Can We Make this "Ninja" Weapon Work? - Kusarigama Test
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- Опубликовано: 26 сен 2024
- Talking about a design in theory is all fine and good, but I was itching to mess around with a safe sparring version (or rather approximation) of this interesting Japanese weapon. If you want to see a proper demonstration, look elsewhere. :) This is just a clumsy exploration from an outsider perspective, based on curiosity rather than specialized skill.
The previous look at the Kusarigama and its historical background:
• The Kusarigama: Gimmic...
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How the Ninja used Kusarigama in a Fight by Soke Anshu Christa Jacobson
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First skall tells me that dual wielding swords is actually good, now he's defending flexible weapons. We've come full circle
For real. I remember 10 years ago the HEMA community was totally against everything not strictly from a few of the most popular sources that were German or Italian.
@@The_Okami More people are getting involved in it, which means the general ideas of "practical" martial arts are too.
my Sensei always tells the trainers "the less experienced the trainee, the more you can learn from them"
@@The_Okami I have a much easier rule I kept from my grand father.
''If it can draw blood, it can kill''
Flexible weapons are not as reliable or predictable as ridged ones be a safety issue to the user but if it can draw blood then it still works.
My Grand father ripped apart north Koreans & Chinamen in the Korean war with his bare hands once munitions spent & his blades lodged in carcases.
Personally the only weapon I find truly reliable is a rod of steel or my bare hands.
Grand dad Jim kept a crow bar on him in time as it don't dull or get stuck while fundamentally indestructible while a useful tool.
Shovel to did a hole & a crow bar to pry apart what get in your way then little can impede you.
Knife has a million uses & a vicious implement till stuck in bone.
Like a Knife but it can't be relied on solely.
@@ping-a-ling682 I say you can learn more from a beast then any human.
Nature is full of predation & all sorts of inbuild weapons which much of our human weapons are just adapted imitations with gradual improvements over time.
All of humanities weapons were a copy of animals weapons till deflagration which copies a natural phenomena of found in Giza's & volcanic vents as hot gases expand expelling any other debris present like say a bullet in a chambered barrel instead of a chamber in the ground with a rock.
Enjoy your martial arts as I prefer Polemology=warfare studies which my elders instructed me in since my infancy.
Hunted since 5 & my earlier lessons were to observe the habits & behaviour of my pray being squirrels.
Squirrel & chips makes a nice meal.
Most everyone think the larger the pray the greater challenge but hunt a bird with no shotgun as that takes a bit of thought since we prime apes can't fly?
As an Engineer I can make firearms but that's not very sporting but hunting for challenge & survival are 2 different matters.
Wrestling, Fisticuffs/bareknuckle fighting, Knife fighting, English staff & marksmanship will serve better then any martial art.
English staff value is because a rifle or any polearm is ' is basically a fancy stick with some iron on it.
English staff translates over everything required for bayonet fighting or polearm fighting.
You should let Nature be your teacher lad as my demonstrated a few thing as we fought each other but they showed me how conflict is present in all organisms to learn from.
It... Depends! 😂
What do we have here? A pirate with a kusarigama fights a cowboy with a longsword? Let us see.
An average one piece character then.
I am responding to this top comment because I believe there’s a higher probability that Skall will see my comment (I think you did this in the video, but I wanna clarify it just in case it was involuntary): When blocking with a chain, it’s best to hold it loosely & then pull it taught (with the rising motion you used) right before contact. That way the chain smacks the sword before going rigid & adds some more momentum to the “block”. I learned this from Seki Sensei.
I also think starting further out of measure would be a benefit to the Kusarigama because they can more easily prevent advances & plan/aim their attack or grapple.
@@s.owl9 Nobody likes a leech, go get your own comment.
@@s.owl9 also someone like Seki Sensei shows how armor is basically useless against someone like HIM. An people forget back then Samurai at the height of the Feudal Era coulda been easily even better then many alive today. A random Knight an even many truly skilled elite counter parts definitely weren't trained an regular fought MASTERS of weapons like these that could easily make short work of them.
@@robertagu5533 Theres a lot of opinion going on and it seems a little over-the top. I dont fully agree because I like to take a more conservative approach to making claims, but cant argue against much of what you say because there little concrete info to work with on this topic.
One thing I can say is that skill, circumstances & health are not constants. Seki Sensei in an ideal circumstance could defeat armored & skilled opponents, but ideal circumstances arent so common
Just throw the end like a reusable pommel
That's a great way of looking at it!
@@stormrhode2330 That's looking at it rightly.
Reusable pommel 😂😂😂😂😂😂
It's said that the actual chain would have different properties to a rope so it's generally easier to lock the blade with it, if I remember correctly it's highly likely to damage the blade altogether
The links are also usually square with "sharp-ish" corners. Those square links do a real difference in the ability to lock the chain.
@@sirseigan Also. the heavier, non-bouncy metal weight will help it wrap around
@@notoriousgoblin83 yes very true. Some of the weights were also angular which also help with the locking of the wrap.
Great point link shape and size of the chain would make a huge difference in how it bind up on objects and itself
thats what i was about to comment, plus an actual weight helps it wrap around easier and can also not really be countered since its basically heavier than a typical sword and also has momentum, which there lies it's skill expression, it's a very hard weapon to use and to master.
Only real counter i can see is interrupting the momentum of the weight so the user doesnt have full control on it anymore and cant hurt you with it.
Last time I was this early Canadians were still allowed to thresh their wheat.
I threshed my wheat twice today.
@@TheRealSkeletorcan't be good for you if it feels like wheat, you should see a doctor.
@@CyberVonCyberus The doctor said my behavior is ingrained.
That hat, with those weapons in a broadly HEMA setting is one hell of a combo. I like it.
_Fashion Souls has entered the chat_
Average American HEMA experience.
He looks sick as hell
Seems to have a very high skill ceiling, but has the benefit that this would keep it rare enough that a typical opponent with a simpler weapon would have little practice countering it.
One benefits is that is gives you every high range for portability ratio than a large sword. It js a chain with a wieght and a warpick. A sword to have similar reach would be much more expensive sense not flexible, would be bulkier
@@PJDAltamirus0425 and it's more concealable, as the "warpick" half is a farm implement
I feel like it could also be valid for self defense, where you want to discourage someone from attacking you, as they don't know how to work around a large swinging weapon, especially if it would lock against a tsuba like that.
That's very well said, and right on point, I think. To a certain extent, I think this is why shurikenjutsu wasn't more common, though it had the potential to be highly effective, within its intended context- Because getting to a point where it was a combatively viable technique takes a lot of time. 👍👍
Like the first time someone see this weapon would be the day the other fighter try to kill him with it.
Even if it's not a better weapon, but just a very strange weapon used by somebody trained to face swordmen or spearmen with it, it may work pretty well.
Hey Skal just wanted to say in part to your videos I just participated in my first Sword and Buckler class with a local HEMA group last night. Had a lot of fun and plan on returning regularly. It may sound minor but your instructions for finding/joining groups and your general enthusiasm for what you do has made joining a club feel a lot less intimidating and that your videos have improved my life.
Glad to know, and enjoy the journey!
The first people to invent the kusari-gama had to go through a stage like this, too, just figuring out how to use their own new weapon.
Videos like this are always very interesting on top of being very entertaining. Great work.
Learning how to control the chain, then how to use it in conjunction with the sickle or the axe.
It probably also matters what it's being used against; a more or less heavily curved sword, one with a heavier blade, and so forth. Might bind more easily, or have more control.
The rope/chain appears very unlikely to stick to the blade it wraps around if the blade is strongly and evenly tapered like the one used on the video. I'd imagine much better chances against something like a falchion or other wide blades, especially those widening towards the tip.
@@pRahvi0 a sword with an actual edge would prob bite easier into the chain ingeneral (i imagine chain would be a soft iron or alloy) compared to practice swords which are dull and will just slide.
@@dom7899- Or it might not bite because there's no hard surface to stop the movement of chain and sword. And the chain might be of fairly good quality, depending on the smith and the customer's ability to pay.
@@julietfischer5056 good quality =/= harder iron (steel), steel hardness is based on what it will be used for. in the case of chains even today they are generally made of softer steels. a softer steel would make more sense for this anyway because youd want the sword to bite into the chain as it would help it catch around the blade.
Spicy pictures are great for keeping attention span
......"Do what now?"
used to mess around with these, and other fashionable martial arts "weapons" with like-minded friends (eejits) back in the eighties. defo caused more injury to myself than any potential foe. fun times...
In regards to blocking with chain weapons there is a video where practitioner seki sensei claims that briefly removing the tension in the chain and then quickly snapping it tight towards an oncoming attack is what allows a chain to stop a sword. His video was some kind of concealed ball and chain weapon, but it makes sense that an outward springy force could help prevent the chain from collapsing on your head. It still sounds very difficult though.
And it seems especially fucky when you're used to using a stick, where all of your force can be dedicated to directly resisting.
That is correct. Mr Seki is a great teacher and very skilled
Yeah, dogs know this technique very well, when they want to run out of someones hand. Let the leash be loosen, then sudden rush and there goes the doggo or the sword...
the thing with kusarigama is, that if the "enemy" gets close enough where you have to block the sword with a chain, you did something wrong. It's mostly a ranged/surprise weapon, not really suitable for dueling or close range
@@Fuz2yman don’t know why you think that, the deadly end is close quarters in the extreme. Its advantage is you can cover long range to short, but the business is done short range. The entire length of chain isnt even required to be used and was often kept mostly coiled
I've always found this weapon fascinating after reading Musashi almost lost a duel to someone using it
I mean with proper training you can get to whipping that weight near or past the speed of sound, in many ways it's like trying to have a sword duel with a guy shooting you with a slingshot. The weight would be around five pounds, swinging near the speed of sound at times, just being hit with it would be unpleasant to say the least.
@@psychocomytic9778 five pounds? Dude, just the chain to swing five pounds around at sonic speed would make the whole ensemble around 13 pounds of bullshit. A small, fist-sized lump of iron is already monstruously impractical and useless to maneuver, since the gain in power doesn't make up for the loss in reliability. I genuinely think >I< with my basically 0 experience swinging a sword would beat anyone using a hilt-end kusarigama. Because that little weight won't do anything to me, and keepin it on my sword without tangling it with their own weapon is gonna be a high ask in an actual high intensity situation.
Kusarigama are a BRILLIANT bit of ingenuity, but that's because the chain strapped to their head-end adds an extra bit of bullshit a swordsman needs to work around lest he get essentially a speed debuff which as we've learned from skall is VERY bad. It literally cheeses them. And the wielder still has a free weapon, either a kama or something else to just go to town with. Genuinely genius. But a lump of metal on a chain isn't gonna do much harm to anyone if it doesn't knock their melon and even if it does, a halfway decent helm and padding makes it negligible. but as a hazard to introduce for your opponent it's a very good bit of gear.
@@psychocomytic9778 I think you're misunderstanding how objects like whips can reach supersonic speeds.
Firstly, the tip of a whip isn't anything like a flail or kusarigama. The taper of the whip from the handle to the tip is key in changing the weight and rigidity. This allows you to create a wave curve that accelerates along the length of the whip as the weight and rigidity decreases. A weighted end of a whip would have an inverse effect, it would decelerate the speed, and significantly so if the weight was as much as 5lbs. Secondly, you can't create a sine curve that accelerates using a chain of any type. The chain links move independently, unlike a woven whip, so they will decelerate the speed of chain with every additional link. To achieve "near or past the speed of sound" you'd have to be able to move your hand at mach 1+ to even get remotely close to that metric. You're basically suggesting that a human's hand flick can generate as much kinetic energy as a projectile fired from a light cannon. It's not even remotely in the realm of possibility for anyone short of Superman.
Yeah, it's a heavy weight and chain when held all together, that is part of the point. No you are not going to just outwit somebody swinging that around, at full speed it acts as an active shield because at any point it could just hit you. Being grazed by that could break bones without padding, having your sword or arm wrapped is nothing compared to being hit by a flail at the range of a spear. We're talking the old medieval slingshots here, the ones that whipped rocks like cannonballs. The concussive force of that weight hitting you would be like taking a bowling ball to the face at the speed of an MLB pitch at least.
@colbunkmust you tried so hard and got so far. You do not have to look far or hard to find examples of real world chain whips, just as a start. And it is not so much about trying to crack the soundbarrier in some flashy display as it is the fact that you can get that weight swinging at a couple hundred miles per hour. Finally the other important factor of our fun physics foray is that weight is on the end of a near thirty foot chain, you start spinning that at full speed at its maximal diameter and then rapidly decrease that diameter and, well, speed happens. It doesn't crack like a whip, it just swings fast as fuck, kinda like whips sometimes do. It's an analogy, it does not need to be perfect.
The way to change directions and the trajectory of a flexible weapon is done by interupting the chain mind-swing
its difficult to explain, but by stepping on the chain, janking on it or pulling, grabbing it with your other hand... You are able to alter where the tip goes and make it spin in difficult to predicts patterns
On another note, the maoin method to attack with a chained weapon is to try to "thrust" with it rather than swing it. Spinning it over but then throwing it in a straight line towards the opponent makes it travel really fast and hard to parry
God your life seems so awesome, I don't doubt there's a lot of work involved, but getting to hang out in a beautiful garden with your friends practicing what you love for a living is such a dream come true
a cowboy in chainmail with a longsword is such an unexpectedly cool combination
I'm thinking a Clint Eastwood and Johnny Depp Blockbuster.
@@robertblackwell1350 that would actually make a great movie
I’ll do you one better. Cowboy Samurai.
Reminds me of Call of Juarez’s protagonist. He’s gunslinger that also wears a crusader’s breast plate
At this point people like Skallagrim and Sensei Seth have forced themselves into so many uncomfortable expressions of skill that they're MMA Master
Your friend in a kaftan, a mail shirt, a scarf and a cowboy hat is what i needed today.
I learned from a guy who lived in Japan for 3 years and learned actual budo bujinkan taijutsu (what we refer to as ninjutsu in real life). He didn't spend much time teaching us weapon combat, but we did get one day with the kusarigama!
One of the most interesting things I learned that day was that there was a version of the kusarigama that functions a bit like a knowledge check on your enemies. The weight would be a ring instead of a small metal ball or stone. Ninjas would throw the ring repeatedly at the face of a samurai or other opponent, baiting them to grab the ring. The ninja would then flick their wrist forward while side-stepping, which sends a loop along the length of the rope, and if done correctly, the loop would end up tying up the opponent's hand that gripped the ring. Worked really well if the opponent's weapon didn't have any quillons/crossguard/tsuba for the rope to latch onto otherwise. If they let go of the ring at this point, it didn't matter, since the ring was now part of the knot that held them.
From there, it's a bit of a guessing game (tech chasing, if you prefer fighting game lingo). The ninja can control the spacing, whereas the opponent can really only move forward. If the opponent has one hand free with a weapon, and they try to swing, the ninja can pull them off balance, and if they try to swing to cut the rope, the ninja can gap-close and disarm them with the sickle.
Very cool weapon, love that you made a video about it!
The "ninja-version", which has the ring you are talking about, is called "kyoketsu-shoge". It has a more round sickle and a dagger blade, or rather the blade of a hooked spear. The "chain" is a long rope specifically made from womens long hair and the "weight" in the end of it is a ring.
Despite the similarities and the fact that it can be used in a somewhat similar way the "kyoketsu-shoge" is not the same weapon as the "kusarigama.
First of all has the "kyoketsu-shoge" it obvoius limitations of use compare to a "kusarigama" due to it using a rope instead of a chain. However the primary use of a "kyoketsu-shoge" might have been as a grappling hook for climbing that in a pinch could act as a effective weapon. However a clear benefit of the "kyoketsu-shoge" over the "kusarigama" as a weapon is that you can stab with it as well as chop with it. The "kusarigama" on the other hand was much more robust and function only as a weapon.
The "kusarigama" was, even though a highly specilized and very rare weapon, much more common then the "kyoketsu-shoge" and I would be very suprised if it ever was used outside of the context of the Shinibi no mono from Iga and Koka. It might even be a very ryu specific weapon.
(Ninpo ikkan 😉)
@sirseigan wow thanks for educating! I had no idea. My teacher at the time just said "you might recognize this weapon if you've ever seen movies or media depicting ninjas" so I guess I assumed it was a kusarigama but indeed you're right; he never said it was a kusarigama.
Man, I hope this tool does make more of an appearance in pop culture going forward. Very cool that it's not just a weapon
I know people that are trained in the use of this weapon and it's very difficult and dangerous, great job on being safe.
0:20 You are a true master in internet communication!
Having myself a little bit of experience with the kusari alone, I can tell you a couple things: 1) You can change side reasonably quickly by transitioning on a overhead spin or a figure of eight in front. 2) The iron weight on the real ones is enought to break fingers with minimal effort. 3) The chain bite painfully into the flesh, even trought regular clothing. 4) If you want to parry, never block, alwais deflect and (try to) catch the incoming weapon.
These aren’t weapons of war, but civilian weapons borne from the weapons bans imposed by Nobunaga up through to the Meiji restoration.
Just because you disarm the population, doesn’t mean there aren’t criminal elements who won’t seek to exploit ppl. The civilians then armed themselves with modified farming equipment. You need a sickle to harvest grain and a flail to thresh it. The skill and proficiency with the weapon was developed through occupational skills
In Europe, we see a similar situation where hedgerow cutters were excellent infantry due to their skill with a billhook.
A lot of “ninja” weapons were a product of the public need for self defense while the government prohibited weapons. They were purpose build, but better than nothing especially in the hands of someone who was skilled thru labor rather than practice. Nunchucks were grain flails. Sai were pitchforks. Tonfa were crank handles. Kunai were trowels, the hori-hori knife is still used today.
Kunai were more about being multi purpose. You can dig and pry as well as jab it into someone.
Knives were (and in large parts of the world, still are) a piece of utility that is hard to live every day life without, banning them is unenforceable when you aren't named modern Britain.
Even literal slaves have been allowed knives at some points in history.
Hey Skall, just wanted to say that it seemed like you really enjoyed making this video, more so than a lot of your more recent videos. It's good to see you having fun again!
Just want to point out that when Seki-sensei was showing how to use a chain/roped weapon to block, you have to make it taught at the moment of impact instead of holding it out which is tiring and easier to get around. Doing so also rejects the blade, however if you instead keep the chain/rope loose you can use it to wrap the opposing weapon.
With the Chinese rope dart/meteor hammer, you spin the weight and then wrap the rope around parts of your body before quickly releasing, using the conservation of angular momentum to help accelerate the weight at the target.
I wonder if there are similar techniques that are commonly used with the chain on the kusarigama, or if the chain is just short enough to make that kind of technique difficult.
I would like to point out a couple of things (Kusarigama has been my favorite flexible weapon for a while, so, have invested a fair amount of time researching and practicing with my own mock ups)
For Defense, you will want to keep the chain slack, until the last moment, and kind of "flick" the chain as the attack comes in. It causes a second of higher tension in the chain, resulting in a stronger initial impact defense, and while, yes, it will still flex in, it will be lesser, and you should also be aiming to redirect more than stop the attack. Especially if you can redirect and wrap the weapon for control
In regards to chain length: For butt-mounted Kusarigama, the chain would actually be much longer, for that range. As you are handling the chain as it's own entity, it gives you better control, allowing you to keep a coiled section in the hand holding the kama, to allow you to extend the length more. When using blade-mounted Kusarigama, the chain is shorter to allow greater control and less chance of hitting oneself when swinging it at the end of a length of haft. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
Also, in many images I have seen of historical finds of Kusarigama, many had a length of spiked chain closest to the weight, in order to increase the ability for the chain to grab itself when wrapping, aiding in the disarm, as well as providing additional points of damage.
Loved the video! Loved seeing you expand your experiments, and would love to see you try this again!
And, just thought of this after posting, many also used a hexagonal rod as the weight, rather than a ball, which I believe, in theory, would reduce the likelihood of a random bounce after hit, or rather, would enable more controlled bounce-back
Always happy to see you test out weapons and techniques in sparring. I know these kind of videos take planning and time to set up, and I would say it payed off.
Seeing the one-handed kusarigama with the chain attached at the TOP is making me think kusarigama and some kind of (spiked for more attacking?) shield might be a really cool and surprisingly effective fantasy set-up, since the shield would cover for the weak parries
ThegnThrand actually suggested connecting the chain to the top of the kama as many kusarigama have attachment points for the top as well. He was able to get the disarms to work better that way. I recommend checking his video compilation of the kusarigama out.
That said, it is kinda hilarious to me that people think this was a ninja exclusive weapon. It is more concealable than a polearm I guess? But flailing that thing around is a very good way to announce your presence. In reality it seems like it was used by Japanese authorities to capture criminals alongside specialized polearms. It was also a niche samurai martial arts weapon. Famously one of Miyamoto Musashi's opponents used one in a duel because in Japan you often could bring whatever you wanted to a duel before the formalized Edo period dueling but it seems like his opponent did that to be a smartass more than anything. If you manage to use it properly after all, it is a very humiliating way to off your opponent. It certainly can be effective though. I could imagine teams of people using these combined with mancatchers to catch someone alive and obviously someone very skilled could make it work. I'd think most would prefer a sword though. It is not a shinobi weapon whatsoever though. That is just a myth. Shinobi would have used the same weapons other samurai would have. (Like matchlocks, bows, swords etc)
A lot of Japanese weaponry gravitates around feudal Japan’s inane laws surrounding swords and other weapons. You’ll often see weapons in Japan derived from farm tools.
Kusarigama are a steel weight, attached to a long chain, attached to what is essentially a farming scythe. You could easily hide these things from authorities.
Kusarigama also benefit from your ability to choose the setting of the fight. We see Skall have trouble in his backyard with tree branches. Someone skilled with this weapon would want to avoid environments with obstructions, making it ideal for either battlefields or for protecting one’s own land.
@@MeanAndPristine In reality ninjas were samurai so they had no need to hide such things. The idea the kusarigama is trying to hide as a weapon is also false. It might have been inspired by a farmers flail in part but the Kama is usually more of a pick than a sickle in existent examples. Designed to potentially even deal with armor as well as flesh. The samurai even had their own martial art around the weapon so it was well understood that it was a weapon and it was a samurai weapon not a weapon of commoners.
@@Subutai_Khanoooh... I don't think that's totally accurate. I'm pretty sure that while many samurai also acted as ninja, not all ninja were technically samurai. There were many trained and employed who weren't of the elevated social status. Furthermore, even after the days of the samurai were over (i.e., when lords were no longer allowed to maintain soldiers), ninjas were still sometimes in recruitment.
Also, if I'm not mistaken, the kusari, the kama, and the kusarigama means of combat did originate with commoners/farmers and was later adopted and refined by more distinguished classes.
This is what I've been taught, at least. But if anyone here has more reliable sources, I'd love to see some offering accurate information. 👹
@@stormrhode2330 I recommend looking at Antony Cummins’s work on the subject of ninja. Basically all of them were samurai especially the famous ones. Ninjas did employ commoners as informants though to do shinobi work. Antony Cummins translated a bunch of scrolls so he seems like he is among the most reliable researchers.
As for the kusarigama it might be possible commeners influenced its development for sure.
@@Subutai_Khan You misunderstand, I’m not saying this is the weapon of a ninja at all. Shinobi were far from the only class of people in Japanese society who would be hiding something. There are many periods of weapon confiscation dotted throughout Japan’s history. Peasant rebellion was a fairly common occurrence.
Many weapons in Okinawa (nunchaku, sai, tonfa, etc) have similar origins, as farm equipment modified for warfare. Kusarigama are one of many such weapons adapted for warfare. Obviously not as ideal as a sword, spear, or bow, but nonetheless deadly.
It became such a prominent weapon in Japanese society that it became prudent for the warrior class to at least become proficient at fighting against it. So they adopted it, and took it to new heights by developing more refined technique for it.
Sick to see you finally test this in the field. The Kyoketsu-Shoge is my favorite weapon like this; the Kusari-Gama predecessor
That was a fun one Skall! Also you’re looking much improved from the last time I saw you. Keep working out and taking care of yourself!
I have to say, a medieval cowboy is such a good look :)
Every time I see a demonstration, test of, or even trying myself some kind of long, flexible weapon like a Kusarigama, meteor hammer, rope dart, or chain whip, I can't escape that fact that the level of training and expertise required to utilize them to any degree of effectiveness vastly outstrips their usefulness in any potential combat situation against even a marginally skilled opponent. It really makes me think that most of them were never intended to be used in combat and instead were just exhibition props to look impressive to an audience and showcase one's dexterity and mastery of that specific skill.
On the flip side, imagine your some bodyguard dude or whatever from hundreds of years ago guarding your boss or location, and a group of people rolls up with those weapons, and they have spent their entire life practicing with them to be effective.
You’ve never fought those weapons before, you’ve never even heard of them.
As Musashi was closest of being killed in duel by kusarigama (his own account) it is obvious they were not just showpieces. Difference is not in mastering, but being decent. Decently skilled swordsmanship is faster to learn than decent skill with kusarigama.
The part where it hit the tree was very telling. I feel like we tend to view weapons in a vacuum. But the fact that it swings with such a long range. I can see it getting caught on tons of things around them.
Our sensei told us his dad gave him one to play with as a toy when he was a kid, and that's how he got used to moving it around comfortably. So it seems to take some time 😅
Incidentally, someone almost got knocked out by one at practice because they put just a bit too much rice into the sock they used as the weight, so probably quite the blow with an actual metal one 🤷
This channel is just fun to watch lol.
Informative, entertaining, and interesting.
It's very throw-back-ish, reminiscent of channels long abandoned. (Early RUclips day's).
Immediate Like. 👏
I appreciate your content. I love that you try things outside of your discipline that are related to it. I also love how respectfully you approach it and aren't willing to dismiss it entirely when you don't get favorable results. It's refreshing to see your sort of individual in the present day, and I wish the best for your channel.
As far as this weapon and Japanese weapons in general go, I feel like they behave the same way as biological evolution does on small islands. Evolution on small islands can occur faster than on the mainland due to the unique selective pressures of islands' isolation, limited space, and sharp boundaries. This can lead to extreme and particular evolutionary adaptations.
In the same vein, because Japan has only ever had to fight itself for the majority of its history, it has had to adapt unique weapons and fighting styles to counter itself. It stands to reason that these hyperspecific martial evolutions would have mixed results against those of other countries that have had to deal with other countries' weapons and martial arts.
Canadians are so blessed that their government cares so much about their safety
Yeah unfortunately for everyone just to the south is a few million unhinged gun weilding lunatics.
Something that immediately catches my eye here: due to the extreme taper of the longsword (by comparison to a katana), it seems like it would be easier to free the weapon, or avoid it getting trapped at all. I think this applies even moreso because of how straight the weapon is. With a katana's curve and thickness, or other Japanese weapons like the naginata, trapping the blade might be easier (easier, not easy).
Also, Shogo and Seki Sensei have a video about a small ball on a short chain that you may like to check out.
People used weapons like these because they could not carry swords. In terms of effectiveness, of course something designed as a weapon will be more effective. But a martial art that’s designed to make over-restricted farmers more effective against people armed with swords, is pretty badass.
Also, I wonder if shortening the active length of chain beyond the hand would help with readiness and predictability. When I used kusarigama in sparring with my brothers growing up, shortening it did seem to make it more effective.
Having done some backyard experimentation myself, you CAN feint with it by kind of pump-faking. Effectively just move your arm as though you intend to release it, then redirect it while maintaining grip (usually by allowing it to rotate an extra time). You can also use the hand holding it to redirect both under and overhead wind-ups to horizontal swings, though it takes some practice to target correctly doing so (definitely the equivalent of false edge cuts with longsword)
You might be the only person who could make me take this video seriously, as "people swinging things around and hitting themselves" is one of those slapstick-type visuals that always makes me laugh.
😂 immediately takes a jab at shadiversity this is why I love your channel
I can definitely see the use of these on bare hands, when it's a steel ball. Just constantly keeping it moving, strike once at the hands, probably break a few bones. It's highly specialized and niche of course, but many times in history, what people wore and used was very standardized. Niches made sense
Bare or gloved hands, and possibly even someone wearing mail mittens. Even if the padding under the mail blunted some of the force, it would still hurt and prevent them guarding against a strike with the sickle (or axe). It would certainly distract the target.
Keep in mind the full sized war version of this is a roughly five pound lead weight on a roughly thirty foot chain, swinging as fast as you can. It dents plate armor, I'll put it that way. Sure I've maybe seen a bit more damage from a traditional mace, but this can hit at 20 ft.
sick shad reference at 1:48
The biggest difference with Skall's experiments vs Shad is that he treats them as food for thought rather than drawing a hard conclusion and then doubling down on it forever.
I've never disliked, or not hit like, on a skall video. This is the best content on youtube, and skall relaxes me.
wow this video was amazing! my attention span seemed to keep up, it was that smooth! (for some reason)
"Swingin the chain, Swinging the chain...." come on you know what movie that's from
Made one of these for LARPing in HS. It was way more intimidating than effective but it was fun lol. I could see it being incredible in the hands of an expert
I'm really glad to see you continuing to strive for integrity above all else in your videos. I am increasingly seeing other of my favorite RUclipsrs of this subject matter begin to veer into speculative territory in the hunt for views, repesenting their own armchair guesswork as authoritative, in an apparent quest for controversy.
This acually does a lot to show how impressive the people who can use it effectively are
Chain weapons like this and the three way staff are top tier difficulty level to use. It's a beautiful thing when a guy knows how to use them, but when you don't you have more of a chance to hurt yourself than your opponent.
Believe it or not, defending with the chain/rope/other loose object is a thing in Fiore.
The mistake I have noticed: you tried defending the incoming overhead strike in a high guard. If you tried pushing it downwards off line, that would have worked a lot better. Or just off line, if downwards push is unavailable. With a shorter object, like a dagger, you would have been able to perform a rotational disarm.
Also, Jesse Enkamp (a karate and Okinawan Kobudo practitioner) took a lesson in Ninjutsu, where sensei explained to him that you wouldn't normally display the flail part of kusarigama in the open. You would walk up to somebody with chain curled and clutched in hand, and then quickly shoot it into your target's face, then retreat.
Regardless, was fun to watch. Thank you very much.
Whoa, you just unlocked a childhood memory of mine where we used to take turns throwing tennis balls at eachother while the target is agaisnt the wall and trying to avoid getting hit by them. I'm glad that's in the past.
The kusarigami chain weight was mostly used for smashing heads and limbs. You hit someone's lower leg the metal weight can break an ankle if it doesn't wrap a leg. It was a disabling tool more then a disarming one. You can also just throw the weight from the hand like a baseball if you know they're in distance.
You know you're screwed when your opponent is a bearded man in maile wielding a longsword and wearing a cowboy hat.
I totally appreciate that you don't simply dismiss something because you can't make it work. Not a Kusarigama but if you want to see people apply meteor hammers you should check out the sport Jugger. Its a sport kind of like tag football (US football) but with weapons. They have a position call the chain and they know how to feint, recover, and change speeds with a long flexible weapon against a variety of other weapons and work as a team. The sport is international and popular in Europe and North America.
"I don't want to be one of those people who mess around with something without knowing really how to use it properly and then dismiss it as impractical just based on lack of familiarity."
* Shad has rage-quit the chat. *
Quick tip for blocking with the chain: it should stay loose until the moment of contact, the sudden tautness will block a full powered swing better
Oh no my attention span... i need the spicy picture...
The costume and weapon combo is just wild.
Looks like defending means a decent chance of getting Anakin-ed or Qui-Gon-ed
From the perspective of a non-practitioner, familiarity with how the chain reacts to obstacles and how to use it against someone who thinks they can just parry a chain, plus a weightier/sturdier(?) ball and chain set sounds like better success. As you've mentioned, having the chain set in one hand (and also attached to a kama) and the other free to wield another weapon is a better setup.
Muh boi there looks like he's fixing to tell me "Another settlement needs your help!"
I feel like the biggest advantage of a weapon like that would be how unfamiliar it would be to an opponent.
That’s the best thing to do. Is have fun trying different systems and learning new things by have fun with it.
At 6:00... that's where extensive training comes into play, which is actually showcased by a guy who does rope-dart tricks (can't remember his name but he has some amazing videos on RUclips showing how you can both zone your attacks and close distance), imitating how something like a kusarigama could be used. Essentially you would use the elbow and foot to wrap the chain (if it were long enough) to redirect the pommel/ball/dart/blade at the end. It's completely impractical for novices, but someone well trained to be fast and ahile enough could definitely do some serious damage by confusing opponents and using the redirection to get in some difficult to evade attacks.
Believe it or not, skal, you actually showed some potential here. I haven't trained kusarigama, but I've spent sooo many hours on rope dart.. and you actually figured out a couple tricks. For instance, launching an attack from hanging still. Replace that weight with a blade and that is a viable move. A quick flick of the wrist can send that blade straight into your enemy.
Another good trick that i think you were getting close to is manipulating the actual angle of the hit. For instance, i used to practice with a log and could arc it overhead with the point going downward, so my overhead strike would result in the blade flying straight down into the log/opponents head with quite the force... It's all about making your opponent think they know what's coming, but being wrong about the subtle specifics.
That said, this stuff ain't easy... And if your opponent knows the tricks, they'll just grab your dart and you're finished. I remember being able to launch a knotted dart over my friend's shoulder, then pull back just right to Nick them in the ear on the return.... But if i was actually going into a duel, I'd grab a sword or something like a pu dao over a rope dart. Much less of a dice roll.
Still fun though.
It truly is a training issue. People that work with ropes and lines every day can do some truly surprising things just by having an intimate familiarity with the mechanics of using them. You’ll see sailors be able to moor a boat one handed from 20 ft away, etc. just a flick of the wrist from a skilled user could completely change the dynamic of the fight. When Skal hooked the guard the first time, he could have hitched the chain up around and over with just momentum.
Im at 5:09 and a not about blocking with chains, you are supposed to be able to block straight and then twist alightly on the bounce back to help displace their blade and get in a little bit easier to counterattack.
Your comment about it being possible but way harder to block with than a normal rigid weapon is so true lol. Loose or "soft" weapons like this are usually a back up weapon because can stuff a chain into a bag or wrap jt around yourself in a way you cant with a spear or sword. Blocking with the chain is for when you've run out of better things to block with. Skill issues are obviously there but even setting those aside a two handed sword is a large primary weapon, it should do better than a semi concealable secondary weapon.
Seki-sensai has talked about an era where for certain samurai the kama as well as chain weapons were used as secondary weapons instead of wakazishi, but not as a replacement for the katana.
So a more "fair" lineup would be sickle and chain against like, dagger and walking stick. Personally I would still go with dagger and stick most of the time tho.
The thing you noticed with the trees is real too, soft weapons like this just require soo much more brain power and focus its really mentally fatiguing.
Anyway, soft weapons are so fun, and practicality set aside its such a fun way to practice your dexterity and skills because it's such a hard mode way to approach weapon handling, and I love to see more people playing with them.
And when we look at them historically, i think its wild to think that back in the day some trained professionals whose whole lives were dedicated to fighting liked to have and use some flexible weapons in their arsenal. Crazy motherfuckers and whether in retrospect one agrees with their choice or not much respect.
You can change direction of the swing going at a right angle. Flourish enough with a nun chuck and you can see how it can be done.
This was a cool video! I’ve thought this was a really cool weapon for a long time, and I really enjoyed seeing someone try it out
Loved the video, you both were open minded and good sports!
I'll chime in as a chinese martial arts practitioner. We have the rope dart and the meteor hammer, which have basically the same mechanics as the kusarigama (at least the version with the chain or rope conecting to the bottom of the handle).
One skill you must develop with these weapons is the ability to control the lenght of rope as you swing it. Shorter is better for control, longer is better for reach but as you have seen, can be quite telegraphed. Although there are a couple of movement patterns that can mix up the possible angles a little, I don't blame you for not finding them in such short notice and fun experimenting.
Being able to control the lenght of the rope is crucial for getting back the control of the weapon once it bounces or is deflected away by something.
There's also straight shots, which can be done when you shorten the chain. Which is basically throwing the weight aiming for it to hit directly, like say a thrown knife.
Historically, the greatest value of this type of weapon is you can concealed carry it and it will not be as conspicuous as a hanging sword. The Kusari-fundo version without sickle can be even hidden in the pocket. And there are legal reasons for this, too. Even in modern times, carrying a scythe and a chain is far more legal than carrying a sword.
BTW, I know a guy who made his own Kusari-fundo by using a clothesline chain and a lock he bought at the supermarket. You need a helmet to practice that thing. You don't want to get hit in the head by that.
The approach y'all were taking has a couple oversights, with the chain out the extra length is mostly meant to threatened and keep space aiming for a headshot that a sword cannot easily block; while the closer range combat is more timing dependent and would would work better choking up on the chain to reduce the time between revolutions. While the faster movements provide more wrist strain from the rapid articulation you can still bring the tip near terminal velocity. Alternating across your body can also give you more angles of attack. You'll also see people kick or step on the chain to rapidly change directions, shoot it out in a straight line or assist with a disarm by providing the leverage you otherwise don't have pulling with what amounts to one hand against two
In my own experimenting I found that flinging the weight straight out at the face was a good distraction to close distance and use the sickle
Another point about weapons adapted from farming implements, they were pretty handy for farmers who wanted to defend themselves from random ashigaru desterters or the odd ronin that decided to throw his weight around.
The segoku jidai was rough.
there is several techniques you missed :
By adjusting the ropes'length, you can have a quite straight throw with a lot of forces
By copying the slingshots throwing techniques, you can have less telegraphed throws.
And the point of this wepon is not to close the distance, at all.
In competitions, they're used to stay the fartehst possible, and force the opponent to react to a heavy lift thrown in his direction, consuming stamina and time.
If he tries to close the distance, the lift will try to intercept him and give you some time to pull back.
Especially if you want to capture someone, this kind of statut-quo situation is useful ; deceipt a bodyguard, keep a potential threat busy, etc...
A weapon is after all, a matter of context. the better crossbow ever is probably useless in the darkest night ever.
I feel like the main idea is that you can spin the "chain thing" and be ready to attack with melee part at the same time. So, basically, your opponent will have no idea what exactly you'll do next - "range attack" or "melee attack". Maybe a lot of fake-outs, or even throwing the thing into the head/whatever, and attack with melee while opponent deflecting/dodging. I can see this working, if you have a lot of experience. Similar to sword-and-dagger. You need to have right mindset to use it to full extend - not just "block-counterattack". And if that counterweight have, for example, spikes/fishhooks? I can see it working.
Plus if your opponent have helmet reducing vision - i can imagine they simply wont be able to see that thing flying from above or below, or whatever.
One point I would like to add is with blocking with the chain a half step in while blocking would also help with the over committing on the block and leaving you less exposed.
We trained with this in mind:
Use a small iron ring with a counter clockwise rotation; smash the hands & wrist, maybe throw a loop through the chain to wrap a hand.
I've always assumed the kusarigama was one of those farm implement/tool combinations, non-martial items that could be used in a pinch when the villagers had been disarmed of their swords and shields. "That's not a staff it's a stilt. I need this hammer/fork/saw/sickle for my work. We can't give tribute to the local warlord if we don't have our tools."
There are ways to change spin direction using your arms and body, even how to turn around when swinging a chain or rope. its honestly some of the most practice part of the basics for soft weapons, its essentially how you learn to move while doing it and mixing up attacks without hitting yourself
The kusarigama: a device intended to allow repeated attempts to end him rightly by retrieving the projectile after casting it. ;^J
This video is giving me serious Jugger flashbacks training with "longsword" against ball&chain.
Pretty good work, tho.
Taking even a glancing hit to a knuckle with a steel weight would suck so hard. Even if it doesn't break bone your first instinct is going to be to let go of whatever you're holding in that hand, and that gives your opponent a brief opening to absolutely ruin your day.
Skal - from practicing with a flail for years as a teenager I can tell you the trick is to get the ball to PINCH the chain/rope/whatever. Going from underneath is more likely to work as the weight at the end will then fall down over and on top of the chain. If the ball merely wraps around the opponent's weapon as _/\/*, the opponent can always pull it free. Instead it has to pinch like _*/\. (Yes I realize ASCII is not as good as a jpeg, but this is your life as a RUclips influencer)
Isshin ryu has an extremely unique kusarigama design and the techniques with it are brutal. Some other notable schools are Tendo ryu, Araki ryu, Suio ryu, and Toda-ha Buko ryu. It could be interesting to see your thoughts on traditional kusarigama techniques and comment on what other people historically came up with.
In regards to the tree branches in this video, I remember reading how one skilled samurai who used the Kusarigama in battle lost when he fought an opponent in a forest, the trees blocked his weighted chain.
Hitting and smarting your opponent’s hand is a win! He’s distracted and has a less secure grip.
Truly only the elite can use this weapon
I have to say, seeing y'all give the weapon an honest try knowing y'all unskilled with it is just, well, cool 🤙
As a Jugger player that likes to play the chain that was fun/interesting to watch :D
I‘m not trained and haven’t even ever used it, but as a Jugger player some thoughts:
Is the length of the chain important, or could it be longer? If it’s longer (not to much) you could hold the axe in the weak hand and a part of the chain with one finger in the weak hand so it won’t hang down and it would give you the choice how much of the chain swings (the longer the more force, the shorter the faster you can change plans).
If you also had more space you could keep a distance a bit longer than your chain and so one step brings you into throwing distance. Also if trained you’d be fast enough to recover it in time (while running backwards).
Next thing: I think holding the axe the other way around would make the use of the chain easier, if you‘re not to close and you can’t recover the chain quick enough you can still swap hands.
While everyone starts with swinging downwards I suggest swinging upwards as it gives way more control in my experience
How did the other guy manage to put on the most objectively badass outfit ever?
I have a piece of sporting goods in my garage that, for the sport if was made for, is basically a kusarigama...it's basically a padded baton at one end, a weight at the other, with a plastic chain (for safety) in between...and we not only practice with these, we require players to have several seasons with staff weapons before we let anybody use one because of risks of entangling limbs or necks.
if your going for a disarm . then once its wrapped around the other guys sword or hands . then step on the chain to hold there weapon down. if your useing the chain to block , then use as little chain between your hands , just enough to catch the blade.
think of this weapon as a 3 part weapon. you have the weight , for out reaching your apponent, once they get past that , you have chain and Kusarigama .
dont use the chain to block , use it to deflect. so there weapon slides along the chain, then relax the chain to capture and retaliate with the Kusarigama.
I would not mind more spicy pictures to keep my attention span in future videos.
6:15 you can totally attack from your left with either swing direction. When swingingin plane on either side if you swing across to the other side one turn it will want to come back to the starting side. Giving a back hand swing. Also a spin can be turned into a straight shot by forcing an early pull makig the weight whip in from the back half of the rotation. Many rope dart techniques work this way also.
Not enough spicy pictures and distinct lack of ending rightly, my attention span has expired way too fast 😂
If only you could magically retract the chain like a certain videogame character.
I studied ninjutsu for a few years. I think besides the kusarigama , they used it with a smaller blade. You would use the chain to unbalance or to take the sword out of the opponent s hands. It the opponent holds to the sword, you defend it with your kama, then you attack with the small blade, letting the chain go it you are too close to an armed opponent. Chains and flexible weapons are supposed to weapons of sacrifice, which means blades are always the main weapons
Great demo! I think I remember seeing somewhere (lone wolf and cub?) a squad of police using the weapon. The idea being that the chains from some could entangle limbs/weapons and hold them fast while others rushed in.. also some types of chains grip around an object much better than rope or other chains. (Ah, benefits of a misspent youth)