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By lyuesword | 03 December 2021 | 0 Comments

Rapier Vs Katana: An Unbiased Comparison

The rapier and katana are regarded as the ideal cutting and thrusting blades. So a worthwhile question to consider is that in a duel between a Samurai with a katana and a Swordsman with a rapier, who will most likely win. Below is the comparison between the characteristics of two highly regarded swords.


Reach
The first thing to consider is the difference between the reach of the two blades. Some rapiers are as long as 3 feet, which is longer than an average samurai sword with the length of 2 feet. The average difference in reach is pretty significant depending on the style in which they are wielded. The battle-ready rapier long and swift lunge has a better reach than a Katana. This means that the predecessor can kill a man from a distance that the katana fails to match. Hence, the Katana user needs to transverse the death zone to reach the killing range. This will give time to the rapier to strategize the first strike and most likely win the fight.

Speed
Katana famous for its iaijutsu quick-draw is a speedy weapon and can be a great opener too. However, the point control of the rapier can rapidly disengage and lunge making it much faster during fights. But, misjudging both the speed and force of a traditional Katana can prove disastrous during a fight; a small snipping can often dismember the opponent’s arm. Dodging an initial cut can put the enemy in line of a powerful second and third cut. Hence, the speed of the Katana can give an edge to the fighter against the rapier.

 Type of Attack
The next point to consider is the type of attack, while the Katana excels at cutting, the rapier trans-cends at thrusting. Thrusts are more potent against an opponent without a shield. A quick nudge can strike at an angle which is hard to deflect for the opponent. However, every thrust by a rapier might not be lethal but practically every cut by a fully functional Katana is destined to kill instantly. But one limitation of the Katana to consider is that it has a limited 7-8 cuts and a thrust, which a rapier swordsman would be familiar with, while the rapier varied and unpredictable foyning techniques cannot be matched by a Katana. Hence, a rapier would win based on the type of attack.


Grip
The last thing to evaluate is the one-handed and two-handed grip. The two-handed grip of a battle ready Katana allows more support in a bind and the fighter can exert more control. While a one-handed grip such as one of rapier lets the fighter gain more reach by staying away from the tip of the katana. Moreover, one has to be fairly squared to strike with a Katana but can also recover much faster than a one-handed rapier. The two-handed grip of the Katana can generate greater power by using a torquing method and further force from the hips, making it a victor.

After the comparison, it is hard to form an opinion of one over the other. The Katana's speed and cutting ability and the rapier's reach, and the innovative and vicious fence is worthy of praise. Hence, who would win in a duel is a moot question; it gets down to not just the weapon but also personal skills. Who do you think will win a fight? Feel free to share in the comment section below.

 

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