well I cant recall the blade length of knives but i do know that you can legaly carry a bladed weapon that is knot a knife ie a sword as long as it is over 24 inches total

About hte length of a blade 36 41 in would be used with two hands at least some of the time and so it can become an extenstion ...

if you wish to learn more there isa wonderful fourm
www. swordfourm.com
many knowledgable peopl there who can point you to peole and books and where to get actual useable weapons

yeah striking with stick is different than with a sword. I did some test cuting a week ago and realized my stick fighitng which was suposed to give me the skill to use a sword in cmbaot hindered me in cutting the targets 9plastic bottles filled with water) I either hit them at the wrong angle with ...

cutting IMO tends to cuse more shock by the impact and severing of tissue much liike ho gun shots kill. trusts can be dealier than cuts but only if if in the critcal areas other wise it could take while to kill.

sword an dsheild is practiced along with polearms longs swords two handed swords, period rapier, sword and dagger. Many people practice thes arts and many booksa re availble on the subjects

I beg to differ on few points. Katana are more slicing/slashing than hacking.
a 'broad sword' can be used to deliver deadly thrusts and slices

but yeah its just semantics really and how you use a weapon

well As I am 18 I guess I'm teen.
I dont study karate or any unarmed fighing style instead learning various medieval weapons.
Why? you may ask. Because at first it looked cool :P but then because I found out a strange loop hole in my states laws that allows me to carry a muych more deadly weapon ...