Well if a Klingon warrior armed with that mekleth were to engage a medieval European Knight unfortunately for the Klingon the knight had the advantage. This is because the knight will simply end him rightly with a pommel throw.
Long-range weapons are not a guaranteed win. Royce Gracie displayed that his extreme short-range brazilian jujutsu was superiour to longer range martial arts. I know that I'm talking hand-to-hand and the issue is weapons, but I hope you get the jist.
The practicality of a mek'leth and bat'leth against ranged weapons is kind of a moot point, as they're supposed to be traditional weapons (for much the same reason that a modern European infantryman with an assault rifle wouldn't use an arming sword). They see a lot of use in the relatively close quarters of boarding combat, and many Klingons use them simply because Klingon culture is very focused on tradition, especially in combat.
+Jonathan Hughes In DS9 they specifically mention Starfleet tactics against Klingons is to not be afraid of falling back. Keeping Distance and sinking shots into Klingon lines from a distances allows you to keep them at bay, and pisses them off, which makes them want to go for their less practical Melee options in a blood rage.
+Jonathan Hughes You will notice that ancient civilizations that survive even until today, focus on tradition mainly to keep a sense of identity of the civilization and their people while advancing. Goes along the lines of advancing while remembering your past to retain your unique identity as part of the civilization.
+Jonathan Hughes Yeah Even with the advanced technology the mek'leth and bat'leth were tradition hold overs that still function very well in tight quarter boarding action. When they faced the Borg they were far more effective than the standard phaser/disruptor that most species used when boarded by the Borg.
Cal6009 The British navy still used cutlasses in WWII, and the Gurkhas still use their famous knives to this very day. Just because it's an outdated and inefficient weapon doesn't mean it's not occasionally useful.
Klingons are not known for "comfort", either the rock hard beds on which they sleep (which, literally, they sleep on metal or rock benches; or the grips of their weapons - cheap and simple.) Also, most Klingons wore thick gloves, so, they had wear-able hand grips.
That too...I'd like to actually see a modification to the blade that adds serrated section to the back edge, and cut a little more space out for the index finger as well.
Humans also have gloves, but all of our historic intentionally limited "honor" dueling weapons makers still attempted to maximize their effectiveness through ergonomic design.
It's actually a defining aspect of their culture - to the point where Klingon medical technology is decades behind the Federation because when a Klingon is wounded/stricken with illness to the point that it leaves them physically debilitated, they commit ritual suicide rather than have their scientists pour time and effort into developing some kind surgical technique that would allow the Klingon to continue living albeit in a somewhat reduced state of health - as far as they're concerned, if you're a Klingon who can't fight there's literally no reason to keep living.
Skall- addressing the use of blades in a setting with ranged weapons, we still carry them in modern warfare. I carry an M-48 tomahawk and two large knives, one of which is almost 18" in length, on my kit due to experience we've had in CQB where they actually DO come into play. While no, you're not going to go charging into an insurgent compound in Ramadi waving a claymore around (unless you're the reincarnation of Jack Churchill), but when you're doing room-to-room sweeps and get into a hugging dustup with the guy hiding in the closet and his AK and your M4 are tangled up and no clear LOS for your teammates to shoot, having a blade on your lower back or dropleg can make the difference. I'm not a Trekkie, so I can't speak to Klingons, but I HAVE worked with Gurkhas who still carry blades into battle for pragmatic and traditional reasons (and for the record, pardon my language, but as much as I love them the Gurkhas are BATSHIT INSANE! O.O ), so there are real-world equivalents in modern warfare.
And considering the relatively confined spaces of spaceships, ending up in CQB doesn’t seem terribly unlikely. From what I have read in the comments, the Mek’leth evolved from improvised weapons used to repel boarders. They were made from small bulkhead struts inside early Klingon ships which often were knocked loose after suffering multiple hits from opposing ships.
Basically everything I've ever heard about the Gurkhas is either about how they are super friendly or how they will happily do some of the most insane things in combat.
+Skallagrim The Bat'leth was more of a ceremonial weapon. Yes it has some practical purposes, but the weapon was primarily designed to fight other klingons with bat'leths. Similar to how only samurai/nobles would have katana's and would only fight another with the same weapon. The Mek'leth was more of a 'common klingons' weapon for the standard warrior, which served a similar purpose as a gladius. Which is a 'jack of all trades' kind of blade; which the Mek'leth served the same purpose.
+Fobhopper Fun fact : Borg adaptable personal Shields deflect energy and projectile weapons , so yes Melee weapons are fare more effective against them..
+Phantom Apprentice Bonus fun fact- if you compare the shape of the Mek'leth with the bat'leth, it is basically a chunk of a batleth. I think the lore is it was made by a klingon hero from a batleth that was shattered/broken. So it is origined from improvisation.
My guess is, in universe, the Medieval Klingons used more practical and ergonomic designs for their weapons, but many of their designs are particularly anti-ergonomic, and this anti-ergonomic sensibility is a part of their culture of self-hardening. A lot of their hand to hand combat ideas are ceremonious rather than practical. So they enter this phase of battle with weapons that are intimidating but self-handicapping because the goal of this phase of the battle is the experience rather than the strategic objective. Also, because of the ceremonious nature of their melee weapons, they seem to be more often employed in trials by combat and other cremonial bouts than in conventional combat encounters which are usually firefights or ship battles.
I guess the mek'leth (and probably bat'leth) could be more efficient and ergonomic but I feel it also reflects the Klingon design ethos of basic necessity and upholding traditions. This was a really interesting video
Well their bladed weapons haven't been their primary killing tools in centuries, so it probably represents their cultural and design stafnation when it comes to hand-to-hand combat.
I wonder if tradition is the reason there are no handle scales. Hear me out. Klingons find old blades that used to have handle scales but they were made of wood so they rotted away. Tradition dictates that they not deviate from the designs that they found in those old tombs
The show history on the meqleth is cool. It was originally a bulkhead strut on the bridge; the inside curve and the handle were originally supports for cables. When the ship suffered battle damage, the struts would be thrown around, and could be converted fairly quickly into makeshift short swords.
"The grip looks uncomfortable" well to be fair the Klingons are the kind of people to get poked with "pain sticks" in order to have fun so uh... yeah lol
Ceremonial would mean not useful. They use them quite a bit on DS9, and even Voyager. They're especially good against an enemy like the Borg, who have personal shields. Or in situation where technology is being dampened, which was a common tactic used by the Dominion.
I think so, too. As the Katanas were usually a "fashion" thing during the Tokugawa period. Since they were most of time at peace (the same way western movies, they were at peace most of time). The same way swords by time went on were an usefull fashion thing. They had guns, but a melee wepon always come in hand.
Actually I always felt that the Mek'Leth had no grip of its own, at least the model used in the film First Contact, was because it was being used for zero G combat, attached to Worf's space suit - and this space suit also had heavy gloves, which made the grip a lot tighter than it normally would be.
If the Star Trek Universe has access to guns and fancy lasers, why would a Klingon need this weapon? Shouldn't they be like swords now where militaries mainly use them for ceremonial purposes?
From what I've seen, that's pretty much what they do use them for. They're honor weapons used for dueling and other ceremonial purposes. Occasionally you will see people in the Trek universe (not just Klingons) use edged weapons for quick stealthy kills, such as stabbing someone in an alleyway, or as self defense weapons in places where phasers and other ranged weapons aren't available or permitted, though.
marcphoenix From what we ses of Klingons in Star Trek, especially DS-9, dueling to the death with Dach'Tah (The little daggers) and Batleths is very common as a means of settling disputes, but we've also seen them using these weapons during assaults, especially bording actions against ships and stations where these weapons can actually come into use in the close confines of a ship's corridors. Plus, Klingons are not the only ones to use melee weapons. The Jem'Hadar had a kind of hybrid axe weapon they would use, plus Jem'Hadar frequently used Bayonets. In the end, Klingons just prefer getting in close and fighting hand-to-hand over just shooting someone any day, because, as they see it, any little Ferengi can pull a trigger, but it takes a real warrior to charge in close and kill an enemy man-to-man.
in universe the mekleth was a weapon of opportunity. originally a pipe strut along the walls of the bridge. in a dire situation a quick strike would loosen it and in large battles with the ship being jostled about they would have already littered the floor of the bridge. the name even originally meh leh means sword that comes from the bridge.
weldonwin Really? I didn't watch DS-9. But it makes sense to use weapons like daggers or others when strategy makes the opportunity. In New Generation you could feel that they could always go melee if they could.
The Mek leth is actually a cable spacers used on their ships simular to the pinions used to anchor ropes on anchent sailing vessels. When a handy weapon was needed all one had to do was reach out to a bulkhead whicjh was often riddled with Mek leths and grab them. Many would be wrapped in leather for ease of use as a tool and as a weapon and became one of many favored weapons on Klingon ships
According to Lore, the bat'leth is a carefully crafted weapon, with a long tradition behind it, ritual uses, and (considering what Klingon religion is like) religious significance. The Mek'leth meanwhile, is an entirely utilitarian design. Built for practicality in combat, and the generally agressive sensibilities Klingons have. (hence a bladed guard). It is also effectively made from scrap metal, or whatever byproducts happen to be to hand from starship or other large construction projects that involve a lot of metal. In that sense, the Mek'leth is used by Klingons who are trying to be as practical as possible (insofar as carrying a bladed weapon in an era where ranged energy weapons are the norm can be considered practical), while the Bat'leth is favoured more for reasons of tradition and history, and various matters of honour. (even in the series, klingons that try and explain how to use a Bat'leth imply its pretty challenging to use...)
If that were true they wouldn't use weapons. I think it was just a cost saving measure for production staff, maybe an aesthetic they ended up liking on top of that.
I love the music you've added to the video. It really gave it the Klingon warrior atmosphere. Amazingly enough my spell check recognises "klingon" as a word yet doesn't for a lot of other non-fictional things.
Anthony Vlahakis Coincidentally I'm watching at 4:50 am, as for the music, I can solve that mystery. When I was growing up my parents had a lawn mowing service that would come every day in the summer. That's what the background noise is, he just decided to film when his lawn was getting mowed.
The mek'leth was specifically designed for Michael Dorn, as he wanted something more practical than carrying around a bat'leth. The handle was designed for his hand.
That weapon would be very useful in CQC, The kligons did use them for boarding parties during assaults. It makes sense because once they transport unto your ship you have little room left for faser fire and riffles, you don't want to blow your own ship apart. Once they close in on you with that and you have no armor at all they will run you through big time. It is also their culture they do prefer hand to hand combat and they see it as more skillful and honorable than rifles. They are physically taller and stronger and they regain stamina quicker than humans so they fancy their chances in CQC with humans too. So for that use it's very practical in that universe still.
***** What Mick seems to have .. I'm sure...temporarily forgotten, is that recently on board a ship that was taken over by pirates a member of the US navy had a knife kill on one of the pirates, apparently either as or just before things went south. Look at the two knives carried for example by the navy SEALS and the israeli special forces. SEALS use a short I believe 4 inch bladed folding combat knife while the israeli's still use the good old K Bar. One... very... flavorful competition between the two knives and soliders demonstrated that pretty much, chances of these weapons being used in an actual firefight were slim. the only person that employed one on the american team during the simulation used it to take out a guard in the beginning. The only time the K bar came into play was because an isreali special forces solider who was specifically a hand to hand specialist got the drop on an american soldier and didnt want to give his position away. Now, how many guys in any military are H2H specialists, and how often are they going to get the drop on someone like that? Not often. So definetly, firearms are the primary weapon. I seriously doubt even H2H specialists are going to do any crazy knife throwing. both of the knives carried by the SEALS and the isreali forces are really more there for utility purposes. The SEAL knife is small, compact. The K Bar is an old stand by, a good knife for survival situations, tough. Also, some US special forces DID carry tomahawks specially made by a company in tennessee for a time (made to be able to pop a target wearing a kevlar helmet), and a simliar weapon/tool was included in a tool set used by the army for a time. but remember, it WAS a tomahawk, but it was included as a tool that was also easily repurposed to a survival type weapon in emergencies. Also some other countries do issue machetes, but its still mostly and formost a tool. But other than formal occassions, well, I cant think of anyone off hand that actually issues swords anymore. The firearm overtook melee weapons as the soldier primary weapon CENTURIES ago. Sure, someone trying to draw a firearm while someone else punches him in the throat or stabs him in the heart with a knife he popped out of a sleeve can win, and what is that? A bad choice or poor training on the guy with the guns side. So the whole melee > guns is largely a hollywood/animae thing, or an instance of some story about a stoned or drunk thug pulling a gun on a martial artist at close range and simply getting creamed. Look at that last riot in tibet where you see a few guys waving swords at soldiers with riot shields. They didnt get very far with that, did they? Yet people also get the wrong impression from pirate movies, which employ firearms of a really different type. Sure, you need a blade as a backup with your guns can fire a max of 2-4 times and have totally crap range and accuracy. In truth,what is really silly, is that if you took a guy with a mp5 and put him up against guys with star trek weapons, it would go like this. Klingons: They might win, because they mix troops carrying disruptor pistols and blades. On high setting, you dont have to even hit your target, a near miss works. You've almost got no recoil semi auto mini grenade launchers. Plus, klingons are just tougher and stronger, you chew one klingon up with half your clip, then another, who doesnt quite stop moving, you still have the other 2-4 psycho's charging you to consider. Federation: After scanning you with their tricorders, they simply beam you into their ship, hold you in storage until security comes in, render all your ammo inert before materializing you, then rematerialize you and hit you with phasers set on wide beam heavy stun before your brain has even adjusted to the fact your no longer standing where you were. If they are pissed. If not, they'd probably stand there and try talking you to death, then stun you.
***** Special forces are issued with tools that are designed to also function as good short range weapons. Take the entrenching tool. It sacrifices some functionality as a shovel, specifically to do more damage as a melee weapon and the Russian special forces are still trained in weapon drills using it as a melee weapon. While sub machine guns are usually more effective, it would be naive to say that melee weapons weren't still relevant.
***** And yet the Spetsnaz, one of the most dangerous special forces in the world still feel the need to drill in melee weapon techniques. I dunno about you, but I'm more likely to trust the opinions of actual special forces, rather than people on youtube, who claim to be soldiers but could just as easily be fat slobs who work at mcdonalds. You know, verified sources over unverified sources? But if you're willing to believe anything people claim to be on the internet, I am the greatest soldier of all time, with 19 tours of duty and over 1900 confirmed kills and have won over 90 medals for bravery in the line of duty. (And yet you still have as much reason to believe that as you do with these people claiming to be soldiers.) But just for the sake of argument, let's pretend that the people in this thread are actual soldiers. The russian special forces still train in melee weapon techniques, so they must still have a place in modern day operations or they wouldn't bother. ps. Only people who don't have a competent argument rush to insults, rather than reasonable arguments. Please come back when you have a reasoned argument, rather than childish insults.
What all of you ignore in here ... it is not an either/ or in star trek's context. While some people use phaser rifles, most use single hand weapons, that still seem pretty destructive in most episodes. So when you basically hold a enegry pistol (phaser/ disruptor/ whatever) in one of your hands, having an additional (!) Mek'leth in the other as a big fighting knife won't hurt, now will it? As well, do keep in mind that in RL you can't just beam next/ behind to an enemy on their bridge, and start butchering them with your small sword. :-D
***** Ok, shall we look at the original post which started this and therefore, defines the argument at hand. This is a discussion about combat in boarding parties, used by Klingon warriors. I will address 2 points here: 1) Hazards of weaponry in space 2) Physiology of Klingons 1) Current NASA regulations explicitly state that no guns are allowed, for obvious reasons. The less obvious thing is that even in an advanced future, projectile weapons or high energy weapons would still be a very bad idea. No matter what technology evolves, spaceships and stations will always be in the vacuum of space, which means that by necessity, space craft with internal, breathable atmospheres will be pressurised containers. With any pressurised container, the weakest point is vulnerable to rupture, which means that any projectile that could weaken the hull is a serious risk. This means that projectile weapons could in theory, went the entire atmosphere into space if you miss, killing everyone and due to the rush of gas, probably turning a small hole into a very large tear in the hull, making it difficult to repair and repressurise. Modern submarines and the modules for the ISS, were all forged in one piece, so that there was no weak point. Every point on the hull has the same capacity to deal with pressure. 2) The Klingon race is one that evolved several sets of organs to deal with the violent combat that fills their lives. You shoot a Klingon in the heart and he'll keep going because he has several hearts, located elsewhere in the body. Now why is this relevant? Well, we already established that projectile weapons are a bad idea, which means that energy weapons are going to be your ranged alternative. We know such weapons are possible but current costs and power requirements, mean that the weapons that are currently in testing are mounted on trucks, due to the size of the components. Current energy weapons use heat as their damaging component. They destroy by super heating the object. Now consider the make up of all life on earth.They are predominantly water (with very few exceptions, such as some desert dwelling plants). Water is used as a fire fighting and cooling agent worldwide because it has a very high latent heat capacity, which is the amount of energy required to heat it up. What this means is that the hand held, low power energy weapons are going to have a limited area of affect. They hit the body and only affect organs within a few inches at most of the point that is hit. So what you have is a warrior, who is going to take your shots and keep going. It's not surprising, therefore, that such a race would use melee weapons, since can get up in your face. Furthermore, Klingons fight eachother a lot, which means they are likely to train with melee weapons, due to the ineffectiveness of energy weapons. You'll notice how most Klingon weapons carry large blades, probably to circumvent the multiple organs problem and go for a decapitation or large wound, cutting as many blood vessels as possible and causing them to bleed out. So to summarise: Modern military engagements don't matter in this discussion and even if they did, I think the trainers of one of the world's most dangerous special forces know a little bit more than you do. (ps. Don't call me Son. It's annoying and it makes it very obvious you're trying to make yourself sound older and more knowledgeable than me. Prove it with your argument, rather than pet names)
Regardless of the culture of Klingons, this is about practicality. Not authenticity/culturally appropriate. Not trying to be rude, but a lot of the top comments are missing the point I think.
Kingons make their weapons the least Ergonomic as possible hat only the most skilled warriors can thrive through combat. Stupid, but a good idea for a race of traditional warrior people lore wise.
i think melee weapons in a space fairing culture make more sense than the do currently earth at least when it comes to combat on-broad a ship. In a boarding action or mutiny where the aggressors aren't already in vacuum proof suits and both sides have an interest in keeping the ship undamaged i think swords, knives, and the like would get use over projectiles that could potentially pierce the hull.
Plus every now and again, you run into a race who've spent agges making shields that make them impervious to phaser fire , making them unbeatable by 99% of the galaxy. Times like that, the klingons dominate (as do the borg, those 7 foot hunter guys and Species 8473 I guess)
+Devastator5042, the Mek'leth seems to be a fairly reasonable weapon, in its own right, but the Bat'leth isn't, it'd almost certainly lose out to any European sword.
Thanks for another great video, Skallagrim. I'm an avid tabletop roleplayer, and watching your videos gives me so much great insight and inspiration for descriptions - both in combat-situation, but also for worldbuilding and in-game NPCs like craftsmen and combat-instructors. So yeah, thank you so much for you amazing contents! Stay frosty!
This! I think the Klingons must be into intentional anachronisms! Having an ergonomic handle would yield a less "honorable" weapon. Also, this is why the Bat'leth is awkward: it is the more honorable weapon!
stcredzero "Also, this is why the Bat'leth is awkward: it is the more honorable weapon! " I think with the Bat´leth its more the idea that the original was forged by Kahless, their messiah. So it would be considered blasphemy to change it to much
stcredzero The thing with the Bat'leth is that it is more useful in rifle and bayonet-style fighting than in actual sword fighting. It creates a useful barrier against incoming strikes and can quickly turn them into multiple slashes. Having said that, the inability to use it like an actual sword is a big disadvantage but bat'leth fighting seems to be more symbolic than practical.
I suspect that the 'primitive' handle finish is a throwback to the very early days of Klingon history when everything was rough and ready and they didn't waste any materials or time on finish. Also Klingon's invariably wear gloves.
It would be interesting to hear your opinion about potential techniques of lightsaber fighting. Blade has no weight and it must affect the technique a lot.
Well the fact that the lightsabers are pretty much stables lasers and are able to clash against one another and be deflected is kind of weird since it would be a stick of energy.
***** you mean like how it would be more effective and practical to get a good night's sleep on a comfortable bed then to sleep on a hard flat metal plate? or maybe you mean like how much more effective and practical it would be to use an energy weapon to kill your enemy from across the room then hitting them with a sharp piece of metal?
megazwatcher Bad handle makes it literally less deadly - it can slip and keeps you from gripping it in different ways. It just goes to show that the people who write stories are not neccessary masters in the subject field they are writing about.
when you hit something with that blade it will hurt your hand which is really stupid you wanna hurt them not yourself and after frequent use there could be serious damage
KspreeTheUnicorn can i just point out that Klingon's ritualistically drink poison, there idea of foreplay is the Klingon couple beating each other to a bloody pulp. they are NOT the most logical caret on the tree if you know what i mean. any pain from using that weapon just makes the warrior stronger and if he can's get the job done thru the pain with the weapon he has then he is unworthy to live anyway
***** They also use disruptors (energy beam side arms) as primary weapons. Mek'leth and other blades were basically close quarters or ceremonial/duelist weapons.
asmcint here is the thing, is that really armor? I mean we never see it actually stopping a blow from a rival weapon or dispersing a weapon shot, so what does it do? I'm pretty sure it's just a fancy uniform. For a people so caught up in honor and tradition it makes sense for them to have a slightly flashy, if less effective uniform.
One point not mentioned for course, is that even with ranged weapons, occasionally close range combat does break out, and a backup CC weapon is not a terrible idea, especially something like a knife/machete which has non combat utilitarian use. The lack of handle is bewildering though. Poor ergonomics lead to a warrior fighting with decreased efficiency, which for such a warrior heavy race seems a little weird. I would have expected the Clingons to realise the functional use of a simple handle, and the increase in effectiveness to come from it.
You seems to be a fan of castlevania. Hey, why don't you do a video about trademark weapons in that game too ? Like chainwhip or really long chained mace ? :P
I have a prop bat'leth in my star trek collection I inherited from my Aunt. I find if you use it like a combined dual naginata and quarter staff it is an effective weapon
I could see why they might opt for a blade as most person to person combat in star trek are boarding actions in starships where it's easy for them to close distance.
Adjuni heh, btw that screaming in the main theme fucking creeps me to no end, like between the song bits all you hear is AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH
The bat'leth is an interesting weapon when you look at it from the perspective of its intended use: boarding actions on early Klingon starships. Think of a weapon that would work well in the tight corridors of a submarine. If you were using a longsword sword, you'd be shoving, half-swording, or going for vertical cuts and long thrusts. Sounds a lot like a bat'leth, except for the thrusting bit. It's a lot better in every other way, with all of its guards crossing the chest and keeping you quite safe from knives, swords, powered armor attacks, etc. Of course there's that whole "being shot" problem... Thanks for reviewing the mek'leth! As for your question about Klingons and armour: yes, they do, Klingon battle armour is a mix of metal and ceramic interconnected with future-stuff and is extremely durable. It even offers some resistance against energy weapons, there's a note in one book or another where security gets reminded to dial up the phasers to stun Klingons in armour. It is largely a setting where the technology of weapons has all but completely surpassed armour, though in the Dominion War that starts to come around again.
MorningPlays Well if you are trying to be smart, Egypt is transcontinental and is in parts of Africa and Asia. I figured instead of zooming in on certain areas in Africa, like Egypt, the person was referring to weapons used widespread.
Thanks for reviewing this weapon! Just discovered your channel, and I'm a big trekkie. On the point of the practicality of melee weapons in a universe with personal energy weapons - it's only ever one character who uses the mek'leth: Worf - and he is particularly interested in Klingon combat skills, honing them greatly, even participating in tournaments. Most of the regular Klingon soldiers you see on the show either don't carry a serious melee weapon aside from a dagger (d'k tahg), or wield a bat'leth as part of a shock attack where they expect to close the distance fairly quickly (i.e. beaming onto a ship/station). But, in both cases they are usually always armed with a disruptor pistol as well. Sorry for the nerdy wall of text. Nice channel, subbed!
trek fan here...i guess klingons are humanoid, but have more hardiness than humans, and probably think it's dishonourable to use handles. and klingons have ranged weapons. they more or less use melee weapons in close quarters.
I think you should specify which handphaser design you are talking about, as there have been several of them and they have had wildly different designs.
Great video, very understandable explanation. As a Trek fan I have always shared your view that the bat'leth is a horribly impractical weapon, though there were a few episodes that showed them in action and the stunt people did a passable job of making them seem like real weapons. But the mek'leth always seemed much more realistic. Its length limits it usefulness to extreme short-range melee, but also makes it much more practical than a longer weapon in the tight confines of ships or other indoor environments. And the flared end gives the mek'leth a decent amount of power in a short swing. The crappy grip seems to be an outgrowth of the mondern trend of creating knife grips by wrapping bare tangs with 500-paracord or leather strips (which I don't like much - give me a nice rubberized grip or pair of ergonomic wooden scales any day). As for points, Klingon warriors carry some sort of stabbing knife with them at all times, most famously the d'k tahg, a heavy blade with two spring-out secondary blades that seem to be intended to function as a hand guard, and a spiked spherical pommel. It's a beautiful weapon with at least some practicality (except for the secondary blades, they seem useless). When paired with a mek'leth, it would give a warrior the ability to slash, stab, and smash. memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/D%27k_tahg
killer13324 Well Maybe he could start something like a concept discuss, but that's not likely. You would need a different format, because The Halo Energy-sword or the Lightsabre or the AC-Hidden blade, or, or, or are weapons very specifically for a very special purpose, and/or are such theoretical in their design it is difficult to discuss, because everything is just hot air and you have no connection to reality.
Well, the Mek'leth is supposedly an ancient weapon. So I guess they make it in the traditional way. ....I feel like Klingon's would be amused at you complaining that the weapon isn't comfortable enough. I realise that's a pretty weak justification though. ^_^ Anyway, interesting video. I have to admit, I would like to see you do a review of the Batleth. I think all the ones used in the show were made of wood. I don't know if they were supposed to be made out of any kind of special alloy in the lore though.
In my opinion, making it uncomfortable is part of the point of the Mek'leth. Klingons must work through pain, it makes them stronger. It is part of who they are.
Luke Branham I have been working with weapon arts both European and Asian for about 5 years now. The forces incurred on your body when using a weapon over the amount of time it takes to learn and maintain skills causes permanent damage to the body and weakens you. In Arnis i use yantoks and if they are slightly bent after maybe not laying them down right for a night, then you can get carpal tunnel unless you straighten them out. You want to practice a little with a bent weapon to give you an idea of what they are like, and learning how to make a weapon out of everything.
Luke Branham its not about pain its about plain bad handling. A flat grip on any knife, sword or tool is not only painful but makes for bad power transfer, bad balance and its pretty much guaranteed to give your hand a shocking jolt on every impact. Imagine a big hammer with a flat handle and you'll know what I'm talking about, it would be likely to break your bones used hard enough.THere is almost no shock absorption. An ergonmic handle allows for that.
whynottalklikeapirat Technically klingons never had the chance to learn that for themselves. They were made slaves by a warp culture and eventually revolted and overthrew them. Taking their tech for themselves. While they're capable of advancing it to a degree things like their culture stayed in place. Besides klingon scientist's don't get respect.
I think this is questioning it's fundamental practicality, as where the FWS series talks about weapons that we already know aren't practical in any way, shape, or form.
Actually, melee combat is relatively common in Star Trek due to the prevalence of ship to ship boarding actions and other scenarios in which ranged weapons aren't viable. Besides which Klingon bladed weapons are primary used in duals rather then for battlefield use.
Recently someone complained that without music in the background it sounds too "empty" and uninteresting. And I knew someone would complain now as well, because you can never please everybody.
***** Maybe you could use a less dominant sounding music next time. I actually thought it was some motor noise outside your home until I read this comment. (Personally, I would prefer videos without music as well, but it's up to you, of course.)
CastingThe Runes The funny thing is, other viewers said it was fitting, others said it was pretty subtle. Whatever I do, some will like it, others won't. I can't draw any conclusions from it either way.
“It doesn’t actually have a tip, but you know what I mean.” “Well, not a pommel, but you know what I mean.” “I can definitely see the point of that, even though it doesn’t have a point.” Good ol’ Skall
Excellent video: The Mek'leth is a very good sparring and more practical then a sickle. I prefer the knife of the burmese but still i have seen it used in sparing and it is good at closing quadrants in the guard and issuing cuts. Good hand protection. I am surprised by your narrow view of the Bat'leth. 7 Bat'leth Observations I see the bat'leth as an excellent innovation I like to call a weapon hybrid. Observation 1: The Bat'leth is a shield! In the simplest sense it is like having a shield in front of you that can deflect any attack in front of you !!! The Bat'leth can control the space in front of you. Observation 2: The Bat'leth fights like a Staff or Bo. The swordsman has always had issues with staff weapons because of its ability to deflect and redirect their weapon. Observationn 3: The Bat'leth has powerful cutting motions and thrusts. A swordsman would have no easy time breaking and winding against a Bat'leth. A master swordsman half swords all the time and looks to strike around a gaurd. I would not want to get too close to a Bat'leth! Observation 4: Someone skilled with a Bat'leth is more a counter puncher then a beserker!!! There is real skill in its profficiency and more to the point when engaging in battle it will give tremendous defence while issuing its attacks. If you think it so easy to disengage a Bat'leth I recommend doing it in sparing!!! The blade either gets deflectsed too far and too slow or it loops around and is caught by the obvious sword trap. Observation 5: The Bat'leth is capable of half swording itself .... in otherwords at the right point you can fight left handed or right handed. My favorite guard is holding a wide grip pointed 45 degrees upwards. Blows coming down are easily deflected away and I can switch to my right hand on the bottom assisting a descending cut right or vice versa to the left with my left hand on the bottom. Observation 6: Do not be fooled by its range. The Bat'leth is released all the time for thrusts and sweeps and combined with precise strikes, blows and kicks designed to make the Bat'leth an extension of the Body. Observation 7: The Bat'leth is a perfectly balanced weapon on both sides allowing for Flexibility in close quarters. Also it can deliver that weight to their blade with leverage along the path. With practice and a knowledge of Aikido the Bat'leth uses dynamic cirles in defense and issuing attack when their is space. They enter around flanking the opponent or they turn against the force into their own attack.
lol! it was a joke. They had some pretty absurd weapons on that show. I did kind of like the double handed one though. What'd they call that ? Kut-luch?
***** You're right. They could make it a pratical handle, but then if they are so obsessed with making it painful to use, why not just nail their hands into the sword! That way when you're disarmed, your hand is ripped apart! Fun.
I get the impression that Klingons base their weapons on ancient bone weapons made from parts of the skeletons of large alien creatures (the Bat'leth reminds me of some predator's jawbone.). As for, ergonomics, I can say from personal experience, for some people, tradition takes priority over comfort to the point they're pretty much fanatical about it.
+Skallagrim You mentioning of the potential shape of a more pronounced area of that blade being an anti-armor blade design caught my attention. So this involves a historical sword, and a story passed down through generations in a temporarily forgotten writing system called "Baybayin". After it was forgotten, partially due to the incident that this sword was involved with, and how it came to be modified into a possible anti-armor blade. So I'm referring to the only true long sword in the Philippines, which is called a Kampilan. It was the sword that was used against Ferdinand Magellan, and his soldiers. The Filipino tribal leader/warrior, is said to have modified it from a 40"- 44" headhunting sword, to a sword that could somehow neutralize the thick cloth armor that some Spaniards wore to protect themselves from arrows. It was essentially like a oversized thick white bullet proof vest. I don't know where to get one, or how to replicate it, but vs. the Native American's, and Aztec's, is was very effective. 1 other detail, is that there are small variations of this modification, which is on the reverse side of the blade. For example, the TFW version looks like it has just 1 extra small blade on the back side. Mine appear to have just 1, but it's more hooked in shape, & there are 3 small curved blades altogether. Mine looks like it would do the job better. Mine's discolored a bit, but it's sharpened, and polished. I might be willing to let you borrow it for video making purposes, but look at Ron's version, his Moro/ Southern Philippines blades in general. 1 of the smaller 1's w/ the same modification might be more effective, but if you use the real replica, we could see why it cause the Spaniards to retreat, & abandon Magellan. So mine's 42" w/ the handle, so the measurements are right. Ron's version is 36" so it's smaller, but it might be something you want for your collection. If you have F.B. page, I can show you a photo of mine vs. Ron's, to see if you'd be interested in making a test video.
Really cool shirt. Also, I believe the Klingon Mek'leth is Commander Worf's weapon of choice as seen in Star Trek Deep Space Nine and Star Trek First Contact
The reason the klingons still use blade weapons (along with their disruptors aka guns, which for some reason everyone who does Klingon weapon reviews seems to forget) is well 1 for the ritual of their history, 2 blades don't run out of power to fight (bullets), and 3 blades aren't affected by radiation (which has been well documented in star trek to nullify/disrupt/ disable energy weapons). So a Klingon warrior is always prepared to fight.
A few things of things as both a Trekkie and a martial artist: While Star Trek is set in the future with phaers and tech, and the Klingons do have a type of phaser called a "disrupter"; culturally, they prefer hand-to-hand combat as a test of honour and skill. So they prefer the Bat'leth (which I agree is a horribly-designed mantle piece, and not an actual weapon) and the Mek'leth and others like them. Second, while I agree that ergonomics is important, I do personally prefer a minimalistic approach in terms of weaponry. The more complex the design of the grip (like the grip of the one blade you presented), the more it limits versatility in technique. That being said, I do obviously agree that a thicker grip for both the Mek'leth and the Bat'leth is needed. The reason the designers didn't give it one is because the Klingons are known for their disapproval of designing anything for comfort. In this case, however, their mistake was that the lack of any ergonomic design makes the weapon design less practical - which even Klingons would agree is worth the level of distasteful comfort. Third, the Mek'leth is designed in such a way that it can also be held upside-down, with the back of the blade resting against the forearm, if the situation calls for it. The reason goes back to the idea that Klingons prefer close combat, so that you can "look into the eyes of your prey as you take his life from him". Close combat, to a Klingon, is a greater test of one's bravery, honour, and skill. Even the Bat'leth is often, on the show, held in such a way that the blade rests along the length of the arm. Again: unpractical, terribly uncomfortable to the point that it strains the wrist, and overall ineffective; but Klingons literally have two of everything, so maybe their physiology is such that their wrists are literally double-jointed and they can perform such a maneuver with such strain, haha. Overall, I agree that Mek'leth makes a decent enough weapon, though it would never be a first choice: although like you, I do like the Concave, widening curvature. The weapon is designed for slashing, and not for stabbing, which is also a trademark of Klingons. They don't mind stabbing; but they do prefer there to be as much blood as possible lol.
the only time i saw a mek'leth on tv was an episode of deep space 9 and what warf was carrying around looked like a woodsmans pal to me. he had it hanging from his ponytail from the brushhook. i don't know if you're familiar with this tool but they've been around since i was a kid ( i'm 65 now) they were advertised in hunting magazines and were like a short machete with a forward curved blade, wooden handle and a brushhook on the backside of the blade.i'm not sure if they're still on the market any more but it looked a lot more practical than that monstrosity you were testing.i just googled it and it's still around but the name's" woodman's pal". what you had looked too fanboyish for me and the handguard seemed like it'd tear up knuckles if you were to get frisky with it. i generally enjoy your videos and appreciate your practical approach.
The mek'leth (BridgeSword) "originally" was a weapon of convenience. The legend says that it was a pipe strut or brace that supported conduits along the walls of old battle cruisers called a meHleH ... when being boarded, bridge officers found some dislodged from the walls... picking them up to use as a weapon of opportunity. After finding them useful as a CQC tool they were made as a bladed weapon. Yes I just totally geeked out! Lol
Well, Klingons consider comfort a weakness. So a comfortable grip would be a waste in their view. Plus they usually wear some sort of glove anyway.... Fun thing is, the mek'leth is according to the developers a dagger/shortsword by capacity. I once trained with a bat'leth, they're surprisingly handy, fi you really try "fighting" like the klingons from the show. As per the concept of "forces you to adapt"; well about as much as a Katana would force you to get used to Iaido when you fought with a Rapier the whole life. If you're used to fight with it, it comes as natural as any other weapon. Klingons do use some kind of armour. The non-canon lore says their uniforms are made of a layer of the same material that the bat'leth and mek'leth are made of, mixed with some other superlight metal that-does-not-yet-exist. Other more canon lore (still not fully canon!) says it's made of the future version of a Kevlar-Ceramic mix aplied to some kind of metal.
Special effects and prop designer Daniel Curry designed both the Bat'leth and the Mak'leth. The latter was produced upon Michael Dorn (Worf)'s request. It would be interesting if Skallagrim could interview either Dan Curry or Michael Dorn about these two weapons.
There’s a guy from Oregon called Old town smithy and he mostly makes Iron Age weaponry but he does do Klingon stuff that I’ve seen too. I own a sax and Viking style tomahawk and both are of high quality. He makes his tools by hand and hammer. He also does customs too if I remember correctly.
Basically a Klingon falchon or falcata. If you think about it, in the close quarters combat of a boarding action, a bladed weapon for up close and personal does bake a kind of sense, it also helps to have a backup weapon that doesn't run out of ammo or jam, or need to be aimed.
I see that klingon weapon design follow a strict philosophy of EVERY EDGE IS A CUTTING EDGE.
xD well, he actually praised it so it fucking works!!
i see to much of a possibility for damage to the wielder
Riptide Slayer69 needs better grip
Even the handle is almost a cutting edge :P
Cutting edge design, hehehe.
Chi'na, the eastern most province on Qonos, and heart of Klingon manufacturing.
Ah yes. They use the best mon'key metals
Blazer212 dammn even the klingons outsourced to china
Yes, a round planet has "East"
@@ioannispolemarkhos7364 Um, we call Asia "the East" too. Earth is also a round planet, even if some people seem to claim otherwise.
It’s a cube
Well if a Klingon warrior armed with that mekleth were to engage a medieval European Knight unfortunately for the Klingon the knight had the advantage. This is because the knight will simply end him rightly with a pommel throw.
A gentleman's attack, very classy.
Made my day.
that's a slap to the guys who trains the Klingon.
the Klingon has to win with the bone headbutt
Long-range weapons are not a guaranteed win. Royce Gracie displayed that his extreme short-range brazilian jujutsu was superiour to longer range martial arts. I know that I'm talking hand-to-hand and the issue is weapons, but I hope you get the jist.
The practicality of a mek'leth and bat'leth against ranged weapons is kind of a moot point, as they're supposed to be traditional weapons (for much the same reason that a modern European infantryman with an assault rifle wouldn't use an arming sword). They see a lot of use in the relatively close quarters of boarding combat, and many Klingons use them simply because Klingon culture is very focused on tradition, especially in combat.
+Jonathan Hughes In DS9 they specifically mention Starfleet tactics against Klingons is to not be afraid of falling back. Keeping Distance and sinking shots into Klingon lines from a distances allows you to keep them at bay, and pisses them off, which makes them want to go for their less practical Melee options in a blood rage.
+Jonathan Hughes You will notice that ancient civilizations that survive even until today, focus on tradition mainly to keep a sense of identity of the civilization and their people while advancing. Goes along the lines of advancing while remembering your past to retain your unique identity as part of the civilization.
+Jonathan Hughes Yeah Even with the advanced technology the mek'leth and bat'leth were tradition hold overs that still function very well in tight quarter boarding action. When they faced the Borg they were far more effective than the standard phaser/disruptor that most species used when boarded by the Borg.
+Jonathan Hughes "Its a moot point because it's just tradition but they still use them." What?
Cal6009 The British navy still used cutlasses in WWII, and the Gurkhas still use their famous knives to this very day. Just because it's an outdated and inefficient weapon doesn't mean it's not occasionally useful.
Klingons are not known for "comfort", either the rock hard beds on which they sleep (which, literally, they sleep on metal or rock benches; or the grips of their weapons - cheap and simple.) Also, most Klingons wore thick gloves, so, they had wear-able hand grips.
The handle design is not just about comfort, it's about *effectiveness*.
That too...I'd like to actually see a modification to the blade that adds serrated section to the back edge, and cut a little more space out for the index finger as well.
***** well yeah, and that way you can adjust the handle like you wanna have it.. with the leather.
Humans also have gloves, but all of our historic intentionally limited "honor" dueling weapons makers still attempted to maximize their effectiveness through ergonomic design.
Handles are not expensive...
How do you unscrew the pommel?
end him rightly
just hang on a minute here....... aha! take this! *misses*
*Dies*
*dies of heat exhaustion*
Damn it my sides.
on why klingons would even use blades in a setting with ranged weapons: against the borg who can addapt to energy weapons, blades are invaluable.
I was just thinking about the time a klingon had to use it to kill a borg
@@bengineer8 warf killed a Borg with a malketh in a movie, during a space walk outside the enterprise.
So would a simple gun, wouldn't it?
@@rehanmemon3969 Not in a spacewalk.
Plus there's the "21 foot rule".
Klingons don't care about ergonomics, all that matters is a warrior's HONOR! They sleep on wooden boards, for Crimeny's sake. IJS
So what if they sleep on boards? A hard bed is supposed to be good for the back.
Now is was boards of nails, that would be different.
His point is that they would likely consider the concept of ergonomics to be "comfort-seeking" and therefore "weak", rather than efficient.
Klingon toughness likes to override common sense.
It's actually a defining aspect of their culture - to the point where Klingon medical technology is decades behind the Federation because when a Klingon is wounded/stricken with illness to the point that it leaves them physically debilitated, they commit ritual suicide rather than have their scientists pour time and effort into developing some kind surgical technique that would allow the Klingon to continue living albeit in a somewhat reduced state of health - as far as they're concerned, if you're a Klingon who can't fight there's literally no reason to keep living.
A more detailed accounting of Rich's point :)
Skall- addressing the use of blades in a setting with ranged weapons, we still carry them in modern warfare. I carry an M-48 tomahawk and two large knives, one of which is almost 18" in length, on my kit due to experience we've had in CQB where they actually DO come into play. While no, you're not going to go charging into an insurgent compound in Ramadi waving a claymore around (unless you're the reincarnation of Jack Churchill), but when you're doing room-to-room sweeps and get into a hugging dustup with the guy hiding in the closet and his AK and your M4 are tangled up and no clear LOS for your teammates to shoot, having a blade on your lower back or dropleg can make the difference. I'm not a Trekkie, so I can't speak to Klingons, but I HAVE worked with Gurkhas who still carry blades into battle for pragmatic and traditional reasons (and for the record, pardon my language, but as much as I love them the Gurkhas are BATSHIT INSANE! O.O ), so there are real-world equivalents in modern warfare.
I had a Ghurka driver once. He quite casually mentioned killing 23 Taleban on a hillside using his kukri and throwing rocks. He was barely 23 himself
Woah, anymore kick ass stories you can tell us? I'm guessing you were in some sort of special forces.
If a man tells you he isnt afraid of death, he is either lying, or a ghurka.
And considering the relatively confined spaces of spaceships, ending up in CQB doesn’t seem terribly unlikely.
From what I have read in the comments, the Mek’leth evolved from improvised weapons used to repel boarders. They were made from small bulkhead struts inside early Klingon ships which often were knocked loose after suffering multiple hits from opposing ships.
Basically everything I've ever heard about the Gurkhas is either about how they are super friendly or how they will happily do some of the most insane things in combat.
I always considered the mekleth as being more sensible than the batleth.
+watchthe1369
I agree.
+Skallagrim The Bat'leth was more of a ceremonial weapon. Yes it has some practical purposes, but the weapon was primarily designed to fight other klingons with bat'leths. Similar to how only samurai/nobles would have katana's and would only fight another with the same weapon. The Mek'leth was more of a 'common klingons' weapon for the standard warrior, which served a similar purpose as a gladius. Which is a 'jack of all trades' kind of blade; which the Mek'leth served the same purpose.
+Fobhopper Fun fact : Borg adaptable personal Shields deflect energy and projectile weapons , so yes Melee weapons are fare more effective against them..
+Phantom Apprentice Bonus fun fact- if you compare the shape of the Mek'leth with the bat'leth, it is basically a chunk of a batleth. I think the lore is it was made by a klingon hero from a batleth that was shattered/broken. So it is origined from improvisation.
Spirit Runner Why no mention of a Daq'thag
"a pretty good impact device against bones"
What did the doctor do to deserve that?
Jamie Smith haha
Damnit jim
My guess is, in universe, the Medieval Klingons used more practical and ergonomic designs for their weapons, but many of their designs are particularly anti-ergonomic, and this anti-ergonomic sensibility is a part of their culture of self-hardening. A lot of their hand to hand combat ideas are ceremonious rather than practical. So they enter this phase of battle with weapons that are intimidating but self-handicapping because the goal of this phase of the battle is the experience rather than the strategic objective. Also, because of the ceremonious nature of their melee weapons, they seem to be more often employed in trials by combat and other cremonial bouts than in conventional combat encounters which are usually firefights or ship battles.
Wonder how Many battles they lost in the past by think like that
is it me or there's a creepy ass music playing in the BG
+Vegeta Sounds like ongoard a klingon ship :D.
+The Pandora Guy Yeah those Klingons like to party.
Werner D Pienaar
More like a fighting suite, not a party track.
***** Really? Sounds like every trans song played at a glowstick party.
Werner D Pienaar
Can't confirm that.
I guess the mek'leth (and probably bat'leth) could be more efficient and ergonomic but I feel it also reflects the Klingon design ethos of basic necessity and upholding traditions. This was a really interesting video
Well their bladed weapons haven't been their primary killing tools in centuries, so it probably represents their cultural and design stafnation when it comes to hand-to-hand combat.
I wonder if tradition is the reason there are no handle scales. Hear me out. Klingons find old blades that used to have handle scales but they were made of wood so they rotted away.
Tradition dictates that they not deviate from the designs that they found in those old tombs
The show history on the meqleth is cool. It was originally a bulkhead strut on the bridge; the inside curve and the handle were originally supports for cables. When the ship suffered battle damage, the struts would be thrown around, and could be converted fairly quickly into makeshift short swords.
"The grip looks uncomfortable" well to be fair the Klingons are the kind of people to get poked with "pain sticks" in order to have fun so uh... yeah lol
"Mommy, mommy can we get poked with pain sticks"
"No pain sticks before dinner"
"Aww , okay"
I think the handle is not needed because most klingons have thick leather gloves as part of their wearing.
i dont think the pain sticks were for fun, to be fair. the pain sticks were for a ritual to prove oneself as a warrior
@@littlesnowflakepunk855 this is fair lol
"No shoot fire stick in space canoe. Cause explosive decompression!"
Klingons do use disruptors off Qo'noS. Their melee weapons are ceremonial, Klingons are very traditional.
Ceremonial would mean not useful. They use them quite a bit on DS9, and even Voyager. They're especially good against an enemy like the Borg, who have personal shields. Or in situation where technology is being dampened, which was a common tactic used by the Dominion.
Joshua Pearce
I worded that wrong. They're primarily ceremonial, but they are effective weapons, especially where others have failed.
I think so, too.
As the Katanas were usually a "fashion" thing during the Tokugawa period. Since they were most of time at peace (the same way western movies, they were at peace most of time).
The same way swords by time went on were an usefull fashion thing. They had guns, but a melee wepon always come in hand.
Indeed, wasn't it a Mek'leth that Worf used during the deflector dish scene in First Contact?
Yes.
Saw your shirt, instant subscribe. "What is a man? A miserable little pile of secrets. But enough talk, have at you!"
+Lord Cthulhu You steal mens souls and make them your slaves! Couldnt the same be said of all religions? :p
Oh yeah?
Well, All your base are belong to us!
I bet you don't feel like Youre Winner now do you?
Shame people only know that quote fro ma video game and not from it's actual original source... Andre Malraux
@@thelastmotel people don't read anymore grandpa! Go use a pencil to write or a bicycle to transport yourself! Welcome to the 90s
I personally am thankful for the source of the quote. People who prefer ignorance mystify me.
Actually I always felt that the Mek'Leth had no grip of its own, at least the model used in the film First Contact, was because it was being used for zero G combat, attached to Worf's space suit - and this space suit also had heavy gloves, which made the grip a lot tighter than it normally would be.
If the Star Trek Universe has access to guns and fancy lasers, why would a Klingon need this weapon? Shouldn't they be like swords now where militaries mainly use them for ceremonial purposes?
From what I've seen, that's pretty much what they do use them for. They're honor weapons used for dueling and other ceremonial purposes. Occasionally you will see people in the Trek universe (not just Klingons) use edged weapons for quick stealthy kills, such as stabbing someone in an alleyway, or as self defense weapons in places where phasers and other ranged weapons aren't available or permitted, though.
They use melee weapons only for cerimonial purposes, sport and for personal duels/disputes. Not really for war and security matters.
marcphoenix
From what we ses of Klingons in Star Trek, especially DS-9, dueling to the death with Dach'Tah (The little daggers) and Batleths is very common as a means of settling disputes, but we've also seen them using these weapons during assaults, especially bording actions against ships and stations where these weapons can actually come into use in the close confines of a ship's corridors. Plus, Klingons are not the only ones to use melee weapons. The Jem'Hadar had a kind of hybrid axe weapon they would use, plus Jem'Hadar frequently used Bayonets. In the end, Klingons just prefer getting in close and fighting hand-to-hand over just shooting someone any day, because, as they see it, any little Ferengi can pull a trigger, but it takes a real warrior to charge in close and kill an enemy man-to-man.
in universe the mekleth was a weapon of opportunity. originally a pipe strut along the walls of the bridge. in a dire situation a quick strike would loosen it and in large battles with the ship being jostled about they would have already littered the floor of the bridge. the name even originally meh leh means sword that comes from the bridge.
weldonwin
Really? I didn't watch DS-9. But it makes sense to use weapons like daggers or others when strategy makes the opportunity. In New Generation you could feel that they could always go melee if they could.
The Mek leth is actually a cable spacers used on their ships simular to the pinions used to anchor ropes on anchent sailing vessels. When a handy weapon was needed all one had to do was reach out to a bulkhead whicjh was often riddled with Mek leths and grab them. Many would be wrapped in leather for ease of use as a tool and as a weapon and became one of many favored weapons on Klingon ships
"I dont know if they have armor or just thick looking clothing " sounds like an insult between two klingons at the mess table
Thick looking clothing can often be armor in a sense.
@@lukasperuzovic1429 you sound like Data trying to mediate between two Klingons
@@keatoncampbell820 Ever heard of a gambeson? - ruclips.net/video/LP8QB_7Jsdc/видео.html
Have you ever accidentally whacked your camera while swinging around one of the weapons you show?
Mormaxim TheKingslayer
No.
***** oh my god I've been answered this is insane
+Mormaxim TheKingslayer
_"Senpai noticed me!"_
+MadEngineer lol
+Mormaxim TheKingslayer the same amount of bread you've had in your live
According to Lore, the bat'leth is a carefully crafted weapon, with a long tradition behind it, ritual uses, and (considering what Klingon religion is like) religious significance.
The Mek'leth meanwhile, is an entirely utilitarian design.
Built for practicality in combat, and the generally agressive sensibilities Klingons have. (hence a bladed guard).
It is also effectively made from scrap metal, or whatever byproducts happen to be to hand from starship or other large construction projects that involve a lot of metal.
In that sense, the Mek'leth is used by Klingons who are trying to be as practical as possible (insofar as carrying a bladed weapon in an era where ranged energy weapons are the norm can be considered practical), while the Bat'leth is favoured more for reasons of tradition and history, and various matters of honour.
(even in the series, klingons that try and explain how to use a Bat'leth imply its pretty challenging to use...)
If that were true they wouldn't use weapons. I think it was just a cost saving measure for production staff, maybe an aesthetic they ended up liking on top of that.
KuraIthys "Kales slew his brother, and in his victory, he named his sword...BATLE'TH!"
We killed our gods, they were more trouble then they are worth. Yup, couldn't agree more, send klingons after ISIS!
I love the music you've added to the video. It really gave it the Klingon warrior atmosphere.
Amazingly enough my spell check recognises "klingon" as a word yet doesn't for a lot of other non-fictional things.
I find the music is disturbing.
This is music? oO I thought there would be some undefined background noises from outside the house or something.
***** Well, he doesn't live in a dungeon. (I think)
whats with the creepy music in the background, not very pleasant to hear at 4:35 in the morning
Anthony Vlahakis Glad Im not the only one who heard that lolol
Anthony Vlahakis I thought that was a severe weather siren, they have regular tests of said.
Anthony Vlahakis Coincidentally I'm watching at 4:50 am, as for the music, I can solve that mystery. When I was growing up my parents had a lawn mowing service that would come every day in the summer. That's what the background noise is, he just decided to film when his lawn was getting mowed.
It sounds alot like the music in Fallout (or at least in Sips' playthrough of it).
Petronio39 no, no..thats definitely music
The mek'leth was specifically designed for Michael Dorn, as he wanted something more practical than carrying around a bat'leth. The handle was designed for his hand.
Oh nice I didn't know this
That weapon would be very useful in CQC, The kligons did use them for boarding parties during assaults. It makes sense because once they transport unto your ship you have little room left for faser fire and riffles, you don't want to blow your own ship apart. Once they close in on you with that and you have no armor at all they will run you through big time. It is also their culture they do prefer hand to hand combat and they see it as more skillful and honorable than rifles. They are physically taller and stronger and they regain stamina quicker than humans so they fancy their chances in CQC with humans too.
So for that use it's very practical in that universe still.
*****
What Mick seems to have .. I'm sure...temporarily forgotten, is that recently on board a ship that was taken over by pirates a member of the US navy had a knife kill on one of the pirates, apparently either as or just before things went south. Look at the two knives carried for example by the navy SEALS and the israeli special forces. SEALS use a short I believe 4 inch bladed folding combat knife while the israeli's still use the good old K Bar. One... very... flavorful competition between the two knives and soliders demonstrated that pretty much, chances of these weapons being used in an actual firefight were slim. the only person that employed one on the american team during the simulation used it to take out a guard in the beginning. The only time the K bar came into play was because an isreali special forces solider who was specifically a hand to hand specialist got the drop on an american soldier and didnt want to give his position away. Now, how many guys in any military are H2H specialists, and how often are they going to get the drop on someone like that? Not often. So definetly, firearms are the primary weapon. I seriously doubt even H2H specialists are going to do any crazy knife throwing. both of the knives carried by the SEALS and the isreali forces are really more there for utility purposes. The SEAL knife is small, compact. The K Bar is an old stand by, a good knife for survival situations, tough. Also, some US special forces DID carry tomahawks specially made by a company in tennessee for a time (made to be able to pop a target wearing a kevlar helmet), and a simliar weapon/tool was included in a tool set used by the army for a time. but remember, it WAS a tomahawk, but it was included as a tool that was also easily repurposed to a survival type weapon in emergencies. Also some other countries do issue machetes, but its still mostly and formost a tool. But other than formal occassions, well, I cant think of anyone off hand that actually issues swords anymore. The firearm overtook melee weapons as the soldier primary weapon CENTURIES ago. Sure, someone trying to draw a firearm while someone else punches him in the throat or stabs him in the heart with a knife he popped out of a sleeve can win, and what is that? A bad choice or poor training on the guy with the guns side. So the whole melee > guns is largely a hollywood/animae thing, or an instance of some story about a stoned or drunk thug pulling a gun on a martial artist at close range and simply getting creamed. Look at that last riot in tibet where you see a few guys waving swords at soldiers with riot shields. They didnt get very far with that, did they? Yet people also get the wrong impression from pirate movies, which employ firearms of a really different type. Sure, you need a blade as a backup with your guns can fire a max of 2-4 times and have totally crap range and accuracy.
In truth,what is really silly, is that if you took a guy with a mp5 and put him up against guys with star trek weapons, it would go like this. Klingons: They might win, because they mix troops carrying disruptor pistols and blades. On high setting, you dont have to even hit your target, a near miss works. You've almost got no recoil semi auto mini grenade launchers. Plus, klingons are just tougher and stronger, you chew one klingon up with half your clip, then another, who doesnt quite stop moving, you still have the other 2-4 psycho's charging you to consider. Federation: After scanning you with their tricorders, they simply beam you into their ship, hold you in storage until security comes in, render all your ammo inert before materializing you, then rematerialize you and hit you with phasers set on wide beam heavy stun before your brain has even adjusted to the fact your no longer standing where you were. If they are pissed. If not, they'd probably stand there and try talking you to death, then stun you.
*****
Special forces are issued with tools that are designed to also function as good short range weapons.
Take the entrenching tool. It sacrifices some functionality as a shovel, specifically to do more damage as a melee weapon and the Russian special forces are still trained in weapon drills using it as a melee weapon.
While sub machine guns are usually more effective, it would be naive to say that melee weapons weren't still relevant.
*****
And yet the Spetsnaz, one of the most dangerous special forces in the world still feel the need to drill in melee weapon techniques.
I dunno about you, but I'm more likely to trust the opinions of actual special forces, rather than people on youtube, who claim to be soldiers but could just as easily be fat slobs who work at mcdonalds.
You know, verified sources over unverified sources?
But if you're willing to believe anything people claim to be on the internet, I am the greatest soldier of all time, with 19 tours of duty and over 1900 confirmed kills and have won over 90 medals for bravery in the line of duty. (And yet you still have as much reason to believe that as you do with these people claiming to be soldiers.)
But just for the sake of argument, let's pretend that the people in this thread are actual soldiers. The russian special forces still train in melee weapon techniques, so they must still have a place in modern day operations or they wouldn't bother.
ps. Only people who don't have a competent argument rush to insults, rather than reasonable arguments. Please come back when you have a reasoned argument, rather than childish insults.
What all of you ignore in here ... it is not an either/ or in star trek's context. While some people use phaser rifles, most use single hand weapons, that still seem pretty destructive in most episodes.
So when you basically hold a enegry pistol (phaser/ disruptor/ whatever) in one of your hands, having an additional (!) Mek'leth in the other as a big fighting knife won't hurt, now will it?
As well, do keep in mind that in RL you can't just beam next/ behind to an enemy on their bridge, and start butchering them with your small sword. :-D
*****
Ok, shall we look at the original post which started this and therefore, defines the argument at hand.
This is a discussion about combat in boarding parties, used by Klingon warriors.
I will address 2 points here:
1) Hazards of weaponry in space
2) Physiology of Klingons
1) Current NASA regulations explicitly state that no guns are allowed, for obvious reasons. The less obvious thing is that even in an advanced future, projectile weapons or high energy weapons would still be a very bad idea. No matter what technology evolves, spaceships and stations will always be in the vacuum of space, which means that by necessity, space craft with internal, breathable atmospheres will be pressurised containers.
With any pressurised container, the weakest point is vulnerable to rupture, which means that any projectile that could weaken the hull is a serious risk.
This means that projectile weapons could in theory, went the entire atmosphere into space if you miss, killing everyone and due to the rush of gas, probably turning a small hole into a very large tear in the hull, making it difficult to repair and repressurise.
Modern submarines and the modules for the ISS, were all forged in one piece, so that there was no weak point. Every point on the hull has the same capacity to deal with pressure.
2) The Klingon race is one that evolved several sets of organs to deal with the violent combat that fills their lives. You shoot a Klingon in the heart and he'll keep going because he has several hearts, located elsewhere in the body.
Now why is this relevant? Well, we already established that projectile weapons are a bad idea, which means that energy weapons are going to be your ranged alternative. We know such weapons are possible but current costs and power requirements, mean that the weapons that are currently in testing are mounted on trucks, due to the size of the components.
Current energy weapons use heat as their damaging component. They destroy by super heating the object.
Now consider the make up of all life on earth.They are predominantly water (with very few exceptions, such as some desert dwelling plants). Water is used as a fire fighting and cooling agent worldwide because it has a very high latent heat capacity, which is the amount of energy required to heat it up. What this means is that the hand held, low power energy weapons are going to have a limited area of affect. They hit the body and only affect organs within a few inches at most of the point that is hit.
So what you have is a warrior, who is going to take your shots and keep going. It's not surprising, therefore, that such a race would use melee weapons, since can get up in your face.
Furthermore, Klingons fight eachother a lot, which means they are likely to train with melee weapons, due to the ineffectiveness of energy weapons. You'll notice how most Klingon weapons carry large blades, probably to circumvent the multiple organs problem and go for a decapitation or large wound, cutting as many blood vessels as possible and causing them to bleed out.
So to summarise:
Modern military engagements don't matter in this discussion and even if they did, I think the trainers of one of the world's most dangerous special forces know a little bit more than you do.
(ps. Don't call me Son. It's annoying and it makes it very obvious you're trying to make yourself sound older and more knowledgeable than me. Prove it with your argument, rather than pet names)
Regardless of the culture of Klingons, this is about practicality. Not authenticity/culturally appropriate. Not trying to be rude, but a lot of the top comments are missing the point I think.
Matthew Chenault you could get a firmer grip with a good handle though
Kingons make their weapons the least Ergonomic as possible hat only the most skilled warriors can thrive through combat. Stupid, but a good idea for a race of traditional warrior people lore wise.
No pommel though, reduces your ranged capabilities
10:26 "Spending excess amounts of currency on weaponry is illogical."
Shatner: Not if it makes me look good.
i think melee weapons in a space fairing culture make more sense than the do currently earth at least when it comes to combat on-broad a ship. In a boarding action or mutiny where the aggressors aren't already in vacuum proof suits and both sides have an interest in keeping the ship undamaged i think swords, knives, and the like would get use over projectiles that could potentially pierce the hull.
not to mention the close, almost trench like warfare you'd be dealing with inside a vessel
Plus every now and again, you run into a race who've spent agges making shields that make them impervious to phaser fire , making them unbeatable by 99% of the galaxy. Times like that, the klingons dominate (as do the borg, those 7 foot hunter guys and Species 8473 I guess)
TNG era Klingons, the embodiment of honor before reason.
yeah, the bat'leth and the Mek'leth are good weapons, only if you face another of the same weapon
+Devastator5042, the Mek'leth seems to be a fairly reasonable weapon, in its own right, but the Bat'leth isn't, it'd almost certainly lose out to any European sword.
"Made in Chin'Ah!" I genuinely lolled at that. Nice one.
Q'apla on the cheap! Today is a good day to bargain hunt!
+PainMonkey When the Klingons become the Ferengi, the Romulans win.
>; )
@@Maphisto86 guess we can blame Quark for that...
Thanks for another great video, Skallagrim. I'm an avid tabletop roleplayer, and watching your videos gives me so much great insight and inspiration for descriptions - both in combat-situation, but also for worldbuilding and in-game NPCs like craftsmen and combat-instructors. So yeah, thank you so much for you amazing contents! Stay frosty!
WHAT IS THAT MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND !?!?!?!?!?!?!??!
Andrija Dragojević it’s creepy as bruh lol
Sounds like a lawn mower
@@XiaoFury
Sounds like part of the Fallout 1 soundtrack, if im not mistaken.
Klingons fight Klingons all the time with blades. I guess they're mostly used for honor fights between Klingons.
This! I think the Klingons must be into intentional anachronisms! Having an ergonomic handle would yield a less "honorable" weapon. Also, this is why the Bat'leth is awkward: it is the more honorable weapon!
stcredzero And having the weapon fly out of your hand with a strong swing because of a shitty handle is honorable?
searchoverload8 Kingon point of view: You can't even keep hold of your weapon? Pathetic.
stcredzero
"Also, this is why the Bat'leth is awkward: it is the more honorable weapon! "
I think with the Bat´leth its more the idea that the original was forged by Kahless, their messiah. So it would be considered blasphemy to change it to much
stcredzero
The thing with the Bat'leth is that it is more useful in rifle and bayonet-style fighting than in actual sword fighting. It creates a useful barrier against incoming strikes and can quickly turn them into multiple slashes. Having said that, the inability to use it like an actual sword is a big disadvantage but bat'leth fighting seems to be more symbolic than practical.
I suspect that the 'primitive' handle finish is a throwback to the very early days of Klingon history when everything was rough and ready and they didn't waste any materials or time on finish.
Also Klingon's invariably wear gloves.
It would be interesting to hear your opinion about potential techniques of lightsaber fighting. Blade has no weight and it must affect the technique a lot.
The blade should also destroy the device and wielder's hand(s) due to how hot it is. Not the most practical weapon, as cool as it is.
THAT is an interesting idea. Skall please do this. I promise not to praise your words, but seriously that is a really nice setup for an episode.
send him one and he will review it :P
Well the fact that the lightsabers are pretty much stables lasers and are able to clash against one another and be deflected is kind of weird since it would be a stick of energy.
TheOmegau they also shouldn't be able to hit other light saber "blades"
Where do you get all these weapons? Where did you train? I wanna learn..
+Adnan Ahmed
This should help:
www.communitywalk.com/user/view/81443
ww4.aitsafe.com/go.htm?go=kultofathena.com&afid=28632&tm=14&im=1
+Skallagrim ooo, Thank you for your time and link :) Have a great day!!
Skallagrim I'm disappointed that all of those are at least 90 minutes drive away from me.
You are by far the funniest reviewer of weapons of ever seen yet obviously intelligent grate mix love it .
what you have to understand is that klingons are culturally opposed to comfort
megazwatcher This is not just about comfort, it's about effectiveness and practicality.
*****
you mean like how it would be more effective and practical to get a good night's sleep on a comfortable bed then to sleep on a hard flat metal plate? or maybe you mean like how much more effective and practical it would be to use an energy weapon to kill your enemy from across the room then hitting them with a sharp piece of metal?
megazwatcher
Bad handle makes it literally less deadly - it can slip and keeps you from gripping it in different ways. It just goes to show that the people who write stories are not neccessary masters in the subject field they are writing about.
when you hit something with that blade it will hurt your hand which is really stupid you wanna hurt them not yourself and after frequent use there could be serious damage
KspreeTheUnicorn
can i just point out that Klingon's ritualistically drink poison, there idea of foreplay is the Klingon couple beating each other to a bloody pulp. they are NOT the most logical caret on the tree if you know what i mean. any pain from using that weapon just makes the warrior stronger and if he can's get the job done thru the pain with the weapon he has then he is unworthy to live anyway
The Klingons actually do have some armoring. Mostly padded with some metal in it, and most of the time it's got a reinforced spine.
I didn't quite remember if they do, but yeah, in that case the point would come in handy against armor.
Yeah. It's easily seen here: www.propstore.com/product-images/389/113580.jpg
Pretty decent replica of Klingon armor, if you ask me.
*****
They also use disruptors (energy beam side arms) as primary weapons. Mek'leth and other blades were basically close quarters or ceremonial/duelist weapons.
asmcint here is the thing, is that really armor? I mean we never see it actually stopping a blow from a rival weapon or dispersing a weapon shot, so what does it do? I'm pretty sure it's just a fancy uniform. For a people so caught up in honor and tradition it makes sense for them to have a slightly flashy, if less effective uniform.
W. JoaTMoNO
Disruptors aren't strictly sidearms, actually. There are disruptor rifles and pistols.
That shirt alone deserves a like. Was going to watch the video but now I have to go play SOtN.
One point not mentioned for course, is that even with ranged weapons, occasionally close range combat does break out, and a backup CC weapon is not a terrible idea, especially something like a knife/machete which has non combat utilitarian use. The lack of handle is bewildering though. Poor ergonomics lead to a warrior fighting with decreased efficiency, which for such a warrior heavy race seems a little weird. I would have expected the Clingons to realise the functional use of a simple handle, and the increase in effectiveness to come from it.
You seems to be a fan of castlevania.
Hey, why don't you do a video about trademark weapons in that game too ? Like chainwhip or really long chained mace ? :P
MariusThePaladin I actually plan to do that.
*****
Cool! I will be looking foward to it. :D
MariusThePaladin
I read your opening statement in the voice of Psycho Mantis.
I have a prop bat'leth in my star trek collection I inherited from my Aunt. I find if you use it like a combined dual naginata and quarter staff it is an effective weapon
I could see why they might opt for a blade as most person to person combat in star trek are boarding actions in starships where it's easy for them to close distance.
where is the music you're using? The exact track if you could.
it looks like a great wallhanger, so shiny and eyecatching
Man, that background music sounds ominous!
JohnnyMarsBar
Hehe. Guess what I've been playing all day? :P
Adjuni heh, btw that screaming in the main theme fucking creeps me to no end, like between the song bits all you hear is AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH
JohnnyMarsBar
Hehehehe.
Hi, where can I buy your castlevania T-shirt ? It looks so cool :D
I got it from RedBubble.
***** Thank you :)
That is, without a doubt, one of the most awesome t-shirts that I have ever seen. Holysweetgoddamn!
The bat'leth is an interesting weapon when you look at it from the perspective of its intended use: boarding actions on early Klingon starships. Think of a weapon that would work well in the tight corridors of a submarine. If you were using a longsword sword, you'd be shoving, half-swording, or going for vertical cuts and long thrusts. Sounds a lot like a bat'leth, except for the thrusting bit. It's a lot better in every other way, with all of its guards crossing the chest and keeping you quite safe from knives, swords, powered armor attacks, etc. Of course there's that whole "being shot" problem...
Thanks for reviewing the mek'leth!
As for your question about Klingons and armour: yes, they do, Klingon battle armour is a mix of metal and ceramic interconnected with future-stuff and is extremely durable. It even offers some resistance against energy weapons, there's a note in one book or another where security gets reminded to dial up the phasers to stun Klingons in armour. It is largely a setting where the technology of weapons has all but completely surpassed armour, though in the Dominion War that starts to come around again.
The weapon honestly looks like something built entirely for offense
Makes me think of some African bladed weapons
+Gerben van Straaten Kopesh is Egyptian though.
+HpBassBoosts/ /Riot Mine Gaming And on which continent is Egypt?
MorningPlays Well if you are trying to be smart, Egypt is transcontinental and is in parts of Africa and Asia. I figured instead of zooming in on certain areas in Africa, like Egypt, the person was referring to weapons used widespread.
+HyleRiot Lead/Gfx Egypt is in Africa, it's not transcontinental that would be saudia arabia.
Sousuke Aizen Can you even google?
Thanks for reviewing this weapon! Just discovered your channel, and I'm a big trekkie. On the point of the practicality of melee weapons in a universe with personal energy weapons - it's only ever one character who uses the mek'leth: Worf - and he is particularly interested in Klingon combat skills, honing them greatly, even participating in tournaments. Most of the regular Klingon soldiers you see on the show either don't carry a serious melee weapon aside from a dagger (d'k tahg), or wield a bat'leth as part of a shock attack where they expect to close the distance fairly quickly (i.e. beaming onto a ship/station). But, in both cases they are usually always armed with a disruptor pistol as well. Sorry for the nerdy wall of text. Nice channel, subbed!
For those who've never seen Star Trek: First Contact, here's the Mek'leth in (movie) action! ruclips.net/video/hFcNdepOFBM/видео.htmlm2s
***** that one actually has a handle on it. Also it looks a bit different
+Alistar Wormwood It lacks the "Guard" Spike
trek fan here...i guess klingons are humanoid, but have more hardiness than humans, and probably think it's dishonourable to use handles. and klingons have ranged weapons. they more or less use melee weapons in close quarters.
This is a really good video. It's nice to see a good analysis of a Klingon Mek'leth.
Yeah, Klingon weapons are rather impractical. They seem to have an emphasis on being spartan. They sure look cool though!
Awesome review! You seem to do guns, too-have you considered reviewing the Star Trek phaser? That thing's full of design problems...
I think you should specify which handphaser design you are talking about, as there have been several of them and they have had wildly different designs.
Great video, very understandable explanation.
As a Trek fan I have always shared your view that the bat'leth is a horribly impractical weapon, though there were a few episodes that showed them in action and the stunt people did a passable job of making them seem like real weapons.
But the mek'leth always seemed much more realistic. Its length limits it usefulness to extreme short-range melee, but also makes it much more practical than a longer weapon in the tight confines of ships or other indoor environments. And the flared end gives the mek'leth a decent amount of power in a short swing. The crappy grip seems to be an outgrowth of the mondern trend of creating knife grips by wrapping bare tangs with 500-paracord or leather strips (which I don't like much - give me a nice rubberized grip or pair of ergonomic wooden scales any day).
As for points, Klingon warriors carry some sort of stabbing knife with them at all times, most famously the d'k tahg, a heavy blade with two spring-out secondary blades that seem to be intended to function as a hand guard, and a spiked spherical pommel. It's a beautiful weapon with at least some practicality (except for the secondary blades, they seem useless). When paired with a mek'leth, it would give a warrior the ability to slash, stab, and smash.
memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/D%27k_tahg
See if you can get your hands on a halo "energy" sword [real one made of metal not plasma obviously] and review its practicality
He could do that, but since an energy sword is made of you know, energy, it would make no sense to compare it.
Jane Murphy Indeed. But if Skall really gets his hand on a REAL energy sword from halo I would also want a review, just to see one. :D
killer13324 Well Maybe he could start something like a concept discuss, but that's not likely. You would need a different format, because The Halo Energy-sword or the Lightsabre or the AC-Hidden blade, or, or, or are weapons very specifically for a very special purpose, and/or are such theoretical in their design it is difficult to discuss, because everything is just hot air and you have no connection to reality.
Jan Plewa they have one where the blade is just colored metal look it up
Considering that a metal blade has literally nothing in common with a plasma one that would be pretty pointless.
Made in Chee-NA! * XD *
Actually Ch'na in good Klingon. :)
Yeah, I'm kind of remedial....I need to sound it out
Wouldn't that technically be Feringinar? :P
All these awesome blades in these videos are making me anxious for my karambit trainer and kukri to arrive.
Well, the Mek'leth is supposedly an ancient weapon. So I guess they make it in the traditional way.
....I feel like Klingon's would be amused at you complaining that the weapon isn't comfortable enough. I realise that's a pretty weak justification though. ^_^
Anyway, interesting video. I have to admit, I would like to see you do a review of the Batleth. I think all the ones used in the show were made of wood. I don't know if they were supposed to be made out of any kind of special alloy in the lore though.
In my opinion, making it uncomfortable is part of the point of the Mek'leth. Klingons must work through pain, it makes them stronger. It is part of who they are.
Luke Branham I have been working with weapon arts both European and Asian for about 5 years now. The forces incurred on your body when using a weapon over the amount of time it takes to learn and maintain skills causes permanent damage to the body and weakens you. In Arnis i use yantoks and if they are slightly bent after maybe not laying them down right for a night, then you can get carpal tunnel unless you straighten them out. You want to practice a little with a bent weapon to give you an idea of what they are like, and learning how to make a weapon out of everything.
Luke Branham its not about pain its about plain bad handling. A flat grip on any knife, sword or tool is not only painful but makes for bad power transfer, bad balance and its pretty much guaranteed to give your hand a shocking jolt on every impact. Imagine a big hammer with a flat handle and you'll know what I'm talking about, it would be likely to break your bones used hard enough.THere is almost no shock absorption. An ergonmic handle allows for that.
ye pretty sure everything about the makleth even it's use would be tradition.
whynottalklikeapirat Technically klingons never had the chance to learn that for themselves. They were made slaves by a warp culture and eventually revolted and overthrew them. Taking their tech for themselves.
While they're capable of advancing it to a degree things like their culture stayed in place. Besides klingon scientist's don't get respect.
Nice red shirt reference. Of course, any weapon could take them down.
A large rubber band, fired at the head or chest of a red shirt, is sufficient.
I love the picture on your shirt. Who can forget the scene where Richter threw his pommel at Dracula and ended the game's prologue rightly?
I always assumed the mek'leth took off because of the borg incursion
this isnt on the fantasy weapons scrutinized series?
Star trek= sci-fi rather than fantasy
I think this is questioning it's fundamental practicality, as where the FWS series talks about weapons that we already know aren't practical in any way, shape, or form.
Janos Jalics
It's still fantasy and made up.
Janos Jalics finction = fantasy ;) just science fantasy
Levantin
Not the kind of fantasy the genre fantasy refers too, though.
i just love your honesty, in all of your videos
Mek-leth / Case Hardened
Yes.
that music is freaking me out I cannot finish the video
BlinkinFirefly It's not music, accidental background noise. Lawn mower.
+Si74l0rd It sounds way too rhythmic to be a lawn mower. Lol
Music is dope
+Si74l0rd Modern composers often use noise in their music
Actually, melee combat is relatively common in Star Trek due to the prevalence of ship to ship boarding actions and other scenarios in which ranged weapons aren't viable. Besides which Klingon bladed weapons are primary used in duals rather then for battlefield use.
That thing looks like the type of fucked up weapon Reavers would use.
agreed.
And now I'm imagining Summer Glau holding two
SomeKindaSpy Starcraft *trollface*
Why would you bring that up? Now I'm sad again. :(
I would drop the music it was distracting!
No it shweren't!
Recently someone complained that without music in the background it sounds too "empty" and uninteresting.
And I knew someone would complain now as well, because you can never please everybody.
***** I didn't even notice there was music lol
***** Maybe you could use a less dominant sounding music next time. I actually thought it was some motor noise outside your home until I read this comment. (Personally, I would prefer videos without music as well, but it's up to you, of course.)
CastingThe Runes
The funny thing is, other viewers said it was fitting, others said it was pretty subtle.
Whatever I do, some will like it, others won't. I can't draw any conclusions from it either way.
“It doesn’t actually have a tip, but you know what I mean.”
“Well, not a pommel, but you know what I mean.”
“I can definitely see the point of that, even though it doesn’t have a point.”
Good ol’ Skall
Mek'leth hardened case, 800$ on steam market xD
*Case hardened
Golem215 *in a backyard firepit
What, no skin? No strange quality? Not even gold? LAME.
Klingons don't need handles... They are warriors.
Qwerty that have human hands and take damage from sharp things
Excellent video: The Mek'leth is a very good sparring and more practical then a sickle. I prefer the knife of the burmese but still i have seen it used in sparing and it is good at closing quadrants in the guard and issuing cuts. Good hand protection. I am surprised by your narrow view of the Bat'leth.
7 Bat'leth Observations
I see the bat'leth as an excellent innovation I like to call a weapon hybrid.
Observation 1: The Bat'leth is a shield! In the simplest sense it is like having a shield in front of you that can deflect any attack in front of you !!! The Bat'leth can control the space in front of you.
Observation 2: The Bat'leth fights like a Staff or Bo. The swordsman has always had issues with staff weapons because of its ability to deflect and redirect their weapon.
Observationn 3: The Bat'leth has powerful cutting motions and thrusts. A swordsman would have no easy time breaking and winding against a Bat'leth. A master swordsman half swords all the time and looks to strike around a gaurd. I would not want to get too close to a Bat'leth!
Observation 4: Someone skilled with a Bat'leth is more a counter puncher then a beserker!!! There is real skill in its profficiency and more to the point when engaging in battle it will give tremendous defence while issuing its attacks. If you think it so easy to disengage a Bat'leth I recommend doing it in sparing!!! The blade either gets deflectsed too far and too slow or it loops around and is caught by the obvious sword trap.
Observation 5: The Bat'leth is capable of half swording itself .... in otherwords at the right point you can fight left handed or right handed. My favorite guard is holding a wide grip pointed 45 degrees upwards. Blows coming down are easily deflected away and I can switch to my right hand on the bottom assisting a descending cut right or vice versa to the left with my left hand on the bottom.
Observation 6: Do not be fooled by its range. The Bat'leth is released all the time for thrusts and sweeps and combined with precise strikes, blows and kicks designed to make the Bat'leth an extension of the Body.
Observation 7: The Bat'leth is a perfectly balanced weapon on both sides allowing for Flexibility in close quarters. Also it can deliver that weight to their blade with leverage along the path. With practice and a knowledge of Aikido the Bat'leth uses dynamic cirles in defense and issuing attack when their is space. They enter around flanking the opponent or they turn against the force into their own attack.
it sucks because it doesn't have a pommel to unscrew!
Omar Salloum How are you supposed to end him rightly!
Your obsession with comfort is an insult to the Klingon aesthetic
cuddlesdapeaceman357
It's not about comfort, it's about EFFICIENCY and PRACTICALITY. Even the Spartans had ergonomic weapon handles.
lol! it was a joke. They had some pretty absurd weapons on that show. I did kind of like the double handed one though. What'd they call that ? Kut-luch?
***** You're right. They could make it a pratical handle, but then if they are so obsessed with making it painful to use, why not just nail their hands into the sword! That way when you're disarmed, your hand is ripped apart! Fun.
***** obviously the klingong dont care about hand damage, if they even take it,
I get the impression that Klingons base their weapons on ancient bone weapons made from parts of the skeletons of large alien creatures (the Bat'leth reminds me of some predator's jawbone.).
As for, ergonomics, I can say from personal experience, for some people, tradition takes priority over comfort to the point they're pretty much fanatical about it.
I'd love to see you talk about the Bat'leth based off the on screen use of it. Maybe talk about the fighting style used with it.
A favorite weapon choice in an honorable fight to the death in a weightless environment usually paired with a dagger
+Skallagrim You mentioning of the potential shape of a more pronounced area of that blade being an anti-armor blade design caught my attention. So this involves a historical sword, and a story passed down through generations in a temporarily forgotten writing system called "Baybayin". After it was forgotten, partially due to the incident that this sword was involved with, and how it came to be modified into a possible anti-armor blade. So I'm referring to the only true long sword in the Philippines, which is called a Kampilan. It was the sword that was used against Ferdinand Magellan, and his soldiers. The Filipino tribal leader/warrior, is said to have modified it from a 40"- 44" headhunting sword, to a sword that could somehow neutralize the thick cloth armor that some Spaniards wore to protect themselves from arrows. It was essentially like a oversized thick white bullet proof vest. I don't know where to get one, or how to replicate it, but vs. the Native American's, and Aztec's, is was very effective. 1 other detail, is that there are small variations of this modification, which is on the reverse side of the blade. For example, the TFW version looks like it has just 1 extra small blade on the back side. Mine appear to have just 1, but it's more hooked in shape, & there are 3 small curved blades altogether. Mine looks like it would do the job better. Mine's discolored a bit, but it's sharpened, and polished. I might be willing to let you borrow it for video making purposes, but look at Ron's version, his Moro/ Southern Philippines blades in general. 1 of the smaller 1's w/ the same modification might be more effective, but if you use the real replica, we could see why it cause the Spaniards to retreat, & abandon Magellan. So mine's 42" w/ the handle, so the measurements are right. Ron's version is 36" so it's smaller, but it might be something you want for your collection. If you have F.B. page, I can show you a photo of mine vs. Ron's, to see if you'd be interested in making a test video.
Really cool shirt. Also, I believe the Klingon Mek'leth is Commander Worf's weapon of choice as seen in Star Trek Deep Space Nine and Star Trek First Contact
The reason the klingons still use blade weapons (along with their disruptors aka guns, which for some reason everyone who does Klingon weapon reviews seems to forget) is well 1 for the ritual of their history, 2 blades don't run out of power to fight (bullets), and 3 blades aren't affected by radiation (which has been well documented in star trek to nullify/disrupt/ disable energy weapons). So a Klingon warrior is always prepared to fight.
A few things of things as both a Trekkie and a martial artist:
While Star Trek is set in the future with phaers and tech, and the Klingons do have a type of phaser called a "disrupter"; culturally, they prefer hand-to-hand combat as a test of honour and skill. So they prefer the Bat'leth (which I agree is a horribly-designed mantle piece, and not an actual weapon) and the Mek'leth and others like them.
Second, while I agree that ergonomics is important, I do personally prefer a minimalistic approach in terms of weaponry. The more complex the design of the grip (like the grip of the one blade you presented), the more it limits versatility in technique. That being said, I do obviously agree that a thicker grip for both the Mek'leth and the Bat'leth is needed. The reason the designers didn't give it one is because the Klingons are known for their disapproval of designing anything for comfort. In this case, however, their mistake was that the lack of any ergonomic design makes the weapon design less practical - which even Klingons would agree is worth the level of distasteful comfort.
Third, the Mek'leth is designed in such a way that it can also be held upside-down, with the back of the blade resting against the forearm, if the situation calls for it. The reason goes back to the idea that Klingons prefer close combat, so that you can "look into the eyes of your prey as you take his life from him". Close combat, to a Klingon, is a greater test of one's bravery, honour, and skill. Even the Bat'leth is often, on the show, held in such a way that the blade rests along the length of the arm. Again: unpractical, terribly uncomfortable to the point that it strains the wrist, and overall ineffective; but Klingons literally have two of everything, so maybe their physiology is such that their wrists are literally double-jointed and they can perform such a maneuver with such strain, haha.
Overall, I agree that Mek'leth makes a decent enough weapon, though it would never be a first choice: although like you, I do like the Concave, widening curvature. The weapon is designed for slashing, and not for stabbing, which is also a trademark of Klingons. They don't mind stabbing; but they do prefer there to be as much blood as possible lol.
Love how you went old school with taking out the Red Shirts, lol
the only time i saw a mek'leth on tv was an episode of deep space 9 and what warf was carrying around looked like a woodsmans pal to me. he had it hanging from his ponytail from the brushhook. i don't know if you're familiar with this tool but they've been around since i was a kid ( i'm 65 now) they were advertised in hunting magazines and were like a short machete with a forward curved blade, wooden handle and a brushhook on the backside of the blade.i'm not sure if they're still on the market any more but it looked a lot more practical than that monstrosity you were testing.i just googled it and it's still around but the name's" woodman's pal". what you had looked too fanboyish for me and the handguard seemed like it'd tear up knuckles if you were to get frisky with it. i generally enjoy your videos and appreciate your practical approach.
The mek'leth (BridgeSword) "originally" was a weapon of convenience. The legend says that it was a pipe strut or brace that supported conduits along the walls of old battle cruisers called a meHleH ... when being boarded, bridge officers found some dislodged from the walls... picking them up to use as a weapon of opportunity. After finding them useful as a CQC tool they were made as a bladed weapon. Yes I just totally geeked out! Lol
Well, Klingons consider comfort a weakness. So a comfortable grip would be a waste in their view. Plus they usually wear some sort of glove anyway.... Fun thing is, the mek'leth is according to the developers a dagger/shortsword by capacity.
I once trained with a bat'leth, they're surprisingly handy, fi you really try "fighting" like the klingons from the show. As per the concept of "forces you to adapt"; well about as much as a Katana would force you to get used to Iaido when you fought with a Rapier the whole life. If you're used to fight with it, it comes as natural as any other weapon.
Klingons do use some kind of armour. The non-canon lore says their uniforms are made of a layer of the same material that the bat'leth and mek'leth are made of, mixed with some other superlight metal that-does-not-yet-exist. Other more canon lore (still not fully canon!) says it's made of the future version of a Kevlar-Ceramic mix aplied to some kind of metal.
Special effects and prop designer Daniel Curry designed both the Bat'leth and the Mak'leth. The latter was produced upon Michael Dorn (Worf)'s request. It would be interesting if Skallagrim could interview either Dan Curry or Michael Dorn about these two weapons.
Great review! I'd never really thought about the impractical ergonomics of the handle before XD
There’s a guy from Oregon called Old town smithy and he mostly makes Iron Age weaponry but he does do Klingon stuff that I’ve seen too. I own a sax and Viking style tomahawk and both are of high quality. He makes his tools by hand and hammer. He also does customs too if I remember correctly.
Basically a Klingon falchon or falcata. If you think about it, in the close quarters combat of a boarding action, a bladed weapon for up close and personal does bake a kind of sense, it also helps to have a backup weapon that doesn't run out of ammo or jam, or need to be aimed.
Your shirt is my favorite video game dialogue of all time.
5 years on and my meklethbeing reviewed is still among my favorites