I love the image of a historian in what looks like a thick woolen skirt and sweater just absolutely beating the shit out of a melon covered in chainmail with what appears to be a Claymore. Fantastic, AND educational. I always enjoy seeing demonstrations of historical weapons and armour. A side note to people wondering about things like maces in this kind of situation, gory would be the best word. A quarterstaff in the hands of an average untrained person can completely shatter a skull through this same armour setup. There are a number of channels that have done tests like this with various weapons, Skallagrim being a good one who has done it with actual skull substitutes made to simulate a real skull in what amounts to ballistics gelatin to simulate muscle.
The fact you put the padding on made me happy. The number of films that act like people just wore chain mail over their clothes. Maybe it was medieval epilator
I love that, so often, you talk about these historical things like they're happening now. Just weighing up pros and cons of chainmail yesterday like a car today ❤
@@Srakch And yet no evidence of them actually seeing combat outside of hearsay and speculation, funny that. You stick with Netflix and hollywood, I'll stick with actual history
i love warhammers. We imagine them looking like top heavy sledgehammers (like a more impractical maul) but they just looked like long handled claw head hammers. It tickles me pink
@@egilbert1884 Actually, the joke was about the word "me" meaning both "me" and "my" in some British dialects. Making the phrase "it tickles me pink" "it tickles MY pink". But yeah, British accents are kinda hot on their own.
@@egilbert1884 Lol I share the same accent. Hard for anyone to take me seriously when I sound like I’m going to invite them indoors for some apple cobbler. 😅
Not even that long handled. If you replaced the claw with a similarly curved single spike, a modern claw hammer would basically *be* a mediaeval warhammer (albeit with a really nifty grip cover...)
Yeah, and aside from losing height advantage, riding on a horse means that you can't have plates on the horse-facing side of your thighs, nether region and your butt…
Blunt force trauma haha. Similar reason to why firearms where so deadly. Blunt force trauma thats incredibly concentrated. Even with modern kevlar you can have severe bleeding from the force of impact
That’s called “ penetrating trauma” it’s entirely different, not as concentrated as it seems due to cavitation and depending on where the trauma occurs potentially less deadly.
Pausing this video while you're swinging the sword will fetch you some nice stills for your next Christmas cards! ❤😂 You are indeed and always awesome! 😊👍
As others have said this is why the mace, morning star and flail were used in battle. If you can bash in a helmet hard enough that knight will be out of the battle. (And the flail when used effectively can really pack a wallop).
Besides that, even if a helmet cushions the blow of a heavy weapon like a mace or a hammer, it can still disable. The head is reasonably flexible connected tot he body by the neck, so if you hit the head, that force has to go somewhere.
Flails were actually very rarely used in combat. The Hussites popularized the use of flails in the bohemian war and the imagery stuck more than the actual use of flails. A flail was simply a farming tool that some peasants would use to fight with but there is little evidence to show they were used nearly as much as the one handed mace or spear.
Maces and flails aren't very effective against knights in full-plate armor. They can only kill a knight if they manage to get the perfect blow in the right spot in the helmet, which is hard, considering a knight doesn't usually just allow that to happen. A knight would easily mitigate its damage by moving slightly or pushing your weapon away. A knife or sword was much more effective because they can reach into the weakpoints in armor and end the fight. Maces can only prolong the fight. Maces are effective against unarmored (or lightly armored) foes, but not against fully armored knights. They can be useful to knock the knight off his horse, which is very useful, but not much else.
@@reginaldcampos5762 Honestly it depends on what you mean by "fully armored knight" because that definition changes immensely depending on time period and culture. There was a time period where heavy mail and bastinets were what consituted your knight's armor, in which case yes this worked. Against full-body plate, you'd need something with generally more penetrating power.
Arrows run the gamut. There's accounts of crusaders riddled with so many arrows they looked like porcupines while remaining combat capable. The layered protection of fabric and mail is a really synergistic combo against arrows. Cutting heads are stopped by the mail, and piercing heads get stopped by the jack or gambeson.
Well, there's no capacity for worrying about it after... that... I suppose. ...Nonetheless, in addition to this being an excellent bit of demonstration regarding the strengths and weaknesses of maille, I find your righteous rage at this particular melon... for some reason... warms the heart.
You also get swords like the estoc and daggers like the rondel that could pierce the maille. Some arrows could also penetrate the maille if they were smeared in grease. They used those in the East iirc.
Chivalry is a lot like the Bushido Code...both concepts were made up and written about largely AFTER knights and samurai stopped being a thing. It's storytellers romanticizing a class of warriors who were ultimately there to act like cops, and protect the ruling class from the vengeful wrath of the common folk from whom the monarchy stole lands, wealth, and authority.
Best demonstration I've seen in a long time. 😂 Bows, swords and spears are nice and all, but never underestimate the power of a good ol' bonking stick.
Great video as usual! I love these demo videos (and as a wannabe sword-lesbian, am very jealous of the arsenal you have access to lol), but I have to admit that part of the reason I clicked was to come and comment that the title had me singing "chain mail ver-sus blunt force" to the tune of "don't you want me baby", and I'm still gigglnig over it
No armor, not even full plate, will ever protect you from blunt damage, which is why most kings preferred to use maces, warhammers, morning stars, and one of my personal favorites, the spiked ball and chain flail.
Kings would use swords. You're right that plate armor cant prevent pain from being struck by pretty much any weapon, but it is harder to hit a knight hard enough to kill with a mace than it is to stab them in the right place with a sword or dagger. The dagger is an underestimated weapon. You can't do crap with a mace if you are grappled, but a knife to the neck is enough to win. By the way, do your own research with this to verify. I was misled with the same myths about blunt weapons on the internet before. Watch some knight duels on CZcams.
Utter nonsense. You can find fights on here with people in full armor using *real* maces, and even blunt polearms, and being very, *very* protected. Also, most of the weapons you named... Weren't actually used.
There's a reason the very first weapon we invented was the club. Doesn't require any skill and there are very few armours that can fully stop blunt force trauma.
She took out the Pumpkin King while wearing a dress. She took out Sir Squash de Gourd and remained a lady in so doing. This is why all wise men tremble before strong women and honor them.
I’m just laughing at your neighbours looking out their window and seeing you with a big ass sword😂😂 Safe to say you’d not be invited to any BBQs this summer😂
There’s a similar argument about modern body armor. A shotgun slug won’t pass thru Kevlar…..neither will a sledgehammer hammer, doesn’t mean you’ll be happy about it
That was a serious test! But a pike aimed at charging cavalry is incredibly effective. The pike and the war axe are definitely what I would use in medieval combat!
People never seem to remember that maces existed. Swords, bows, even spears get love, but not the reliable mace.
Or as I like to call it, the night night stick
Also axes and hammers.
In some battles these might even be repurposed agricultural tools.
@@emilybarclay8831 The knight night night stick?
@@deeps6979 "Say 'night night'". (Often said to children at bedtime... In this case, the "sleep" may be longer-term...)
It's fondly remembered in the naming of a hand-held chemical weapon.
Seems like the biggest weakness of any armour is the squishy human inside of it
I'm hearing you loud and clear. We should detach our spirits from our bodies and become living suits of armour to become undefeatable
@@_pitako Precisely.
Why do you think every human in the future is a cyborg ?
@@_pitakoI think I know how we should do it too - apparently you have to try and create a living human with alchemy!
@@_pitakoThe Alphonse Elric method
"Don't worry about it," she said calmly.
"Don't worry about it," Dumbledore said calmly.
"Here's my scientific explanation".
*Proceeds to bash melon to death*
He was only 1 battle away from retirement
Sadly, the melon had shown a picture of his sweetheart to his comrade. From then on his fate was sealed
Retirony
He still is. This was that battle
he will be avenged by the leading act- the leading melon of the story
😒I would say he is retired permanently now.
What did Melon Lord ever do to deserve this? Except colonising the Earth Kingdom?
Ah, yes, just a little colonising of the Earth Kingdom, no biggie
@@qiaghauk5324 except for Ba Sing Se
Because as we all know,
_There is no war in Ba Sing Se_
I fear what she would do to some poor cabbages…
@@charleston1789 Brits know how to handle krauts.
Too many years under the tyrannical laws of King Melon eventually led to the rise of William Watermelon.
From her neighbours' pov she is repeatedly telling a melon in chainmail not to worry about it before smashing it with various tools and weapons 😂
The repeated “don’t worry about it” had me absolutely cackling😂😂
Please put the sword down and back away Jen, you're scaring us.
No, no keep the sword.
Nah she is our new queen 👑
The face she made when she was swinging the sword gave me major PTSD...
@@TheBanana93 Yeah!
@@thewarlock539a gross misuse of that acronym
The "Don't worry about it" was top tier for me😂
It was said so nonchalantly, then * THWACK *, then repeated _even more_ nonchalantly!
I was worried tbh.
It should be made into a sound, I think it would become very popular 😂😂
I love the image of a historian in what looks like a thick woolen skirt and sweater just absolutely beating the shit out of a melon covered in chainmail with what appears to be a Claymore.
Fantastic, AND educational. I always enjoy seeing demonstrations of historical weapons and armour. A side note to people wondering about things like maces in this kind of situation, gory would be the best word. A quarterstaff in the hands of an average untrained person can completely shatter a skull through this same armour setup. There are a number of channels that have done tests like this with various weapons, Skallagrim being a good one who has done it with actual skull substitutes made to simulate a real skull in what amounts to ballistics gelatin to simulate muscle.
"don't worry about. Don't worry about it 🤫" - iconic, revolutionary, amazing.
*pulls out a gigantic claymore
"Don't worry about it!"
😨😨😨
😂
Indeed didn't need to worry about it, that claymore was pretty ineffectual, the hammer did the heavy lifting
@@davidy22 it would still fuck you up with sheer blunt force, it ain't exactly light
*Pulls out lightsaber
“Don’t worry about it!”
Eh, pretty average claymore, a gigantic one would be fun tho
I now live in fear that someday Ms. Draper will approach me with a hammer and say "Don't worry about it!"
She looks so cute doing it that I live pleasant anticipation.
Sounding like a mafia goon.
You forgot Valentine's Day? Don't worry about it...
I was just thinking "oh great! A new reoccuring nightmare!'
😂
@@mathijs1987j ☹️
The fact you put the padding on made me happy. The number of films that act like people just wore chain mail over their clothes. Maybe it was medieval epilator
I love that, so often, you talk about these historical things like they're happening now. Just weighing up pros and cons of chainmail yesterday like a car today ❤
"Don't worry about it"
Proceeds to murder
Whenever somebody says to me don't worry about it, that's when I start to worry about it!
I bet your neighbors are at the point where they just shake their heads when they see you breaking out your chainmail!🤣⚔
"She's bought another bunch of pumpkins Agnes."
@@tjenadonn6158 For some reason, I thought of this comment being made with Alan Carr's voice, and very nearly laugh-spat coffee all over my iPad.
I’m imagining an elderly couple that’s stuck living between her and the melon-stabbing archery/poledancing guy.
Absolutely love the microphone freaking out at the sword strikes
That blunt force trauma will get ya every time
I got unreasonably excited at the fact that the sword made the "shing" sound
Wierdly same. I think it's because were so used to things in media being somewhat unrealistic that hearing a sfx in real life is a bit exciting
watching you viciously attack a pumpkin with medieval weaponry is something i never knew i needed
That "don't worry about it" was what I needed to hear. Thank you.
Instructions unclear, I've now turned my skin into chainmail and am in immense pain.
One Word:
"warhammers"
That's it. It's the bane of all men-at-arms for a reason.
They named a tabletop game after them.
@@DavidSmith-vr1nb I thought it was the other way round, and they renamed them from Wackensplatters since nobody took them seriously
@@mothichorror446 That may or may not be true.
" Gods , I was strong."
*For Agatha and herrrrr People!*
Remind me to not annoy you
nice pfp spartan
Dont worry about it.
Proceed to pull out warhammer...
You're having WAY too much fun doing this.
Ok, that was cool and all... but can we just take a second to appreciate that hammer flip 😂
I'm loving the "battle maiden" arc we're in right now
What is that?
You mean that thing that never existed?
here's a non-cringe reply for a change
@@arwing20 Seems the Saxon and or viking women found buried next to their horses and swords were fake then, damn. :\
@@Srakch And yet no evidence of them actually seeing combat outside of hearsay and speculation, funny that.
You stick with Netflix and hollywood, I'll stick with actual history
i love warhammers. We imagine them looking like top heavy sledgehammers (like a more impractical maul) but they just looked like long handled claw head hammers. It tickles me pink
"It tickles me pink" sounds weirdly sexual when said in specific British accents
thank God I have a michigan midwest accent that is the least sexual dialect known to man (except quebecoise, maybe)
@@egilbert1884 Actually, the joke was about the word "me" meaning both "me" and "my" in some British dialects. Making the phrase "it tickles me pink" "it tickles MY pink".
But yeah, British accents are kinda hot on their own.
@@egilbert1884 Lol I share the same accent. Hard for anyone to take me seriously when I sound like I’m going to invite them indoors for some apple cobbler. 😅
Not even that long handled. If you replaced the claw with a similarly curved single spike, a modern claw hammer would basically *be* a mediaeval warhammer (albeit with a really nifty grip cover...)
Reminds me of the joke about the DnD player who got a ring of fireproofing. He was burnt to a crisp in a fire, but the ring was totally fine.
We do love to forget blunt force trauma when it comes to armor. And the fact that we focus on swords makes us forget maces and flails.
Please calm down, Mama London. We're sorry?
That gives "get off your high horse" a whole new meaning
IKR
Yeah, and aside from losing height advantage, riding on a horse means that you can't have plates on the horse-facing side of your thighs, nether region and your butt…
I love your excitement and personality. So bubbly and fun.
Your neighbors must be very amused at living next door: “Richard, she’s at it again… No, it’s a long sword this time!”
Blunt force trauma haha. Similar reason to why firearms where so deadly. Blunt force trauma thats incredibly concentrated. Even with modern kevlar you can have severe bleeding from the force of impact
But at some point, blunt force becomes so concentrated it's just stabbing.
That’s called “ penetrating trauma” it’s entirely different, not as concentrated as it seems due to cavitation and depending on where the trauma occurs potentially less deadly.
@@dombo813Well yes that’s why you stop calling it *blunt*
Can attest to that. Tried fencing at uni. Still shed blood underneath the kevlar
That's why there is a still chest plate in some of those kevlar garments
This was never a question I had but thank you.
Honestly … I initially thought the plastic bag was meant to resemble hair.
Ah, "heavy thing crush enemy." Oldest trick in the book. Works every time!
That seemed rather therapeutic 😮
Jesus the way you said dont worry about it. You swing with conviction!
Your clear enjoyment of the process is just that little bit unsettling.
The still picture for this short makes you look like you're *REALLY* pissed off! Note to Self: *NEVER* ever make this woman angry! *EVER!*
I can't imagine Jenny angry,
@@cockatoo010 I am sure Sir Melon might disagree with you.
@@cockatoo010 beware the silent smiling fury, for it is deadly and strikes without warning.
"Don't worry about it."
*takes out hammer*
Good on ya for putting it bluntly
The watermelon on her kitchen counter: *visibly sweating*
Don’t worry about it
Angry historian wrecks havoc
I absolutely adore your channel.
The repetition of "dont worry about it" made me laugh so much! I love your videos! I only discovered you recently, though!
My brain can’t consolidate “This is very protective” and “You are still fragile”
"Honey... the neighbors outside bashing a melon wrapped in chain mail with a hammer while repeatedly saying 'Don't worry about it'... again...."
Pausing this video while you're swinging the sword will fetch you some nice stills for your next Christmas cards! ❤😂
You are indeed and always awesome! 😊👍
Watching this channel go HEMA is what I needed in life.
Thank you for the enthusiastic demonstration.
As someone who knew what was coming, the plastic bag had me cackling in a most unbecoming manner.
That was one of the most worrying "don't worry about it"s of all time 😂😂😂
I sweat that everyone of your videos just makes my life better.
Absolutely slay
Slay those melons
As others have said this is why the mace, morning star and flail were used in battle. If you can bash in a helmet hard enough that knight will be out of the battle. (And the flail when used effectively can really pack a wallop).
Besides that, even if a helmet cushions the blow of a heavy weapon like a mace or a hammer, it can still disable.
The head is reasonably flexible connected tot he body by the neck, so if you hit the head, that force has to go somewhere.
@@dikkie1000 yeah thanks, that image alone had my head retract into my torso.
Flails were actually very rarely used in combat. The Hussites popularized the use of flails in the bohemian war and the imagery stuck more than the actual use of flails. A flail was simply a farming tool that some peasants would use to fight with but there is little evidence to show they were used nearly as much as the one handed mace or spear.
Maces and flails aren't very effective against knights in full-plate armor. They can only kill a knight if they manage to get the perfect blow in the right spot in the helmet, which is hard, considering a knight doesn't usually just allow that to happen. A knight would easily mitigate its damage by moving slightly or pushing your weapon away. A knife or sword was much more effective because they can reach into the weakpoints in armor and end the fight. Maces can only prolong the fight. Maces are effective against unarmored (or lightly armored) foes, but not against fully armored knights. They can be useful to knock the knight off his horse, which is very useful, but not much else.
@@reginaldcampos5762 Honestly it depends on what you mean by "fully armored knight" because that definition changes immensely depending on time period and culture.
There was a time period where heavy mail and bastinets were what consituted your knight's armor, in which case yes this worked. Against full-body plate, you'd need something with generally more penetrating power.
You are great! If I ever get to London I want to take any tour your offering!😅🎉❤😂
Dig it. You're the best, British history Lady
I really enjoyed watching this. Not just the first five times..
Or 10
Were you stressed? You seemed to enjoy that immensely 🤣🤣
hey I would too 😹😹
Okay, this actually answers a long held question about battle hammers. Thanks!
I love the serious must chop this to bits face you made with the sword. Love all your content, love a Dutch Anglophile
Arrows run the gamut. There's accounts of crusaders riddled with so many arrows they looked like porcupines while remaining combat capable.
The layered protection of fabric and mail is a really synergistic combo against arrows. Cutting heads are stopped by the mail, and piercing heads get stopped by the jack or gambeson.
Jen is sooooo cute holding that huge sword and making that fierce face to smash the pumpkin! 😂😄😄
Well, there's no capacity for worrying about it after... that... I suppose.
...Nonetheless, in addition to this being an excellent bit of demonstration regarding the strengths and weaknesses of maille, I find your righteous rage at this particular melon... for some reason... warms the heart.
It’s good to see you really enjoying yourself!
Damn. Those sword strikes were personal af
You also get swords like the estoc and daggers like the rondel that could pierce the maille. Some arrows could also penetrate the maille if they were smeared in grease. They used those in the East iirc.
Using bodkin instead of broadhead would seem more important than grease (getting the right angle would help too).
I don’t understand how grease would help the arrow get through chainmail, feels like it’d just make it harder to shoot
They grease the arrowhead. Not the shaft of the arrow.@@Chadius_Thundercock
That knitted sweater is bloody gorgeous.
I usually don't wear knitted outerwear, but I'd wear that in a heatwave ❤
I just watched your Cable Street video and you're not at all what I imagined. Great job against the honeydew!
Attacking the groin doesn't seem very chivalrous
We have a different idea of what chivalry means in the modern age.
Knights for most of history has basically no agreed-upon concept of chivalry, assuming they had any at all
Chivalry is a lot like the Bushido Code...both concepts were made up and written about largely AFTER knights and samurai stopped being a thing.
It's storytellers romanticizing a class of warriors who were ultimately there to act like cops, and protect the ruling class from the vengeful wrath of the common folk from whom the monarchy stole lands, wealth, and authority.
I hope your neighbours witnessed this and were like "they're at it again..."
Best demonstration I've seen in a long time. 😂
Bows, swords and spears are nice and all, but never underestimate the power of a good ol' bonking stick.
Exactly! Just like with bullet proof vest and flak jackets, that energy has to go somewhere and you’re the force that just slowed it down
People focus on the hard candy shell but forget about the cream filling.
For more see Tod's Workshop
Skallagrim also has several chainmail tests
You absolutely slaughtered that melon!😅
Great demonstration, Ma’am!
Don't mean to be patronising but you look *adorable* whacking that head with that sword.
And great lesson, thanks!
"Don't worry about it" was the most Brooklyn I've ever seen Jen...
"Come outside I just want to talk"
Her face while wielding the claymore was personal 😂
It’s the *trying not to laugh while looking at the damage* that’s hilarious!
Great video as usual! I love these demo videos (and as a wannabe sword-lesbian, am very jealous of the arsenal you have access to lol), but I have to admit that part of the reason I clicked was to come and comment that the title had me singing "chain mail ver-sus blunt force" to the tune of "don't you want me baby", and I'm still gigglnig over it
Ha! Now that’s in my head!
No armor, not even full plate, will ever protect you from blunt damage, which is why most kings preferred to use maces, warhammers, morning stars, and one of my personal favorites, the spiked ball and chain flail.
Well, modern ballistic armour does.
I don't like spiked flails unless the handle is at least Daneaxe length.
Kings would use swords. You're right that plate armor cant prevent pain from being struck by pretty much any weapon, but it is harder to hit a knight hard enough to kill with a mace than it is to stab them in the right place with a sword or dagger. The dagger is an underestimated weapon. You can't do crap with a mace if you are grappled, but a knife to the neck is enough to win.
By the way, do your own research with this to verify. I was misled with the same myths about blunt weapons on the internet before. Watch some knight duels on CZcams.
well first of all kings almost never fought and chain flails or morning stars were used even more rarely...
Utter nonsense. You can find fights on here with people in full armor using *real* maces, and even blunt polearms, and being very, *very* protected.
Also, most of the weapons you named... Weren't actually used.
I imagine this kind of injury would lead to a lot of gear being inherited 😬 _"Chainmail, good as new, eleven previous owners..."_ 😅
There's a reason the very first weapon we invented was the club. Doesn't require any skill and there are very few armours that can fully stop blunt force trauma.
She took out the Pumpkin King while wearing a dress. She took out Sir Squash de Gourd and remained a lady in so doing. This is why all wise men tremble before strong women and honor them.
"Don't worry about it." "Don't worry about it" lmao the best
I’m just laughing at your neighbours looking out their window and seeing you with a big ass sword😂😂
Safe to say you’d not be invited to any BBQs this summer😂
There’s a similar argument about modern body armor. A shotgun slug won’t pass thru Kevlar…..neither will a sledgehammer hammer, doesn’t mean you’ll be happy about it
Bro her viciously swinging that sword in her dress was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen
That was a serious test! But a pike aimed at charging cavalry is incredibly effective. The pike and the war axe are definitely what I would use in medieval combat!
Badass! More fighting things in cool dresses etc. Please
Really funny demonstration AND effective! Now I know another thing