Sword

weapons · history · medieval

Blade shape matters. Swords can have straight blades that are great for thrusting, or curved blades perfect for slashing. Many swords are designed to do both really well.

Blade versus knife. The main difference between a sword and a knife or dagger is that a sword has a much longer blade. The blade connects to a handle called a hilt.

Different everywhere. What counts as a sword changes depending on when and where you look. Different cultures and time periods had their own ideas about what made the perfect sword.

Sharp or pointed. Some swords have sharp edges on one or both sides for slashing, while others have pointy tips for jabbing. The design depended on what warriors needed most.