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[-] Soggy@lemmy.world 33 points 1 month ago

They only weigh a couple pounds.

[-] Dhs92@piefed.social 47 points 1 month ago

Do you know how weak little kids are? Most can barely lift a gallon of milk or juice

[-] EffortlessEffluvium@lemmy.zip 57 points 1 month ago

They can lift it long enough and high enough to create maximum spillage

[-] VindictiveJudge@lemmy.world 21 points 1 month ago

Depending on the sword, a gallon of milk is between three and six times the weight of the sword.

[-] SARGE@startrek.website 29 points 1 month ago

(not disagreeing with anyone, simply making observations from experience)

A German zweihander sword weighs around 8lbs, a gallon of milk is around 7. A typical hand and a half sword around 4, and a rapier can be as light as 2lbs easily.

The issue isn't really the weight though in my opinion, it's where the weight is distributed.

A gallon of milk is concentrated in a pretty small package that you can hold close to your own center of gravity.

A sword is long and it's weight, by design, is usually not close to the hilt of the blade. I'm not 100% sure on historic examples, but I try to keep the weight centered around 1/3 up the length of the blade on ones I make.

Practical upshot is that a lighter sword will flop around and stab people easier than a gallon of milk is dropped due to weight.

If you want a child to be accidentally dangerous, give them a sword. If you want them to be dangerous on purpose, give them a fixed blade knife under 7in.

[-] Dupelet@piefed.social 12 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Either way, that will be an important lesson

[-] Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

100% sure on historic examples

The plagerism machine says 2-10 inches, 2 inches is consistent with the 1 historical sword I've held.

Can confirm tho about kids being bad with unbalanced blades, gave my nephew a 3 ft machete to help cut down some banana plants, he couldn't swing it levelly so it got stuck in the plant every time, and he was a danger to anyone within 10 feet.

Maybe try balancing a sword right infront of the guard, maybe it'll feel more nimble.

[-] LunarLoony@lemmy.sdf.org 11 points 1 month ago

Little kids are built different in Ankh-Morpork

[-] mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 month ago

A gallon of milk is over 7lb

[-] Jankatarch@lemmy.world 11 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Unless they are ceremonial.

Giant hungarian longswords, one of them is like two times size of a person_

[-] hungryphrog@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 1 month ago

Really, REALLY depends on the sword. Lots of them are heavy even for an adult to carry with both hands, let alone one.

this post was submitted on 04 Jan 2026
823 points (98.1% liked)

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