What are people buying?

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

Hence the famous South Seas saying - if you want to get ahead, decapitate a tourist.

[Jeremy]

Yes, in Africa they are a thing of horror

[FreddBloggs]

Do not underestimate the power of a well made machete. Not the butchers knives they have in Brazil, but the longer curved ones they use in the SW pacific. They can't cut off an arm, but a head is really easy.

Was not underestimating them at all. Also kukris and similar are limb takers.

[grizzlymc]

Tourists? Absolutely!

[grizzlymc]

My experience is that unless you have a lot of weight (like an axe) slicing through major bones is unlikely, although I've seen some horrific cuts. To do an arm or leg you need to slice through the joints.

This is one of the reasons highlanders carry axes, they don't like to have to swing twice.

[FreddBloggs]

It is why in the era of hand to hand the shafted bill hook became the feared swung weapon. Weight, big curved blade and a point if needed.

Also why Elizabethan fencing manuels have in the intro, if you carry a rapier and your opponent a backsword, do not engage, he will break your sword, then your bones.

[Zenbadger]

We used to have a tameshigiri barbeque at the Iaido club I used to frequent. This involved butchering half a pig with katanas, cutting the limbs first and then moving on to the rest of the carcass. It really takes some technique and effort to cut through a pig's leg but the results are delicious.

[grizzlymc]

Were you cutting at the joints or through the main bones?

[MarshalNey]

bunch of sick feckers

[grizzlymc]

Not my fault, I was just the poor sucker they'd bring these bugger to see, MASH with a standard exploration issue first aid kit.