Scythes

[Pigeon_Grenade]

Because of this Guy

 

[TjoxYorro]

Guys.. War scythes are actually more shaped like spears. The bow has kinda been straightened.

 

[Ziadaine_v1legacy]

Because its as long as a spear and you can slash with it, making it a great long-range martial arts weapon. (for me, anyway)

Besides, does this look like the face of death to you?

Spoiler

 

[Arkzism]

What about hitting someone with the pointy end? Seems like it'd pierce right through somebody.

well most scythes are rather blunt on that end

You could make a war scythe. Twist the blade up by 90 degrees and hey presto, you have a simple halberd.

precisely

 

[Arkzism]

Because its as long as a spear and you can slash with it, making it a great long-range martial arts weapon. (for me, anyway)

well try swinging a stick at that length.. and il thrust with a spear and youll see who is at a range advantage

 

[Arkzism]

It seems to me that any answer that objects to the OP is just smashed down with "Wrong"'s and "No"'s.
But anyway, the scythe is used for a weapon (Or rather, was), as when designed for fighting mainly, and harvesting as a side option, you could swing it, and bring it back straight through the opponents back, with no wasted energy. It's not impractical when you're good with it and at a slightly long range, it's not very good if you're up close, however, which is probably where you're coming from.
Admittedly, it's not the best weapon, but it's still pretty damn dangerous.
I won't answer the Death - Scythe thing, as many people already have.

Well would you like to be attacked by someone wielding one?

Yes actually, I for one encourage natural slection. It is our duty to prevent Mike Judges masterpiece Idiocracy from becoming a reality. If some idiot wants to come at me with a unwieldy piece of wood with a piece of metal with the blade facing towards the wielder then they are basically asking me to shove it where the sun does not shine.

Now that's a bit moronic (Not calling you a moron here, but my mind drew a blank on different words). If someone comes at you with a scythe, my money's on him. Not you.

yes but that scythe better be very very sharp, and pulling is not the best way to inflict damage

 

[Ziadaine_v1legacy]

Because its as long as a spear and you can slash with it, making it a great long-range martial arts weapon. (for me, anyway)

well try swinging a stick at that length.. and il thrust with a spear and youll see who is at a range advantage

That's the thing, you can still block with a scythe. If you block with a spear, the energy momentum of your body goes back to zero and needs to re-rise for a stab. With a scythe, you can parry a hit from a spear while still keeping momentum, which is what makes them such a useful tool. It's also why I use it at Jujitsu, Everyone else uses' katanas and spears, spears patterns are easy to read, katanas not as much since their medium length with both slash and stab, but it depends on the users fighting stance.

 

[hawkeye52]

you can kind of screw a person wielding a scyth though when you just block the first attack and get inside its range since unless it has a very sharp cutting edge on the inside you have abnormally long arms to pull the scyth back with. you are going to dead against a sword/axe. spears are much easier to wield because they can act as a stabbing weapon that you can push into someone and not have to swing across

 

[Cabisco]

Hey, I have a scythe thank you very much! Admittedly it was for harvesting, and is so dull now theirs more chance of me beating you with it than slicing you haha.

So actually, the scythe our family has totally proves your point

 

[Zelist]

Warscythes have been used in wars as recently as 1921, they were the most popular in peasent uprisings where weapons where few and far between, all your needed to do was take a farming scythe and turn the blade upright and you have a long reach pole arm, which could take out Calvary and give superior range to swords.

 

[Arkzism]

Because its as long as a spear and you can slash with it, making it a great long-range martial arts weapon. (for me, anyway)

well try swinging a stick at that length.. and il thrust with a spear and youll see who is at a range advantage

That's the thing, you can still block with a scythe. If you block with a spear, the energy momentum of your body goes back to zero and needs to re-rise for a stab. With a scythe, you can parry a hit from a spear while still keeping momentum, which is what makes them such a useful tool. It's also why I use it at Jujitsu, Everyone else uses' katanas and spears, spears patterns are easy to read, katanas not as much since their medium length with both slash and stab, but it depends on the users fighting stance.

true you have a point there... but i guess its all up to a user, so basically where scythes farm equipment, yes. can they be used as weapons, yes. can they be used effectively, yes. would i use one, no unless i have to. i dunno im not a fan of the katana either

 

[Ben Jackson]

ha ha, I love how the war scythe was invented after the farming scythe, what are people gonna say next, fire was to be used to light things like torches instead of lighting people on fire?
JK
But all youd have to do is make the metal a bit stronger, so it can withstand more weight, and possible make the main bit of metal in the middle, then the end, the back and the front of the scythe could be used for slashing or stabbing, its possible, but a lot of work.

 

[Half Metal Jacket]

There are weirder and less efficient looking weapons.



This is popular in Samurai and Ninja movies but I can't tell why. Seems highly impractical as a weapon.

That there is a picture of a kusarigama, fusion between a kama (sickle) and a kusari-fundo (chain). As a weapon of its period, it was very effective. You can read wikipedia, but I'll explain functions. The chain and metal weight is used to swing at people from a distance, like a flail of sorts. It will cause serious damage if aimed at specific locations. You can also use the chain to disarm a swordsman. Chain can also restrain if necessary.

Now don't get the idea of swinging the sickle around like you see typically see in media, thats highly ineffective. The sickle is there for blocking and very close melee. That specimen in the picture discourages sickle swinging.

Wait a second, necropost. Very sorry. I'm also new here.