Hand Weapons
Created | Updated Oct 20, 2010
Except for a few short chapters in the book of <a href= http://www.h2g2.com/A92350>Genesis</a>, as long as people and civilization have existed, there have been arguments between them. And, when arguments between people arise, often, the people involved wish to cause direct bodily harm upon their counterparts. And, given how long people have existed, they've had plenty of chances to refine the tools they use to hurt one another for whatever reason they may have.<BR/><BR/>
Note: For the purposes of this entry, "Western" means European and "Eastern" means Asian. Anything else will be named more specifically, i.e. South American, African, etc.<BR/><BR/>
<h3>Knives</h3>
<b><a href= http://www.h2g2.com/A330968>Knives</a></b>, as a whole, have been pretty useful devices for humans. However, as with nearly any advance in technology, people have found a way to turn it against each other. Knives are easily concealed and have different laws in different areas restricting blades of such-and-such a length, and so on. Noteworthy is the fact that, no matter how long the knife is or whether a person was within their legal rights to carry it, law enforcement tends to frown upon a person using one to cut another person.<BR/>
Knives are of pretty simple design: A handle to go in your hand and a blade to cut with. Occasionally these are made with a point to stab with, this is the main difference between an average knife and a <b>Dagger</b>. <BR/>
One design of interest is the <b>Katar</b>, from India. The blade and the handle are perpendicular; the Katar is gripped like a corkscrew. The blade is double-edged and generally triangle-shaped.<BR/>
Often used by fencers, the <b>Main-Gauche</b> (the name is French for "left hand") is a short, triangle-shaped dagger used in the off hand (that is, whatever hand isn't using the sword). It is rarely used to attack, instead, it is made for parrying the opponent's blade while keeping one's own blade ready to strike.<BR/>
A <b>Koga knife</b> is backwards- namely, instead of the blade protruding forward out of the wielder's hand, it is held in such a way that the blade goes down the outside of the user's forearm.
<BR/>
<h3>Swords:</h3>
<b><a href= http://www.h2g2.com/A340822>Swords</a></b> are perhaps the only tool on this list that people have made for the sole purpose of hurting one another. Generalizations about swords are hard to make, simply because the styles of swords are so varied. They can be weapons for chopping or slicing, single-edged or double-edged, straight or curved, made out of bronze, iron, glass, or, most preferably, steel. <BR/>
A sword has two main parts: the Blade, which is the part used for cutting, and the Hilt used for holding the sword. For most Western swords, the word "Pommel" is interchangeable with "Hilt".<BR/>
<h3>Chopping Swords</h3>
A "Chopping" sword is one that is simply applied with a good, hard swing to its target. The edge is supposed to take care of the rest. Stereotypical of this is the standard Western <b>broadsword</b>: three or four feet long, straight, double-edged blade, cross-hilt, occasionally with a point at the end for stabbing. The terms "longsword" and "broadsword", oddly enough, are interchangeable to most folks. Also fairly standard is the shortsword, which is about a foot and a half to two and a half feet long but generally the same as the broadsword.<BR/>
A <b>Claymore</b> is a Celtic style of sword. Its resembles a broadsword with one major exception: it's big. Very, very big. Often as tall as the person wielding it, the Claymore is used two-handed and rarely, if ever, is used to parry an opponent's strike. A swordsman using a Claymore will seek to strike first and hardest.<BR/>
The <b>Saber</b> or <b>Sabre</b> (depending on where you're from) is a heavy, slightly curved sword, often carried as a sidearm by the military.<BR/>
The <b>Dau</b> is a heavy Chinese sword, similar to the scimitar. Its name, appropriately, means "cutter".<BR/>
<h3>Fencing/Thrusting Swords</h3>
A "Thrusting" sword features a point rather than a blade as its main feature. Intended to impale the target, rather than chop or slice it to bits. French- and Italian-style <a href= http://www.h2g2.com/A293258>fencers</a> primarily use swords for their thrusting capabilities.<BR/>
The <b>Smallsword</b> is a short, light, somewhat flexible Western sword. Often issued to the military and a favorite of "gentlemen", there is also a Dress version that is shorter, lighter, and often more ornate; it was used as a fashion accessory more than a weapon. Those opting for disguise sometimes concealed on in a cane.<BR/>
The <b>Gladius</b> is a specific Roman shortsword, and while it has an edge, it is designed for thrusting, not cutting. It was issued to all legionnaires.<BR/>
An <b>Estoc</b> is a sword of German heritage, technically a longsword, but it lacks any cutting edge. It tapers to a fine point and usually has a round or triangular cross-section to the blade. The blade is very thin, as the sword is intended for penetrating chainmail.<BR/>
A <b>Rapier</b> is a long, stiff, narrow fencing sword. Rapiers generally became longer and narrower over time, for the purpose of penetrating very fine chainmail from a greater distance. Of course, the thin blade made them somewhat fragile and the great length made them difficult to use properly. A few came with edges, but the focus was primarily on thrusting.<BR/>
<h3>Slicing Swords</h3>
Slicing swords are razor-sharp, and instead of simply hacking away at the target, the edge of the blade must be drawn across the flesh, but they often cut deep. There is some rivalry concerning whether chopping or slicing swords are better, but it's unlikely any member of either school would wish to be attacked with either one.<BR/>
Bane of Crusaders was the Middle Eastern <b>Scimitar</b>, which has a wide, curved, single-edged blade. These are used both from horseback and on foot.<BR/>
The <b>Katana</b> is the Japanese <a href= http://www.h2g2.com/A364213>Samurai sword.</a> Familiar to most people, it features a long, curved blade. The symbol of the Samurai class were the katana and <b>wakisashi</b> set, the wakisashi being, more or less, a shorter katana. These swords were meant to be used one- or two-handed alone, or as a set with one in each hand. Also noteworthy is the <b>Nodachi</b> (Japanese for "The friend"), which is to katanas what the Claymore is to the broadsword.<BR/>
Technically not a slicing sword but fitting well under the entry for katana is the <b>Bokken</b>. A wooden katana, mostly used for training, it was also a favorite of the legendary ronin, Miyamoto Musashi. A bokken is thick and heavy and nearly as dangerous as the katana itself. Many schools abandoned the bokken in favor of the <b>Shinai</b>, which is similar in length, weight, and balance to the katana, but is fashioned of bamboo strips wrapped in cloth, so it is much less dangerous to aspiring swordsmen.<BR/>
A <b>Tachi</b> is essentially a katana intended to be used from horseback.<BR/>
The <b>To</b> or <b>Ninja-to</b> were often utilized by the Ninja in Japan, as the second name implies. It is much like a katana, but is straight and has a shorter blade. Always resourceful, the Ninja often crafted the scabbard for use as a blowpipe and often concealed the whole thing inside a staff.<BR/>
A <b>Gum</b> is a Korean sword, held in reverence like the Japanese hold their katana, but could either be straight and double-edged or curved and single-edged. Traditionally, the quality of Japanese and Korean swords was very high, and the swordsmith was a well-respected position.<BR/>
Creative in design and near unpronounceable by name is the Aztec <b>Macauitl</b>. It is made nearly entirely out of planks of wood glued together; the edge comes from pieces of obsidian between the planks. Rarely, if ever, was there a point for thrusting. These swords, being made of wood and glass, were very fragile and required frequent repairs, even if used to cut nothing but cloth and flesh.<BR/>
<h3>Spears</h3>
Made initially for hunting game, eventually someone got the idea of using it to hurt other people. For the purposes of this guide entry, several weapons that are not technically spears fall under this heading, including Lances and Polearms. This entry does not concern with throwing spears, only those used in melee combat. Most spears are used two-handed, but a few one-handed styles exist.<BR/>
A spear has two parts: the Head, which contains the impaling point, and the Shaft, which is, more often than not, a wooden pole. Again, steel and wood make up the great majority of most spears, but in the past, bronze, iron, and stone have been more than common in spearheads.<BR/>
Stereotypical spears include the Chinese <b>Chiang</b>, the Japanese <b>Yari</b> and <b>Rochin</b>, the Roman <b>Hasta</b>, and so on. These are simply shafts and impaling points, used to impale the target.<BR/>
A rather nasty variation is embodied in the Celtic <b>Belly Spear</b>. The head of a belly spear is covered in barbs and spikes pointing back towards the shaft. The spear is aimed at the vital organs not protected by a skull or ribcage, pushed in as far as it will go, and pulled out again. The barbs often tear a few vital organs on the way out.<BR/>
A <b>Pike</b> is a very long spear, often 12 feet or more. Near useless in one-on-one combat, legions of pikemen were quite effective against charging Calvary in warfare, as charging horses and pointy objects don't mix.<BR/>
A <b>Lance</b>, on the other hand, is essentially a very long spear used from horseback against other Calvary or infantry. It is, again, 12 feet long or more. These were often the centerpieces of jousting tournaments.<BR/>
A <b>Trident</b> is a spear with three points: more or less, a fork that's not used for eating. These are usually very heavy, given that several times as much steel is required to fashion the spearhead. Variations include the Roman <b>Fuxima</b> and the Chinese <b>Tiger Fork.</b><BR/>
<b>Polearms</b> are often larger than spears, and are more often have edges for cutting as well as points for impaling. The Western <b>Glaive, Poleaxe,</b> and <b>Bill</b>, the Japanese <b>Naginata</b>, the Chinese <b>Monk's Spade</b>, and the Indonesian <b>Latajang</b> are all variations on this. The Chinese <b>Dah-Dau</b> is used against Calvary (the name means "Horse-cutter").<BR/>
A <b>Halberd</b> is sort of an all-in-one polearm. It is primarily a long wooden shaft, weighted at the end opposite the head for balance. The head is a sampler plate of weapons: It contains a spearhead for thrusting, a curved pick to swing and impale, and an axehead for chopping. Given the leverage granted by the length of the shaft, these are quite dangerous.<BR/>
<h3>Axes</h3>
<b>Axes</b> were originally used to chop wood, but were often modified to chop people. A wooden shaft held up a stone or metal axehead, which was simply a broad blade attached lengthwise to the shaft. Many axes were made for throwing, these were often smaller than the typical hand axe. On the other end of the spectrum, double-headed <b>broadaxes</b> were common in warfare, as were <b>battleaxes</b> with extremely long shafts to increase leverage, and therefore cutting power.<BR/>
The only noteworthy model that comes to mind is the <b>Tomahawk</b>, of Native American design. Often made of stone, these were not terribly sharp, but still held a fair edge. The utmost importance was of symbolism to its wielder, who often fashioned ceremonial and decorative versions of it.<BR/>
<h3>Flails</h3>
A <b>Flail</b> is a weight attached to a chain or rope. Not easy to learn to use, they are equally difficult to defend against and often do terrible damage to their unlucky targets.
The <b>Morningstar</b> is a typical flail native to Europe: A decent-sized wooden handle, a chain, and an iron head to strike with. The head is occasionally decorated with spikes to cause impaling instead of bludgeoning damage. <b>Horseman's flails</b> often have more than one chain and head for the same handle.<BR/>
The Japanese <b>Nunchaku</b> is almost as well-known as the katana. The nunchaku could be considered to be two handles connected by a rope or chain; the striking head is whichever half the user isn't holding. Also comes in three-part variations, with three staves connected by two ropes.<BR/>
Another flail of Japanese origin is the <b>Kusari</b>, which was simply a very long chain with a weight on the end. The weight was not for striking, but for balance. The Kusari is used to ensnare an opponent's weapon and pull it from their hands.<BR/>
<h3>Whips</h3>
Like a Flail without a head, a <b>Whip</b> is simply a handle and a flexible striking surface. The <b>Bullwhip</b> is the typical whip, simply strips of leather braided together for strength. Whips in general do not do as much damage as a sword or spear or axe, and are nearly useless against armored opponents, so their main use is punishment or torture. <BR/>
The <b>Cat of Nine Tails</b> is infamous as a torture device, being nine short whips on one handle, tipped with bone, metal, glass, or any other sharp object the creator could get his hands on. These sharp objects would tear flesh from the victim when they struck, making the Roman punishment of forty lashes with the Cat of Nine Tails fatal, often after less than half the blows had been administered. And the standard was to withhold the fortieth lash out of mercy. What nice folks, those ancient Romans.
<h3>Miscellaneous</h3>
There are some designs that don't quite fit in with the above archetypes:<BR/>
A <b>Kama</b> is a Japanese sickle. There is a wooden handle and perpendicular curved blade, with the cutting edge on the inside. These are sometimes attached to one end of the Kusari, thus making it (not surprisingly) a <b>Kusarigama</b>.<BR/>
<b>Neko-De</b> is Japanese for "Cat's Claws". A Neko-De is a sort of glove with claws on it, used for slashing and punching.<BR/>
Also of Japanese workmanship, the <b>Sai</b> is somewhat like a blunt dagger with an extremely large cross-hilt. These protrusions bend upward and follow the blade, gently curving towards the blade, then turn sharply back before ending about two-thirds of the way up. The Sai is not used for striking, but for parrying the opponent's weapon and twisting it out of their hands between the blade and one of the protrusions. These come in sets of two, and are used in each hand. A duel between sai users may be interesting to watch as each go for the other's weapons and strain to disarm their opponent.<BR/>
<b>Sodegarami</b> is a Japanese barbed staff, used for entangling the targets hair or clothes and grappling them. <BR/>
A <b>Tonfa</b> is a bizarre Japanese club with a handle protruding perpendicular to the main striking staff. There are at least a half-dozen different ways to use this weapon, probably more, including simply striking with it, holding the handle and letting one end protrude past a punching fist while the rest of the staff protects the forearm, grappling and choking an opponent in the crotch of the staff and the handle, and so on.<BR/>
A <b>Tessen</b> is a Japanese fan with blades on the outer edge. Those wacky Japanese, they'll make a weapon out of anything. :-)<BR/>
A <b>Garrote</b> is simply a piece of wire. Sneak up on someone, wrap the wire around their throat, and choke them to death. Not terribly useful in hand-to-hand combat, this is favored more by assassins.<BR/>
A <b>Quarterstaff</b> is a bludgeoning weapon, a piece of wood about as tall as the person using it. Approximately equal are the Japanese <b>Bo</b> and the Korean <b>Bong</b>.<BR/><BR/><BR/>
That about covers it. While it is impossible to list every weapon conceived (I hear the Klingons have some sort of two-handed curvy blade thing, but anyway...), this should be a pretty cohesive list.
Note: For the purposes of this entry, "Western" means European and "Eastern" means Asian. Anything else will be named more specifically, i.e. South American, African, etc.<BR/><BR/>
<h3>Knives</h3>
<b><a href= http://www.h2g2.com/A330968>Knives</a></b>, as a whole, have been pretty useful devices for humans. However, as with nearly any advance in technology, people have found a way to turn it against each other. Knives are easily concealed and have different laws in different areas restricting blades of such-and-such a length, and so on. Noteworthy is the fact that, no matter how long the knife is or whether a person was within their legal rights to carry it, law enforcement tends to frown upon a person using one to cut another person.<BR/>
Knives are of pretty simple design: A handle to go in your hand and a blade to cut with. Occasionally these are made with a point to stab with, this is the main difference between an average knife and a <b>Dagger</b>. <BR/>
One design of interest is the <b>Katar</b>, from India. The blade and the handle are perpendicular; the Katar is gripped like a corkscrew. The blade is double-edged and generally triangle-shaped.<BR/>
Often used by fencers, the <b>Main-Gauche</b> (the name is French for "left hand") is a short, triangle-shaped dagger used in the off hand (that is, whatever hand isn't using the sword). It is rarely used to attack, instead, it is made for parrying the opponent's blade while keeping one's own blade ready to strike.<BR/>
A <b>Koga knife</b> is backwards- namely, instead of the blade protruding forward out of the wielder's hand, it is held in such a way that the blade goes down the outside of the user's forearm.
<BR/>
<h3>Swords:</h3>
<b><a href= http://www.h2g2.com/A340822>Swords</a></b> are perhaps the only tool on this list that people have made for the sole purpose of hurting one another. Generalizations about swords are hard to make, simply because the styles of swords are so varied. They can be weapons for chopping or slicing, single-edged or double-edged, straight or curved, made out of bronze, iron, glass, or, most preferably, steel. <BR/>
A sword has two main parts: the Blade, which is the part used for cutting, and the Hilt used for holding the sword. For most Western swords, the word "Pommel" is interchangeable with "Hilt".<BR/>
<h3>Chopping Swords</h3>
A "Chopping" sword is one that is simply applied with a good, hard swing to its target. The edge is supposed to take care of the rest. Stereotypical of this is the standard Western <b>broadsword</b>: three or four feet long, straight, double-edged blade, cross-hilt, occasionally with a point at the end for stabbing. The terms "longsword" and "broadsword", oddly enough, are interchangeable to most folks. Also fairly standard is the shortsword, which is about a foot and a half to two and a half feet long but generally the same as the broadsword.<BR/>
A <b>Claymore</b> is a Celtic style of sword. Its resembles a broadsword with one major exception: it's big. Very, very big. Often as tall as the person wielding it, the Claymore is used two-handed and rarely, if ever, is used to parry an opponent's strike. A swordsman using a Claymore will seek to strike first and hardest.<BR/>
The <b>Saber</b> or <b>Sabre</b> (depending on where you're from) is a heavy, slightly curved sword, often carried as a sidearm by the military.<BR/>
The <b>Dau</b> is a heavy Chinese sword, similar to the scimitar. Its name, appropriately, means "cutter".<BR/>
<h3>Fencing/Thrusting Swords</h3>
A "Thrusting" sword features a point rather than a blade as its main feature. Intended to impale the target, rather than chop or slice it to bits. French- and Italian-style <a href= http://www.h2g2.com/A293258>fencers</a> primarily use swords for their thrusting capabilities.<BR/>
The <b>Smallsword</b> is a short, light, somewhat flexible Western sword. Often issued to the military and a favorite of "gentlemen", there is also a Dress version that is shorter, lighter, and often more ornate; it was used as a fashion accessory more than a weapon. Those opting for disguise sometimes concealed on in a cane.<BR/>
The <b>Gladius</b> is a specific Roman shortsword, and while it has an edge, it is designed for thrusting, not cutting. It was issued to all legionnaires.<BR/>
An <b>Estoc</b> is a sword of German heritage, technically a longsword, but it lacks any cutting edge. It tapers to a fine point and usually has a round or triangular cross-section to the blade. The blade is very thin, as the sword is intended for penetrating chainmail.<BR/>
A <b>Rapier</b> is a long, stiff, narrow fencing sword. Rapiers generally became longer and narrower over time, for the purpose of penetrating very fine chainmail from a greater distance. Of course, the thin blade made them somewhat fragile and the great length made them difficult to use properly. A few came with edges, but the focus was primarily on thrusting.<BR/>
<h3>Slicing Swords</h3>
Slicing swords are razor-sharp, and instead of simply hacking away at the target, the edge of the blade must be drawn across the flesh, but they often cut deep. There is some rivalry concerning whether chopping or slicing swords are better, but it's unlikely any member of either school would wish to be attacked with either one.<BR/>
Bane of Crusaders was the Middle Eastern <b>Scimitar</b>, which has a wide, curved, single-edged blade. These are used both from horseback and on foot.<BR/>
The <b>Katana</b> is the Japanese <a href= http://www.h2g2.com/A364213>Samurai sword.</a> Familiar to most people, it features a long, curved blade. The symbol of the Samurai class were the katana and <b>wakisashi</b> set, the wakisashi being, more or less, a shorter katana. These swords were meant to be used one- or two-handed alone, or as a set with one in each hand. Also noteworthy is the <b>Nodachi</b> (Japanese for "The friend"), which is to katanas what the Claymore is to the broadsword.<BR/>
Technically not a slicing sword but fitting well under the entry for katana is the <b>Bokken</b>. A wooden katana, mostly used for training, it was also a favorite of the legendary ronin, Miyamoto Musashi. A bokken is thick and heavy and nearly as dangerous as the katana itself. Many schools abandoned the bokken in favor of the <b>Shinai</b>, which is similar in length, weight, and balance to the katana, but is fashioned of bamboo strips wrapped in cloth, so it is much less dangerous to aspiring swordsmen.<BR/>
A <b>Tachi</b> is essentially a katana intended to be used from horseback.<BR/>
The <b>To</b> or <b>Ninja-to</b> were often utilized by the Ninja in Japan, as the second name implies. It is much like a katana, but is straight and has a shorter blade. Always resourceful, the Ninja often crafted the scabbard for use as a blowpipe and often concealed the whole thing inside a staff.<BR/>
A <b>Gum</b> is a Korean sword, held in reverence like the Japanese hold their katana, but could either be straight and double-edged or curved and single-edged. Traditionally, the quality of Japanese and Korean swords was very high, and the swordsmith was a well-respected position.<BR/>
Creative in design and near unpronounceable by name is the Aztec <b>Macauitl</b>. It is made nearly entirely out of planks of wood glued together; the edge comes from pieces of obsidian between the planks. Rarely, if ever, was there a point for thrusting. These swords, being made of wood and glass, were very fragile and required frequent repairs, even if used to cut nothing but cloth and flesh.<BR/>
<h3>Spears</h3>
Made initially for hunting game, eventually someone got the idea of using it to hurt other people. For the purposes of this guide entry, several weapons that are not technically spears fall under this heading, including Lances and Polearms. This entry does not concern with throwing spears, only those used in melee combat. Most spears are used two-handed, but a few one-handed styles exist.<BR/>
A spear has two parts: the Head, which contains the impaling point, and the Shaft, which is, more often than not, a wooden pole. Again, steel and wood make up the great majority of most spears, but in the past, bronze, iron, and stone have been more than common in spearheads.<BR/>
Stereotypical spears include the Chinese <b>Chiang</b>, the Japanese <b>Yari</b> and <b>Rochin</b>, the Roman <b>Hasta</b>, and so on. These are simply shafts and impaling points, used to impale the target.<BR/>
A rather nasty variation is embodied in the Celtic <b>Belly Spear</b>. The head of a belly spear is covered in barbs and spikes pointing back towards the shaft. The spear is aimed at the vital organs not protected by a skull or ribcage, pushed in as far as it will go, and pulled out again. The barbs often tear a few vital organs on the way out.<BR/>
A <b>Pike</b> is a very long spear, often 12 feet or more. Near useless in one-on-one combat, legions of pikemen were quite effective against charging Calvary in warfare, as charging horses and pointy objects don't mix.<BR/>
A <b>Lance</b>, on the other hand, is essentially a very long spear used from horseback against other Calvary or infantry. It is, again, 12 feet long or more. These were often the centerpieces of jousting tournaments.<BR/>
A <b>Trident</b> is a spear with three points: more or less, a fork that's not used for eating. These are usually very heavy, given that several times as much steel is required to fashion the spearhead. Variations include the Roman <b>Fuxima</b> and the Chinese <b>Tiger Fork.</b><BR/>
<b>Polearms</b> are often larger than spears, and are more often have edges for cutting as well as points for impaling. The Western <b>Glaive, Poleaxe,</b> and <b>Bill</b>, the Japanese <b>Naginata</b>, the Chinese <b>Monk's Spade</b>, and the Indonesian <b>Latajang</b> are all variations on this. The Chinese <b>Dah-Dau</b> is used against Calvary (the name means "Horse-cutter").<BR/>
A <b>Halberd</b> is sort of an all-in-one polearm. It is primarily a long wooden shaft, weighted at the end opposite the head for balance. The head is a sampler plate of weapons: It contains a spearhead for thrusting, a curved pick to swing and impale, and an axehead for chopping. Given the leverage granted by the length of the shaft, these are quite dangerous.<BR/>
<h3>Axes</h3>
<b>Axes</b> were originally used to chop wood, but were often modified to chop people. A wooden shaft held up a stone or metal axehead, which was simply a broad blade attached lengthwise to the shaft. Many axes were made for throwing, these were often smaller than the typical hand axe. On the other end of the spectrum, double-headed <b>broadaxes</b> were common in warfare, as were <b>battleaxes</b> with extremely long shafts to increase leverage, and therefore cutting power.<BR/>
The only noteworthy model that comes to mind is the <b>Tomahawk</b>, of Native American design. Often made of stone, these were not terribly sharp, but still held a fair edge. The utmost importance was of symbolism to its wielder, who often fashioned ceremonial and decorative versions of it.<BR/>
<h3>Flails</h3>
A <b>Flail</b> is a weight attached to a chain or rope. Not easy to learn to use, they are equally difficult to defend against and often do terrible damage to their unlucky targets.
The <b>Morningstar</b> is a typical flail native to Europe: A decent-sized wooden handle, a chain, and an iron head to strike with. The head is occasionally decorated with spikes to cause impaling instead of bludgeoning damage. <b>Horseman's flails</b> often have more than one chain and head for the same handle.<BR/>
The Japanese <b>Nunchaku</b> is almost as well-known as the katana. The nunchaku could be considered to be two handles connected by a rope or chain; the striking head is whichever half the user isn't holding. Also comes in three-part variations, with three staves connected by two ropes.<BR/>
Another flail of Japanese origin is the <b>Kusari</b>, which was simply a very long chain with a weight on the end. The weight was not for striking, but for balance. The Kusari is used to ensnare an opponent's weapon and pull it from their hands.<BR/>
<h3>Whips</h3>
Like a Flail without a head, a <b>Whip</b> is simply a handle and a flexible striking surface. The <b>Bullwhip</b> is the typical whip, simply strips of leather braided together for strength. Whips in general do not do as much damage as a sword or spear or axe, and are nearly useless against armored opponents, so their main use is punishment or torture. <BR/>
The <b>Cat of Nine Tails</b> is infamous as a torture device, being nine short whips on one handle, tipped with bone, metal, glass, or any other sharp object the creator could get his hands on. These sharp objects would tear flesh from the victim when they struck, making the Roman punishment of forty lashes with the Cat of Nine Tails fatal, often after less than half the blows had been administered. And the standard was to withhold the fortieth lash out of mercy. What nice folks, those ancient Romans.
<h3>Miscellaneous</h3>
There are some designs that don't quite fit in with the above archetypes:<BR/>
A <b>Kama</b> is a Japanese sickle. There is a wooden handle and perpendicular curved blade, with the cutting edge on the inside. These are sometimes attached to one end of the Kusari, thus making it (not surprisingly) a <b>Kusarigama</b>.<BR/>
<b>Neko-De</b> is Japanese for "Cat's Claws". A Neko-De is a sort of glove with claws on it, used for slashing and punching.<BR/>
Also of Japanese workmanship, the <b>Sai</b> is somewhat like a blunt dagger with an extremely large cross-hilt. These protrusions bend upward and follow the blade, gently curving towards the blade, then turn sharply back before ending about two-thirds of the way up. The Sai is not used for striking, but for parrying the opponent's weapon and twisting it out of their hands between the blade and one of the protrusions. These come in sets of two, and are used in each hand. A duel between sai users may be interesting to watch as each go for the other's weapons and strain to disarm their opponent.<BR/>
<b>Sodegarami</b> is a Japanese barbed staff, used for entangling the targets hair or clothes and grappling them. <BR/>
A <b>Tonfa</b> is a bizarre Japanese club with a handle protruding perpendicular to the main striking staff. There are at least a half-dozen different ways to use this weapon, probably more, including simply striking with it, holding the handle and letting one end protrude past a punching fist while the rest of the staff protects the forearm, grappling and choking an opponent in the crotch of the staff and the handle, and so on.<BR/>
A <b>Tessen</b> is a Japanese fan with blades on the outer edge. Those wacky Japanese, they'll make a weapon out of anything. :-)<BR/>
A <b>Garrote</b> is simply a piece of wire. Sneak up on someone, wrap the wire around their throat, and choke them to death. Not terribly useful in hand-to-hand combat, this is favored more by assassins.<BR/>
A <b>Quarterstaff</b> is a bludgeoning weapon, a piece of wood about as tall as the person using it. Approximately equal are the Japanese <b>Bo</b> and the Korean <b>Bong</b>.<BR/><BR/><BR/>
That about covers it. While it is impossible to list every weapon conceived (I hear the Klingons have some sort of two-handed curvy blade thing, but anyway...), this should be a pretty cohesive list.
