the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

Did you notice that there's only one guy with a "sword" --and it's a dao-- but it looks too big to have use a scabbard or sheath. The main reason --to me-- would be that it would just get in the way.

Probably true. There's a reason for "carrying" position you see forms start with. In battle if the sword was the main weapon, it was were carried without scabbard. The length of the swords, jian especially, was decided by this position. It should go higher than the ear when you carry it behind the back so you don't cut yourself when carrying it. Scabbards are for transport, carry with you when you don't need to use it. Or if you need a second weapon on the battle field (but then preferably a somewhat light weapon). When it's up and in use, the scabbard is of limited use.

Bao wrote:Obviously you never want to put a bloody filthy sword into its scabbard. Good luck next time you need to pull up the sword quickly but find it stuck...

Trick wrote:I can understand that a sword need more metal to make and that might be to much steel to give the foot soldiers. So what where used when spear formations had been broken, clubs/maces, axes ?

Don't really understand what you mean. If you go to battle, you must first make sure that you have all the weapons that are necessary. Otherwise, stay out of war.



Here you find several different troop formations of larger and smaller groups:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jixiao_Xinshu

Among ten men only three swords, no armor, not even helmets, must be the cannon fodder platoon