was very popular with pirates, marines, and other seafaring types, as the curve meant that it could be drawn in an instant, and (most importantly) it could be used in very close quarters without risking stabbing your friend by mistake.

The saber was the obvious choice for cavalry: You want a good, strong, slashing blade (trying to stab a moving target from atop a trotting horse is an excellent way of snapping your blade off at the hilt), with a curve to it so that it can be more easily drawn. The popularity of using sabers for fencing is probably because some users wanted to use a slashing weapon, to make the most of their strength.

On a slightly unrelated note, what *I* really enjoy is going to Renaissance Fairs and seeing those big, burly guys wearing their zweihanders strapped to their backs on a shoulder belt. Excuse me, but....how in hell are you going to draw that thing? Here's one possibility:
1) Unbuckle the shoulder belt
2) Lay the sword down on the ground and place a heavy rock over the tip of the scabbard
3) Grab the hilt and start walking.

I just can't see my Paladin doing this with Carsomyr, can you?