Underappreciated Historical Weapons: the WAR SCYTHE
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- Опубликовано: 1 окт 2024
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The Scythe is a very misunderstood weapon and has a few versions, one that was legitimately designed for combat.
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The war scythe can never challenge the raw killing power of the WAR SHOVEL. The best weapon for trench warfare.
A shovel is really just a spear with a big head.
Kreig Guardsman: Happy gasmask noises.
Cries in trench foot
This isn't actually a joke btw. Maybe not during medieval times but soldiers these days have field shovels. You can sharpen one of the edges and it makes for a really powerful cutting tool. Can easily cut down small trees, so no need for axes. I'd imagine it cuts equally well into someones head/helmet.
Agrees in warrior monk
The grim reapers scythe is not a weapon but a symbol of harvesting, so it is fitting to depict it as a farmers scythe not a war-scythe.
Grim Reaper is excused to use whatever weapon he/she pleases. I mean, not many people are gonna argue with the Reaper when they're still alive, are they?
The name sort of gives it away. He reaps souls, and reaping is the action of using a sickle or... scythe.
the grim reaper is a pagan representation of death prior to the popularization of Christianity in Europe was a neutral entity that as a farmer only harvested souls when it came time to be represented with a scythe
I bought that exact toy. I still got it.
TL:DR = Depictions of Mythology are almost always "symbolic" and as such do not necessarily reflect Real Life.
"some farming equipment can actually be a very effective weapon"
*looks at tractor*
I'll wip out my John Deere and get all up in them corn rows.
Combine harvester
*looks at shovel*
Hell yes!
there have been more deaths caused by tractors than by sharks
Killdozer
Imagine the horror of seeing a large battalion of farmers with scythes.
"Oh hey. Look. Some farmers. This'll be very easy- OH GOD PHILS DEAD-"
That actually happened in at least one instance. Check out the Polish January uprising. They had special battalions of kosynierzy, od scythers, who were in fact, farmers with war scythes
@@mambaramba farmers: "We will reap the fields, and your head's while we're at it!"
"That's it. Send forth the pommel thrower!"
@@christopheredwards9904 *souls* not heads
@@mambaramba also Kościuszko
The reason the Grim Reaper is portrayed with a scythe is because the scythe is a harvesting tool. The reaper harvests the life of the dead. Reaping the bounty of souls.
Yes, but it can be used as a weapon. Pretty much anything can be used as weapon really, which makes people who say that the GR is not a realistically combat-capable character look really dumb in my eyes. It's a sharp blade on a stick, people have been killed with far less than that!
The fact you can kill with It is worthless, you can kill someone with a chair, why do you think chairs werent weapon used in combat?
Obv a scythe would work agaisnt weaponless farmers, you simply dont want use It in a true combat
@@stylesheetra9411 I never addressed the practicality of it as a weapon. Just that death reaped the life of mortals. I think it symbolises that we aren't worth fighting. He merely harvests us like a crop. For death is unstoppable. We cannot beat it. It will come and it will reap...
You don’t say also it’s very intimidating
No shit, Giarno.
The idea of the scythe that Death holds being used as a weapon is silly. Death doesn't use his scythe to fight people. It's just a symbol. Death fights with a chessboard, or sometimes he plays Twister.
I don't know who you are, but for that reference, I fucking love you.
@@megashark1013 i dont know that reference, but i need to
@@Floofv Bill & Ted.
I prefer Pratchett's vision, Death is also the Horseman, his sword is meant for Armageddon, and the Pale Horse's name is Binky.
*_BOGUS_*
God forbid an intruder breaks into Shad's house when he's awake.
*What toy should I use this time*
Shad upon hearing a window breaking in the middle of the night: *"It's go time."*
Robber Used gun
@@brightbound3309 shad used gun axe
@@brightbound3309 shad used armor
"This is where the fun begins..."
Grim reapers scythe:
Sharpness V
Looting lll
Mending 1
Soul Walking 1.
Historical Accuracy .5
@@TheDragonRuler- It says Grim Reapers Scythe, which is actually very historically accurate.
@@prot0prawnsuitablesinc.dom185 Issa joke
"Swords are good at killing, but so what, I am The Death Itself, I can make a spoon to work damn it! Why not go for a cool one" - Mr. Grim Reaper
Check the weapon named "Crescent Rose" that is a high-caliber sniper-scythe from the show RWBY.
@@Narinjas I like how it can transform in to a war scythe.
guntars mierins Ruby's baby sure has a lot of uses.
@@kabob0077
😏
@Thunder Warrior hah. Even imagined the delivery :D
Here I thought it was just for the skillful slicing of the enemy's ankles. I for one would be greatly intimidated by a battalion of foot harvesters.
the reaper of ankles
Pewdiepie leg slayer intensifies in the distance
@@a1fastyellowkitten780 It's more like the reaper of ballsacks, what with that picture on 4:40.
Fear the ankler!
TiberiumCapoo I was horrified upon seeing that rip having any kids 😵
I like to imagine that whenever Death is challenged by some plucky hero trying to save a loved one, Death flicks a switch on the haft of his scythe that rotates the blade 90° into war scythe mode
I'd love to see that in a film portrayal :D Alternatively, as well as how Death is portrayed, it could be someone who is refusing to die and is challenging his inevitable fate, that Death has to fight.
Dante's Inferno reference?
@@jonathanjoestar3785 precisely
totally stealing this idea
That's basically RWBY's first trailer LMAO
I live in Latvia. My GF's father is still using scythe, as most people in the region. Yes, in 21st century Europe.
I use a scythe sometimes. Sweden 2020
Ooh.
I don't see anything wrong with using it. It's effective and free. Also if you have animals it you use a lawn mower you can't use the grass to feed the animals but if you cut it with a scythe you can
Any tool is good if it does the job. Besides, a proper scythe may be cheaper and last longer than many machines.
@@mistyronin only reason people don’t like classic tools is they too lazy to do work. A society full of lazy good for nothins
I actually still use the scythe to cut grass at my summer house.
I've done that.
My lawn has uneven ground, lot's of small mounds and valleys. A scythe works better for me than a lawnmower. I've used one for years.
I use a scythe to cut down a hectare of land every year for my garden and dogs. I do use a lawn mower for the paths because I walk bear feet all summer and grass cut by a scythe becomes hard and stabs you in the feet as you walk it can even get blood if it hits the thin skin between fingers.
Hey me too!
I use one for clearing electric fence lines on my family's farm. Especially if you're in shape (sadly, I'm not lol) you can work with it for much longer periods of time than a weed whacker, since you don't have to stop to refuel and re-string. Just catch your breath for a bit. Plus, it's a lot better when there's obstacles such as old fence wire and stuff that can get tangled in a weed whacker.
Mine's an Austrian "Old Country Scythe," and supposedly a number of hippy types have picked up on them, citing the fact that they don't burn gas, and thus don't hurt the environment by using. (plus are way more environmentally friendly to make)
Honestly, they're a really good way to trim grass in the modern world.
that's one wobbly scythe you got there mister.
i think it has ereaptile dysfunction.
The door is right there, use it.
I see what you did there.
There is something called a door and the one you should use is called the exit. Say it with me now, exit.
Zombycow ultimately what we’re all trying to say is GET OUT
....
Jokes aside, this scythe is pretty cheap. I bought it for a halloween costume. The thing breaks super easily.
The grim reapers scythe isn't for killing its symbolic for him "harvesting" souls
The grim reaper in my language latviešu is called pļāvējs literally translating to harvester / cutter. But of course you can just say nāve = death.
I just checked google translate and they translated pļāvējs as reaper. Now I finally understand what it means to reap. Reap what you sow. Reap the reward. The grim reaper. It was so obvious how did I not know this.
The perhaps most common name for the reaper in Norwegian, is "mannen med ljåen", which translates to "the man with the scythe".
I'm surprised more people don't catch onto that. I mean, it's right there in the name: Reaper, as in to reap (or harvest) crops; the "Grim Reaper", or "Grim Harvester".
The German word for the Reaper, Sensenmann, literally translates to Scythe Man
In America we just call him Ted.
"A scythe? A SCYTHE!? Are you planning on murdering fields of wheat?"
are you trapped in the gardening section ?
What is this quote from? It is a quote, right?
@@thefmaster9833 There are no walls but it seems I am trapped in the Open Fields part for the time being.
@@alexanderthegreat6682 Its from League of Legends: ruclips.net/video/47Oxa-AEM4U/видео.html
Yes
If farming tools were used as weapons, *THEN WHERES THE WAR BASKET* !
What about the oxen cavalry?
On your head.
Wicker work has been used in many cultures as light armor. It's not great protection in close combat but can deflect light blows and stop arrows if there is enough space between the wicker and the wearer. And of course, you can put a basket on your head for a quick helmet.
@@jasonpagura6149 alright, now how about the war milking-stool?
I remenber seeing a weapon for decapitation and it looked like a basket with blades inside with a whip to hold
But we have to ask the real question here: _Can it also be a customizable high impact sniper rifle?_
Yes, I did allow one Ruby Rose (When she died and became a Reaper) to customize her scythe and that was the result.
I get it! I understood that reference!
Depends, how far and accurate can you throw it?
Better question:
*can we get shot-gun gauntlets?*
@@dariusbrawl3759 Shouldn't be too hard, inertial triggers that can be engaged with an outwards twist of the wrists and a self reloading ammo belt that rotates with an inertial pendulum mechanism similar to a self-winding watch and it goes around by way of a ratchet that makes sure the belt always rotates to the next loaded slug and not a previously fired one, and of course the sawed-off barrel below the closed fists that points slightly away from the hand so you can't fire your knuckles off accidentally, as well as a safety that engages if the fist isn't closed first, or if the wrist drops low enough to get hit by the slug should it fire. Lots of cool stuff, and of course an inwards twist of the wrists locks out the inertial triggers as a safety-on mode where the mechanism also pulls back armored knuckle-plates too, and it could be two-stage in that you press a release latch first, then one outward twist extends the knuckle plates, and the second outward twist engages the inertial triggers to arm the gauntlets. It could potentially all be done mechanically :P
Fun fact, “bec de corbin” roughly translates to “raven’s beak”
I knew it was something like that. At least, something to do with a raven or crow.
It sounds really odd to hear french words pronounced in an english way. xD
But yeah, translation's accurate.
Crow’s beak
Also, if it gets stuck on the helmet, you don't loose your weapon, you get a free helmet!
Upgrade!
Keep it on the pick to make it a big hammer.
Pickpocket increased to 100
@@darthplagueis13 *pick*pocket
If the spike gets stuck on the helmet but the other guys doesn't go down, you just take the spike with the helmet on it, and hit the guy with the other side, lol.
The moment I saw "war scythe" in the title, I knew I had to click. The scythe is the edgiest of teenage fanfic weapons and I NEED to see a video about it actually being used in combat.
Both edgy scythes and the war scythe are in the Dark Souls games. I was surprised to find that they had a real battle scythe even though most scythe weapons in the games are the grim reaper style. One-handed and two-handed war picks too.
Like inverted _naginata?_
Nope. Tactics were "with scythe we take the riffles, with riffles we take the big guns".
The Polish scythemen were simple folks.
Check out RWBY red trailer.
ruclips.net/video/pYW2GmHB5xs/видео.html
Its a farmer scythe that can transform into a war scythe.
@@RavensEagle OMG, that is a really easy miss, I'm surprised anybody actually noticed that. It occurs like, during the final phase of the fighting and it's a really fast paced shift in weapon design, but it really does transform into a war scythe - that is so cool.
Thanks for telling us this!
@@AlHyckGaemsTAD she doesn't use it that often in the actual show, but it's still nice when she does.
Small thing you might have missed.
If you slow it down to 0.25 speed when it transforms into a warscythe you can see the muzzle of her rifle angle sideways. So she uses that shot to spin aswell.
"Was used up till the 18th century"
*me after having arrived home after an entire day of using it* :
Shiet
I think he meant as the most common implement for harvesting grains and cutting grass.
What were you doing
I think u mean shythe
TIL I was born in 18th century.
@@SemenSlurry Cutting grass probably. If the grass is too high for a lawnmower a sythce is pretty effective and fast.
"it was used for a very long time" - hate to break it to you, but it still is. If your farming land is in rough terrain, where you can't get any machinery in it, you'd still use traditional farming tools. You can still buy brand new scythes today in hardware stores.
I still have a kama style blade used for farming but its old and rusty
I can confirm the last point.
I have a modern scythe and it works great for thick weeds in various corners.
Only problem is that the blade isn't too well attached, so it rotates around a lot during usage.
Should probably install an extra support rod.
@@RandyKalff I thought they are pinned. I guess I thought wrong.
@@ub-4630
There are different ways the blade can be attached, mine is just centered around the option to replace the blade.
Has some bolts to keep it in place, but it's not designed too well.
I Want a War Pick!
Forge one! We need a Cody's Smithy series
Yes pls forge
Let me see yer war face! Then we can talk about a war pick.
I want a variant scythe
take one and put gold on it
1800s? I've relatives who were using scythes for cutting grass all the way in the 1980s.
Dad has one his garage as we speak lol
We still use them today. They're very useful to quickly cut very long grass!
Yeah, I use a scythe to cut really long grass in places lawnmower can't go (too much rocks, in garden etc) to keep the place neat and clear from snakes (they really like long grass) so it's still useful to this day
They sell Scythes at the Ace hardware across the street from me.
On uneven ground and shitty soils a scythe is still better and faster than most lawnmowers and even most weedwhackers for any grass >8in. I also like them because I'm tall as fuck and lawn mowers all seem to be made for people like 5'5.
Makes my back hurt. I'd rather be scythin'.
Don’t know if anyone pointed this out, but that war pick, the Bec De Corbin, actually translated from French means Crow’s Beak, or Beak of the Raven. Sounds better than “War Pick”!
Is it crow or is it raven?
@@ElliWoelfin Beak of corvid. So no real distinction in the original usage, the historical sources I have seen have attributed it to either or in some cases both in the form of corvid or corvus.
Was checking to see if anyone else had commented before I did. Fun fact
@@ElliWoelfin Raven, crow is corneille like the famous author. Both are from the corvidae familly and corbin is the old french common name.
VSKKG I’m not sure- but someone clarifies it in the comments. And Projekt Ragnarok? Nice!
"these fools are only armed with traditional Scythes"
*enemy who's about to be chopped off at the Ankles*
We, the Polish people, had a history of using the scythes as infantry weapon under the command of Kosciuszko and Pulaski.
Psycho Drummer Polish ancestry and proud, especially as now I have an excuse to be a scythe fanboy
@@Audiotrocious You dont need a excuse to be proud of your nation or to fanboy over a weapon.
@@gunarsmiezis9321 what about the chauchat? Nobody likes the chauchat, except for the people they're pointed at.
@@judahboyd2107 don't get it are you saying its a bad gun
Actually, the picture shown here at the 7:00 is showing people from the Polish January uprising in1863-1864 ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_Uprising )
Have you seen those weapons from the underworld? They have curved blades. Curved. Blades.
curved penises
@@giacomomeluzzi280 Aren't the majority of penises like that?
@@thisdraco4794 Not to my knowledge...
@@yamik1385 then you don't have much knowledge
Hey, that bladeist!
Pole arms are just ancient Swiss Army knives.
*Laughs in Halberd*
Weren't the Swiss famous for using polearms?
Andrew Jacks and that further proves my point
@@lawabiding9152 ;)
Andrew Jacks *;)*
In one of the polish uprisings a peasants were fighting with scythes, it was important historic event and we learn about not only uprising but also about the war scythes they used
I mean, I guess traditional "Scythes" could still be effective, if they could morph into a sniper rifle or a sword...
it can be very effective if you are in war with Grassland :-)
RWBY. Main character has a transforming scythe that is also a sniper rifle and can even pivot the blade into a war pike shape.
R - "It's also a customisable, high impact sniper rifle."
Everyone - "What?"
*sound of gun loading*
R - "It's also a gun."
Rwby and blaz blue right
Wait, Ragna, right? Doesn’t he only use his sword as a scythe for 2 moves? (And one of them is IK)
Milamber Feist and qrow’s scythe is a shotgun AND a sword
Dat blade has some serious curves - Well hello there Mrs Scythe!
We also want to be a old time favourite sponsor
@@WorldAnvil Oh you're definitely up there with audible ^_^
ouch thats some cancerous humor
Mr. Scythe would like to have a word with you
World Anvil Worldbuilding nah mate, she's got a shaft
In German, we say "Sensenmann" to the Grim Reaper. Sensenmann literally translates to Sycthe-man
k boomer
@@Neo2266. What? Why?
@@sneezebiscuits7239
Why not?
@@Neo2266. Are you fucking liking your own comments
@@sneezebiscuits7239
ruclips.net/video/nyerTI4kmvM/видео.html
"there's too many to list"
Proceeds to show a list.
Gundam Deathscythe would like to know your location.
Gotta love Gundam Wing
@@shadiversity you better do a video on famous scythes in fantasy and Sci-fi. Include Deathscythe on the list.
Dang it you beat me to it!
Deathsycthe is Best Gundam Ever, Especially the Deathscythe Hell version. Just cuz. . . big ass bat wings, the thermal scythe, cloacking capability. And inside, Duo Maxwell singing along to Blue Oyster Cult. (OK, that last bit was fanon, but ya can't tell me he wouldn't, lol)
@@barrybend7189 is Gundam Wing any good because I don't seem to like any Gundam series newer than Gundam 00??? Seed was bearable, couldn't survive 2 episodes of Seed Destiny.
One farming implement that I think many would tend to overlook:
The Axe.
This weapon he had the 'War Scythe' is just a mediocre glaive
TOTALY AGREE
Shovel is a bit better
Also missing the pitchfork in Shad's serie, especially the two pronged pitchfork with a shaft as long as the wielder seems quite applicable for combat.
Attack of the farmers/peasants.
*_SEIZE THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION_*
More like attack of the Grim Reaper :D
Its almost harvesting season!
Polish peasants.
@@the_honkler778 Seize?
RWBY fans: The scythe also needs to be a gun.
And absolutely massive!
**Sad Blake weapon noises**
Or a greatsword-shotgun.
It’s almost as if nearly any sharp piece of metal on a long stick is pretty effective as long as the sharp part points *away* from the user.
Underrated comment.
Of all of man's inventions/discoveries, few have the longevity and versatility of the pointy stick.
Cry me a river, sword fanboys.
@@DonVigaDeFierro Reminds me of this: ruclips.net/video/uLLv8E2pWdk/видео.html
Stick 'em with the pointy end.
They're like spears but...but more! Polarms are great. Swords are good but nothing beats a long shaft
I beat a long shaft every once in a while
@@nahuelmat Brilliant.
I love long shafts
heh... shaft....
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Shad once threw a pomel that killed 200 enemy combatants....... and then exploded.
shad fact
brother=ha!,i knew you were jealous,i knew it!,i knew you weren't a 1 man type of guy!!
1940s tv spokesman=whoa!,whoa!,whoa!,
now see here,these 2 brothers are known to get into alot of trouble,now look...
i know they distubed your comments,i know they cased some recuse,now see here,theyre not the "social" type of people,any little thing can tick them off,weather it be a car engine or a ah! ball boucin on the ground.
so don't take it personally,all right?
I'm amazed he managed to get a pommel to explode.
@@janisir4529 I heard it exploded, and then he screwed it back on through sheer force of will.
This is not a scythe, THIS IS A SCYTHE
Warscythes (or kosy, in Polish) were used largely in the later 18th century all through to the 20th century by Polish revolutionaries during many of the rebellions against foreign powers (Austrian, Prussian, German and Russians). They often WERE repurposed scythe blades, mostly because they didn't really have to contend with real armor outside of helmets and maybe cuirassiers. In the Kosciuszko Uprising, they were formed into their own units. These men were known as kosynierzy (kosynierz, singular), or scythemen or scythebearers in English, and were highly valued by Tadeusz Kosciuszko for their bravery and ability. They famously overran a cannon battery at the Battle of Raclawice, 1794.
Also pictured in the video was a Polish nadziak, or horseman's pick. Used more in the 17th and 18th centuries by the famous winged hussars and other Polish cavalry units. They were often used to penetrate armor or hook riders off their horses.
singular: kosynier :)
Good comment. That is all.
@Anthony Swiss Poland is in a strategically difficult position. The crossroads of Europe, wide open plains nearly everywhere. The terrain certainly did not help during WW2, it helped the Blitzkrieg speed along, and the only places where Poland was able to mount any real defense was on river banks.
As for why we constantly get invaded ... bad neighbors?
@@kabyzdoch ... Belarus?
@@Hulaabeo yup.
hey, can you invade us, please? it's better you than russia. Rzeczpospolita for the win! :D
In Poland you can see a HUGE painting 114m long and 15 m high depicting a battle from Kosciuszki's ressurection, and many warscythes were used during this time looking just as you described- imagine a blade with lenght of a sword and attached to long handle how devastating it could be
Yeah, in Poland we are told that the scythes were used in uprising becouse lack of other wepons. But about their effectiveness... it depends. In XVIII century (as far as i know )metal armour were less and less popular becouse of gun usage. So in close combat those scythes might be effective.
If the enemy is lightly armoured, or you can't get your hands on a purpose built weapon, a scythe will do nicely.
Battle of Raclawice
Painting is named Racławice Panorama
Greetings from Wroclaw
Scythes were used extensively by rebels in Eastern Europe, especially the Poles in the 18th & 19th centuries. In ambushes against unarmed musketeers, pretty deadly.
I think the picture he showed in 7:10 is one of those groups actually.
@@GallowglassAxe Yes, I think that was from the 1864 revolution.
I like the phrase "Unarmed Musketeers".
You'd think the rebels would be smart enough to use the scythe's blade rather than the pole.
In case anyone was wondering, that was a joke.
That's why they're called Pole-arms, no?
6:08
"Death Scythe"
*flashbacks of Gundam Wing*
COMMUNICATION
Lol the scythe shown at 8:02 is actually used by the Glory of Losers version Deathscythe Hell
Soul Eater: *Heavy breathing*
4:40 that dude is Fcked up.
the "oh shit my balls" moment
would you rather be dead instantly or have bowel and ball problems the rest of your life ? i would much rather be the rolling head laughing at the dude living with that cut.....
@@ratman-f1b The medieval circumcision.
both are fucked
Owww that is going to hurt... XD
I think they gave the Grim Reaper a scythe because he could reap souls like a farmer reaps the harvest.
Hence the name
More like because of plagues, and people dying in such numbers as whet on field, swing by swing, day by day.
The bread of life .. reaped with a scythe :)
You didnt mention about the biggest uprising of the XVIII century and one of the biggest ever; Kosciuszko Uprising - Polish uprising against Russia and Prussia, which occupied Poland (1794 to be precise). The biggest and the most valuable formation of this uprising, was peasantry. They didnt have weapons of any kind, so they used scythes which they remade to war scythes. War scythe also appears at the Flag of Polish peasant soldiers in Cracow, from that era. Even the name of the formation formed from peasants with war scythes is called, "Kosynierzy" which means literally - Scytheman :D
Michał Cłapa At the same time in my home region (from 1793 to 1795), the farmers from Vendée took arms against the French Republicans, and they modified their scythes to use them in the same way.
I had no idea about that Kosciuszko uprising! I will read about it. But it really goes to show that the scythe was the weapon of the rebels.
Greetings from a Vendéen living in Lithuania
The Kościuszko Uprising is so strongly associated with the war scythe, that there are hundreds of contemporary and some modern paintings of the scythemen. Although the uprising was not successful, it was often glorified later to show the bravery and patriotism of Polish peasantry.
I recommend looking up "Panorama Racławicka", it's an impressive and HUGE painting that is built in the shape of a cylinder where you stand in the middle, as if in the middle of a battlefield. Probably the most famous of the art depicting the scythemen.
He uses image of a later January Uprising (1863), which features unit with war scythes.
The thing is, it causes misconceptions about what original unit used (cough... Lindy, cough). In 1863 the war scythes used were custom made war scythes used more for their prestige than any other reason.
In 1794 they used real scythes modified into war scythes. Things like thinness of the blade didn't really matter since it was late XVIII century not XV so most people didn't wear any armor. Not exactly the best type of infantry for their time, since they only could go against other infantry which outranged them, so their success was all thanks to how they were used.
My goodness. . .Monty really did his research. Although Ruby mostly uses the "death scythe" it also transforms into a war scythe. Seriously, the man was something else.
HA! I had that very toy scythe for Halloween years ago! That's bloody hilarious.
Coincidentally, I also have an eighty year old farming scythe too, but the handles were adjustable and mostly rusted, though the wood was still very strong.
Agricultural scythes are still used today.
Change my mind.
Well, I can't, because you're right.
@Jonathan Wheeler yikes dude
Nemanja Đukić I’d use it
I have one!
Sometimes can be better than weedwackers.
The grim reaper scythe is an agricultural scythe. He reaps souls, like one would reap wheat.
i've found mounting a scythe blade on a 50 cal sniper rifle workds wonders
it's also a gun
SWORDS!!
I mean
SCYTHES!!
One in each hand.
SCYTHES Shirt when?
BUT WHAT ABOUT DRAGONS!!!!!!!!
Dragons are nothing in comparison to the might of the scythe
they either grasp them in the foreclaws, like a knife, or bind several together in the manner of Tekko-kagi, depending on how comfortable they are balanced on their hindlegs.
I'm surprised that you didn't mentioned polish scythemen(Kosynierzy). War scythes are definitely appreciated in Poland, it's very symbolic in our culture.
There's a picture of some Polish scythemen at 7:00, but I think he just pulled the picture from the Wikipedia without knowing what it really was
When in Medieval times Kurwas got ambitious you send the Kosyvnierzy. That would make them think twice
This actually reminds me of the Dante's Inferno game where the scythe has both a traditional scythe form and a war scythe counterpart depending on the combo.
We talking about warpicks being headshot insta kills
but what about the pommel headshot insta kills?
The pommel would instakill even if you would miss the opponent, he would have died from the pommelphobia
End them rightly
They weren't instakills, they were the weapon of God
Inspiring your opponents with your unadulterated rightfulness they yield on the spot immediately out of pure respect
I was about to comment on the messed up audio from the first upload, thanks for fixing that, Shad.
Also I thought "scythe" was pronounced like "skith" this whole time... silly me xD
The english cant write that is a fact. When I was younger I always called s-c-i-t-h-e every letter pronounced like in latviešu alfabēts.
BTW in the latviešu alfabēts to phonetically write "scythe" you would write "saif"
guntars mierins It’s more like saiv though.
some people pronounce it like "sai", but that's a different weapon altogether!
@@Nerobyrne just add a Z at the end and there u go :^)
I honestly expected some mention of RWBY here. Shad seems like the kind of guy to watch that.
But it transforms into both a war scythe but also a sniper rifle.
RWBY is too leftists for Shad.
guntars mierins I’m a straight white Christian conservative gentleman, and I can look past the leftist leanings of RWBY to enjoy a good show. I’m pretty sure Shad can too. (Not trying to fight anybody, just trying to make a point).
@@gunarsmiezis9321 if a show is actually good, most people don't mind if it leans one way politically or another.
Most people just hate ham-fisted, forced messages.
But I hate those even if they conform with my personal beliefs. Like Captain planet, it's really cringey.
@@spacejesus823 Im a straight white atheist who is religious likes christian and baltic pagan rituals and sayings, who is philosophicaly a conservative a pragmatist in practice and is a ethno nationalist politically, and I too can look past the leftist leanings of RWBY to enjoy a good show. It is currently my favorite show.
Looking through the comment section searching for RWBY comments.
People feel validated.
*Giant heavy breathing*
"A scythe? A SCYTHE?! ARE PLANNING ON MURDERING FIELDS OF WHEAT?!"
Wasn't expecting a LoL quote.
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
As a kayn main i can tell you that im planning on murdering fields of adcs.
@@futurechallenger3321 and tanks
I can give you one way to easily combat swords, if you'd want....
Slice at the sword, cup it, drag the sword away from the wielder, use that moment to drag the scythe back up and plunge it through the top if your opponents skull
Guaranteed kill
Ahh a weapon perfect for DeX Builds
SomeKidWithNoSkills I prefer the chaos blade
Oh look a dex casul
@@rurichan6455 strength is for casuls
Ruri Chan Boi I’ve beat the game with a claymore, zwei, and chaos blade and I just prefer chaos blade
Hysels warpick is the first thing i thought when he said warpick.
I didn't know many scythes were like this. This makes Ruby Roses scythe a more historically accurate weapon. As for the Farm Implement.
Thanks for covering my favourite Fantasy weapon. I dont know if you picked my comment from one of your videos or just did it by pure chance but ill say it AGAIN: thank you very much.
One more thing: in romania (my homecountry) the scythe blades in the medieval times where thicker and had a special form. When a war started or the country needed to be defended, the peasants (dosent matter if rich or poor) had to participate in the battles, but yoi had to bring your own weapon. So the farmers took their scythes rotated the blade 90° and they sharpened the opposite side of the blade as well. Now you had a deadly weapon with a long reach. After battles they just readjusted the blade and dulled the other side or the covered it.
I suggest checking out RWBY red trailer
ruclips.net/video/pYW2GmHB5xs/видео.html
Its scythe that transforms into a war scythe.
For the record, it's a high-tech war scythe that transforms into a sniper rifle.
My Inner Dex build appreciates this video.
Sister Friede would be proud about it ;-)
Ah the great scythe. The best dex weapon because it doesn't look like a dex weapon. Who the fuck needs high frequency of attack when you can hit them once and kill them. Also the running attack looks stupid but it's fucking great.
I grew in a village which once fought with scythes and wooden clubs against an army of trained soldiers
They survived the first wave the second killed them
In Poland scythers won several battles aganist trained soilders in 1795...
@@a.w.4708 Cossacks with scythes handled a war with Polish winged hussars pretty well as well in 1640s...
@@yajrobot Yeah, it's true... Wait, Cossacks used scythes? It would be logical since big part of their army had some really good fields, but I've really thought about what they used. By the way it's quite sad it was so much wars between Poland and Cossacks and later Ukraine, some of them were even stirred up by countries which wanted to make both of them weak...
@@a.w.4708 True. Nowadays Poles and Ukrainians need to be united in order to be strong. Every country experienced its glorious and awkward times. Peace, man.
Did you know that the grim reaper is depicted with a scythe since the scythe is a symbol of the harvest, and the grim reaper "harvests" souls, that's resulting in the depiction with a scythe, but you probably knew that
😁 The moment when you stop your wheel of time audio book to watch the video and the first thing you hear is a recommendation for the book
BTW great book I listen to it because of shad an love it
And nice video BTW Thx for the audio fix 😊 I watched the wrong version anyway
Now the audio is fixed good job
Thanks, nearly gave me a heart attack when I put on headphones, I mean holy crap, I'll never use the pitch shifter effect ever again.
The warscythe is a traditional weapon of Polish uprisings, from the times we were conquered by Russia.
How many of those ended in victory?
@@jakubmike5657 Only one, long after the time of scythes, which allowed us to recover some more of our territory after we regained independence during WWi. But we have a lot of books and poems about dying heroically. Also en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rac%C5%82awice_Panorama
@@marcusc9931 perhaps you Poles should use better weapons then a warscythe. they don't seem that good.
@@captainpinky8307 Well, they were good if you had more angry farmers than available firearms. But any uprising will always suffer the problem of being under-eqipped compared to the enemy.
Majority of polish (but not only polish) uprisings were coming from people's desperation and despair. Polish people lived as Prussians, Russians or Austrians for decades but still feeling really polish. In that situation I can understand why they have acted like this. It wasn't responsible but I can understand.
“It’s also a gun.”
Nice
:( Thats it, I am going to customize my scythe since you all make hers out to be *SO GODDAMN COOL EVEN THOUGH IT DOES NOT HAVE THE CHARM MINE DOES*
Scythe was used until the 18-hundreds.
Ahem my grandpa used one until the early 2000s :)
@The Slavic Axeman I wouldnt... modern scythes (with medal shafts) are pretty awesome to handle. I take my scythe, you take your army knife and we try it out... ;)
My coworker still uses it when grass is so high
Shad, there's another weapon that is very similar to the scythe, albeit smaller. You even mention it in passing. It is the kama. It is basically a one handed scythe. I was hoping you would have touched on that a little more. Other than that one issue, I really liked this video, as well as all of your videos.
He mentioned kamas as harvesting tools in Japan
@@lukatosic09 Ninjas used the kama as a weapon.
The kama is simply an Asian sickle. Peasants were forbidden from owning weapons in many historical cultures and countries, so they instead used their farming implements and tools. Scythes, sickles, pitchforks as spears, grain threshers as rudimentary flails, etc. Over time, some of them were improved and modified to become "official" weapons of war.
Kamas are the Japanese version of sickles, and in Europe we had similar designs during the Antiquity, as a way to save on metal.
www.jjb-collection.com/en/grande-faucille-celtes-xml-387-6118.html
You can see on that Celt sickle that it is extremely similar to a modern kama. Only the "hafting" method is a bit different: while the tang of the kama is slipped into a split handle, and secured with a ferule and a pin, this Celt one lied flat on the bottom face of the handle, the little nib of the blade indexing in a hole in the handle (and folded over on the other side), and the rest of the tang likely bound with cord to the handle. A relatively similar kind of attachment (though wrapped cord has been replaced by screws) can be observed on modern Italian falciola cantoniere:
www.angelo-b.com/prodotti/attrezzature-antincendio/falciola-cantoniere
Modern scythe blades still have the little nib on the blade, and the cord wrap has been replaced by a metal collar tightened with a screw (formally with a wedge), but it has also remained largely the same as on this Celt sickle.So that's over 2000 years of no significant change for that harvesting blade fastening method. As the saying goes: if it ain't broken, don't fix it.
@@MadNumForce In the Book of Kells there is a symbol of the three sickles together and it looks extremely similar to the symbol used in many Karate schools. Also great post and I really appreciate the links you provided.
@Sadiversity
Also known as the crows beak in english or kraehenschnabel in german of which bec de corbin is a translation of :D
Have you ever read the fantasy series "the dwarves" by Markus Heitz? It's a very famous series from an equally famous german fantasy author. :D one of the main characters uses Two crows beaks as his primary weapons, wheb he goes berserk on the greenskins etc. XD
Yeah, I'm pretty sure bec-de-corbin is the french name. At least, that's the name we used in french and it does sound like french ^^
And in french, a crow is a corbeau, so yeah corbin is very similar and either came from corbeau ou are the ascendant of corbeau ^^
I recently visited uncle and he has a scythe in his shed. And when I remembered this video and tried to use the scythe as a weapon just for fun, I very quickly realised that when you hold it as a polearm, the weight of the blade actually aims it downward and in some cases (for example if you attack from side) it can turn 180 degrees and suddenly it's aiming backwards.
"bec de corbin" in french means crow's beak, quite the deadly name....
I imagine a wielder doing crow noises while wielding it.
@@makukawakami imagine the wielder wearing a crow's mask as well.
@@neoxblackgold well that's one way to commit to the name
@@neoxblackgold Sick Dark Souls stuff
@@neoxblackgold plague doctor mask.
I think scythes were used as weapons in the same sense machetes are used as weapons. And where I am from, even fifty years ago, people walked to the store with their machetes on them. And some even got into machete fights. To clarify, these are mainly thirty inch blade machetes with a wide round head with a tip at the back of the head.
Ninja Hombrepalito ey machetes yeah short sword like looks
@@rezendeiiz.knight1084 no, man. Machetes with around 30 inch blades (around 75cm). Most machetes in the USA only have 18 inch blades (around 45cm) or something like that. And I don't get it. Why do people in the USA have short machetes? Where I am from, even short machetes have a big head and are mostly used for peeling coconuts so they look all nice and green with the top shaved off like on tv. You can do that with a long machete, but it's easier with a shorter one. But for cutting tree branches, vines, stuff, even small trees (like 10 inch diameter, or around 25cm), long machetes are the best. And actually, some machetes don't even have big heads, and have more of a saber look, but with a pointy end and no crossguard.
Were tf do you live
@@luisemiliogonzalezberbel2520 I am from Puerto Rico. I hear Dominican Republic and Cuba have the same kind of machetes, though.
@Ninja Hombrepalito sorry Philippines machetes but still have big head edge but still sharp edge that can bleed the person who have been harmed if I remembered correctly ah and ur right long machetes too used against the spaniards if Im correct have been used here in Philippines
but could I be wrong
My Dad uses his scythe to cut tall grass. It's by no means obsolete.
but it's still something that requires more effort than let's say pushing a lawnmower or even better, one of those riding mowers
@@Wolvenworks a scythe is not neccessarily more effort than pushing a heavy lawnmower, especially for a small yard, and it's better for the environment because of fuel.
The price of a scythe might be an issue, but it's a question of location as i dont think scythes are mass produced or easy to ship. But if you find a maker relatively nearby then a good scythe could easily be far cheaper than an average lawnmower. Plus a scythe can do a weed wacker/whipper snippers job as well and get in right next to trees without damaging them.
@@Wolvenworks True, although I prefer to use the scythe sometimes. Lawnmowers kick up a lot of pollen an dust, and my allergies and ashtma are not fans of that. So I sometimes cut portions of the yard with our scythe.
@@1234kalmar guess you're missing out of a legit chance to wear a gas mask
@@InShortSight yeah but people ARE going to look at you real funny when you use a scythe in your lawn in jakarta.
Would the scythe be more effective if it had a built in .50 caliber sniper rifle?
bringoutthelegos Why of course. Even better if it folds into a sword ;-)
7:05 that are *Kosynierzy* (Scythemen), peasant soldiers that were fighting during Kościuszko Insurrection (Uprising) of 1794 in Poland against Russian and Prussian occupants.
Not only then. Kosynierzy were pretty common in Polish uprising through all XIX century, and even formed some militia units in Polish-Bolshevik war in 1920 due to simple facts: not enough guns to arm everybody, devastating effect of use, and simplicity in production.
That picture looks lot like a photograph but I thought the oldest surviving photographs were from early 1800s
@@pRahvi0 That's propably a really good sketch
@@pRahvi0 I think it's a picture from January Uprising in 1863-1864 against Russian Empire (also known as the uprising with second worst chances of success in Polish history. Don't ask.)
@@wojciechkowalski8061 a jakie miało najmniejsze szanse powodzenia? Niech zgadnę, Warszawa, sierpień '44?
The warscythe was the most popular in hands of the polish independence fighters from the fall of the commonweath up to the time of napolenic wars. Gunpower weapons were scarce and there were more recruits than guns. But said recruits were lifelong farmers so giving them a familiar weapon thats also a symbol of their resistance was actually an amazing idea. There were even all warscythe formations which were just clothed scythemen who supposed to hide in the foilage or run around the battle to kill the enemy artylery - to the point of having artylery officers in case they managed to succesfully take over the cannons to fire at the enemy army.
On top of that, the hussars also did use warpicks extensively as an anti armour sidearm. I am just saddened that shad never mentations nations that did leave relevant sources outside of japan, germany and france.
hell yeah, i love battle scythes in RPG games, they look cool, and now i can know if they are actually usable
Edit: Hi Shad
Some war scythes were actually left with the blade at the normal perpendicular angle so they could strike at unusual angles or hook shields.
Side note, I'd like to see you analyze the Scythe Ruby Rose uses in RWBY, or heck, a lot of the weapons in that show... They're crazy awesome, and even if they're practically all partially guns, they also almost all have a more classic melee weapon form too.
Traditional "Ninja" weapons were farming implements that were modified for use. For example, the Kusarigama is just farming sickle with a weighted chain on it. Something I think was missed a bit in this video is the fact that scythes and sickles are often mistaken for each other, which is somewhat annoying.
In relation to why War Hammers and the like had that spike on the end, I've heard that while it could be used to puncture armor its primary use was for punching holes in fortified doors and the like in sieges
mechanically, would the kama be more of a sickle or a scythe? the sickle is very much about the curve at the back the loops back around before going to the handle, the kama seems to just curve downward and then goes right into the handle. not sure if the distinction is huge but it seems like the sickle surrounds the grain its cutting more
@@ryanweible9090 The Japanese hadn't figured that out by then. Their sickles just were like that
There is also the fact that during the Japanese Occupation of China during WWII, Chinese farmers used rice harvesting sickles were often modified for use, a favorite of mine is the little bit where they sharpen the back of the blade as well, making a double bladed sickle.
Sai, for example - literally just for picking up hay bales
@@dogstar7925 Yup, and the nunchuck was originally nothing more than a bit for horses
Every video you upload just gets better and better quality wise. I've been watching you for 3 years now, and I'm so excited to see this channel grow! Please never stop creating content ❤️
Hell yeah, RWBY got it right!
Sure it defaults to normal-scythe form when expanded, but when it's swung, it pivots into a proper war-scythe!
@potater mater We see it pivot in the first episode of volume 6, when they cut the sphinx in half, as well as in the red trailer.
@Rafael Lopez Except she definitely HAS used it that way. Best example I can think of would be in the first episode of V6 when she cuts the sphinx in half.
Her weapon isn't fucking useless. She had to learn hand-to-hand combat because otherwise if she ever gets disarmed, she's completely defenseless (see V2 when she fell into the cave as an example). Her weapon has been shown to be highly effective on many occasions. And Qrow uses the sword for greater speed and close-in fighting (like when he fought Tyrrian) and the Scythe for higher raw damage output, like when fighting large grimm or brute force fighters like Hazel.
Looking through the previous volumes of RWBY, I can definatly say she has pivoted her blade to a war scythe several times. It is quick and easy to miss, but I distinctly remember her doing that near the end of the Red trailer. That's right, that mechanic has been around since the VERY BEGINNING!
@@teamcybr8375
She used it in her V4 short too, when she pinned the Beringel
Rooster teeth: professionals have STANDARDS
„..the pick could get stuck in the opponent’s armour, disarming you.“
well, I might be disarmed. But at least I‘m not the one with a 2-meter-pole sticking out my arse in the middle of a battlefield. Good luck to him.
Sure, that guy's been delt with. But then comes another one. What then?
@@peterstangl8295 there’s quite certainly more of you guys with the pokey-spikes than of the lunchboxes on horses.
(You usually use heavy armour-piercing stuff like that as infantry against knights)
@@jabba258 Not really, just a mace would work fine
@@tabatzanabtheivth6557 that’s true. polearms were generally preferred tho - for somewhat obvious reasons.
@@jabba258 Oh I thought you meant something like a war pick mb mb
The kusarigama (sickle and chain) is another farming tool made weapon
_Ninja Gaiden 2 flashbacks intensify_
As an aside I initially spelt ninja as ninga and guess what the spell prediction offered up? Yep, it's a trap!
Shad mentioned kama, which is the same thing.
Kusarigama is kusari + kama where "k" from "kama" turns into "g".
The bec de corbin is named after a french term meaning "beak of the crow" or "crow's beak". I think it's one of the most badass names for a medieval polearm.
Another war hammer similar to the bec is the lucerne (another badass name). The main difference is the hammer end of the bec de corbin is mostly counterweight for the pick, whereas the pick end of the lucerne is mostly counterweight to the "hammer" head (which is basically a modified pick anyway). I never would've thought to compare warpicks to scythes, though. The vid was really interesting!
Bec de corbeau=crow's beak , I agree on everything else you mentionned, as a french speaking person it just itches everytime I hear "corbin"... This is not even a word
@@Pizzamanrules the way I understood it, the name "bec de corbin" (the "corbin" part specifically) is a semi-latinized version of an antiquated french term. I wasnt trying to imply that it was a direct translation. I dont speak french, so it's nice that at least one of us definitely knows what they're talking about :P. Thanks for clearing up some of the ambiguity on my post
@@Pizzamanrules Maybe that's medieval French? Seems very likely that it was more like Latin than the modern version
@@Pizzamanrules According to the french wiktionary, It's an old synonym of "corbeau". Also, it's still used to this day in the name of some corvid species, like "Zavattariornis stresemanni" which is called "Corbin de Stresemann" in french.
The best weapon to carry you through the early horde waves
CHOP CHOP
Bruh scythe is a major element in Polands uprisings history.
The grim reaper uses a scythe because, well, he reaps. He is god's farmer, and we are the crop.
so much for the symbolism.
He looks ridiculous.
@@haillobster7154 if you were a medieval serf, you wouldn't be quite as glib about Gevatter Tod
I've actually been very interested in learning more about war scythes. (My dnd character uses a falx, and I've been thinking about the logistics and practicality of using a scythe as a polearm-esque weapon.
When you think about it, a war scythe really is just a falx with a much longer handle and wider blade.
If I recall correctly, falxes were also originally a farming-implement-turned-weapon.
It certainly explains their similarity in shape!
@@CazadorSlayer that they were. The Falx was a repurposed harvesting scythe meant to reach over shields.
Also look at fauchards. There are many varieties, but one in particular is a war scythe that has a straight extension to give it good thrusting ability.
You summoned me? Jk. And I'd like to add that through my own practice in trying to find a practical fighting style of a Reapers Scythe, I've found that treating it as a kind of dance with each attack swing transitioning into another, also useful to use the other end if the pole. my own custom design for a scythe I hope to actually get around to making one day has the classic reaper scythe at one end and then a Glaive or War-Scythe style at the other. also sharp on both edges for both blades like a sword would have... (sorry if this is unwelcome I just really like scythes and wanted to share)
instant thumbs up
not only for recommending Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time, which I listen to frequently, great audiobooks!
On the note of scythe like weapons, there is actually an ancient Chinese weapon called the ge, which is often translated as "dagger-axe"
Having used a scythe to cut grass, i can confirm it's usefull
Vivi'Th And oddly relieving