The Grim Reaper shows a little style.
November 29th, 2007 | 
Author: Custom knife designers are known for thier off-the-wall creations. And some are more off-the-wall than others. And then there are those who just steal weapons designs from other sources. I’m sure you are all familiar with Death. Yes. Death.
You know, the tall, sombre, enigmatic figure, suffering from a rather extreme case of chronic bulimia, in the black robe with the over-sized scythe, that purportedly reaps our souls when we die? AKA the Grim Reaper? Well today we will be looking at a weapon, by crazy knife designer Tom Anderson, that, from the looks of it, was stolen from the grim reapers weapons locker:
Well what can I say. Lets take it from the top. This is a half size scythe, with a half sized blade, presumably to make close quarters soul reaping easier. And it’s got a lot of cool modern touches. The blade is wickedly hooked, beak like, almost like an oversized Kama blade. All the better to reap you with. And the head is just fantastic. The three rearward spikes, the futuristic black and white patterned cheek of the weapon, it’s all so very contemporary in a “Death for the new Millennium” kind of way.
Below that, however, it all goes freaky really, really, fast. The shaft of this scythe looks almost like someones spine was used as the shaft. And capped of by a skull. Quite possibly from the same unfortunate soul who became the shaft. All very gruesome. In a cool, dark kind of way, of course. Not that I’m trying to make light of a weapon of Death. I do, in fact, have a very well developed sense of self preservation. (In spite of how I may come across.)
Anyway, I don’t know about you, but it looks to me as though the grim reaper has been experimenting with a new Scythe design. And you can tell from the name that Tom Anderson TOTALLY ripped off the Grim Reaper. (Like how I did that little redirection? Sweet right? Yeah. Now old man Death can be mad at Mr, Anderson instead. Uh huh. I’m good like that.) Come on Kultovator? Like Kultovating Souls for reaping? OK, so that was reaching a bit. But I still say he stole a page from the reapers playbook…
The Kultovator by Tom Anderson – [Red Dragon Swords]
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Category: Exotic, Polearms | 
Tags: Custom, Fantasy, Futuristic, Scythe, Tom Anderson | 
20 Comments »
Well I am sure it comes as no surprsie that I am something of a fan of Mr. Reaper, but I have to say this one is a little too high-tech looking for my personal taste. I prefore the old skythe any day.
I do like how the blade resembles the head of a raptor but I am just not feeling this one
Yeah, this is definitely on the outer fringe of the kinds of weapons I like as well. I was actually conflicted about whether I liked it enough to post about it or not.
I do like the blade, the head (mostly), and the spikes on the back, although I would have preferred more simplicity in the head/cheek area.
The rest of it was a little over the top for me, the skull pommel and the spine deal kinda killed it. But it’s still so unique I thought it was worth a post…
I think this scythe is awesome any chance of a website where thay sell them i could order it right away
Hey Josh, Yeah, I think you can get one at Kingdom of Swords
Scythes, my very favorite type of sharp metal. I’ve been waiting for one of these to roll around since I came across this site: four days. But seriously. While I’m highly pleased that we get to comment on mr. R’s armament of choice, I’m slightly dissapointed by the type. Now, in my experience, Scythes usually take on one of two models: there’s the plain and functional design that’s a fairly straight-forward “staff-with-kick-ass-curved-blade-at-top” kind of look. Such is what you’d probably find if you were to look in a book, or other paper-bound reference material. Then there’s the gothic design. Most of the time these models will have unnecessarily curved staves and skeletal something or others sprinkled around generously. This is the kind you’d probably find if you searched the web.
Honestly I Profer the simple design. It’s functional, looks cool, and honestly, scythes are goth enough on their own, the weird skeletal stuff is just creepy. in fact, if I may, I’d like to omit the entire staff of the Scythe, and I’ll pretend for this portion that it’s just a normal straight, long, thin type.
I particularly like the head of this one. Unlike it’s normal function of taking defenceless souls, this seems to yearn for a more combat scenario, which I am always pleased to see. If your wondering how I know something like this was designed for combat, I’ll run you through some of the major tip-offs.
1) The gap on the top-side of the blade
While some may think this design choice was made for not much more than an increased amount of damage, they are seriously mistaken. The gap is a defence mechanism, customary in many two-handed weapons, since you can’t use a sheild in your off-hand, the two hander must do the offence and defence
2) The spikes on the back side.
If you thought the only purpose of these spikes was to inflict more pain, you were absolutely right. The spikes give the weilder another option for attacking to help with rythm and consistancy.
3) Shortness of the Blade
Although seen as a hinderence in many bladed weapons, the actual size of the blade is a completely different purpose. since the Scythe is only as long as the staff, having a shorter blade is much easier, decreasing the weight and helping with balance issues most Scythes of poorer quality face.
Wow do I write alot, I better stop before people start thinking i’m some kind of expert and start asking me questions about this stuff.
I ramble lots
X_X
Crosseyes:
Actually, I want to refute your point on the curved staves. And I think I can, since I have actually tried scythe-fighting to see if it was possible… it isn’t. The scythe is a farming implement. You could use it to cut your opponents off at the ankles, but hey.
Were you to take the basic elements of a staff – stick with blade at ninety degrees to itm curving inwards, and try to use it in battle, your opponents would laugh at you.
If you then incorporate a single curve into the staff – like the one at the top, but without the bottom curve – you actually bear the blade to the killzone. If the staff is straight, then it takes a full-bodied, stiff swing to cut someone; not good fighting style. But if you bend it slightly, you can bear enough of the blade that it can then be used much like a staff; spinning, lashing, etc, just like in the games.
So, to finish… there must be a bend in the staff, or the shape of the blade must be redone. But too many curves and it ends up looking like an old lady’s back after several years of osteoporosis.
This discussion came up in another scythe post, and imho, scythes aren’t really a practical battlefield weapon. Even the long straight varieties are simply too unwieldy. They are really designed for wide sweeping strokes, that cut on the inside towards the wielder. Great for harvesting crops or cutting down tall grass, not so good for battle, as it takes a long time to swing, and you run the risk of your weapon getting hooked on an opponent.
This is why you never see glaives or Naginata designed this way…
You’ve tried scythe-fighting? I officially loath you. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, reality’s always getting in the way. Well I give up, it’s been fun evrybody.
officially my last post,
Crosseyes
X_X
O.o Wow. I’ve never had that before… officially loathed over trying something. *Shrug* First time for everything. Well, some people never seem to get your golden rule here, Phyre… reality is the key.
And, yeah, I know it’s been mentioned before. But since I was too lazy to go find it to use it as reference, I just sorta left that out. About the closest thing to a usable scythe on the battlefield would be kama… I think they’re called. Probably hopelessly wrong here. Funny short things.
Or perhaps a sickle, though honestly, that’s not exactly battleworthy either.
@Crosseyes
Hey you really have no reason to leave, srsly…
@Niccolo
LOL It doesn’t take much to generate loathing these days… LOL
And so far as weapons close to the scythe, I actually think the closest weapon type (besides an actual war scythe) would be a Fauchard, not the Kama. The Kama and their longer chained brethren the Kusarigama, can not really be called polearms by any stretch. But even the Fauchard suffered the same limitations that the Scythe did, though to a lesser degree. It really doesn’t seem to have been a good battlefield weapon design by any account…
I guess I over-reacted. I’m not in drama, but some people think I should be. XD
Honestly I was blindsided when you said Scythes were basically offensively useless. I know I’m not supposed to reference fiction, but the scythe was used as a weapon in Soul Calibur 3, and also in the Novel Battle Royale Mitsuko ended up killing 2 people with one (stealthly of course, but nevertheless). I’m not saying these sources are credible, but I never expected they would be completely wrong. It never seemed so complicated from my end -_-
@_- <<(Man with monicle thrown in for good measure)<<
X_X
Hahaha, I don’t believe this! I was actually trying to describe something like the scythe-ish weapon from SC3. Okay, this explains SO much.
When I first said scythes were offensively useless, I was talking about normal scythes – the ones made to cut grass.
Indulge me for a moment, please Phyreblade…
But taking the rather unique… um… okay, it’s a scythe by any other name. The rather unique shape of Zasalamel’s scythe is better made for fighting with – provided you were fighting a minimal number of opponents – but it honestly still lacks the killzone of better weapons. As far as videogame weapons go it wouldn’t be impossible to faithfully replicate a use-worthy one, but it’s limit would be small battles.
To run with this idea further; our newly-made scythe, if the blade was tilted back more, could actually become a fairly serviceable polearm weapon, since the killzone would be increased… provided you didn’t stop spinning. A scythe of any kind has a hell of a lot of weight to it, and weight is inertia.
There is just one problem with scythes, to pull us back to reality; where their damn centre of gravity is. This here is the main reason a scythe was not commonly seen on a battlefield (except from peasants)
I may not know much about weapons (if you couldn’t tell ^^;) but I do know physics. And the reason the longsword was a mainstay in battles for… well, a hell of a long time, and the scythe wasn’t, the reason the spear was so easy to use – hell, even the reason a flail is suitable – is because the centre of gravity is contained within the weapon. This makes it far, far easier to control. In the smallest cousin of the scythe, the tiny handheld thing that’s about a foot long, the centre of gravity offset isn’t too bad. But still, it’s a difficult thing to overcome.
O.o and how the devil can six feet of wood and four of steel be stealthy? I have GOT to see that.
Crosseyes, see, this is exactly why I tell people not to use video games or movies as a reference point to determine the usability (or inherent lack thereof) of any kind of weapon. There are too many instances of warped physics and totally improbable scenarios in games and movies to make any kind of realistic comparison.
A typical example is the one you gave: If you are in a position to approach someone stealthily enough to kill them before they realize you are even there, you could just as easily kill them with a pocket knife. In such a scenario, the weapon used is almost irrelevant.
Now I’m not saying that a Scythe is a totally benign weapon. A sharp blade is a sharp blade. You can kill someone with a scythe, yes, I’m just saying you cannot use it in the way it is portrayed in video games, and it isn’t a good *battlefield* weapon.
@Niccolo
OK, here’s the thing. The biggest problem with a scythe, IMHO is that the blade is simply in the wrong orientation. You cannot put the blade perpendicular to the shaft of a polearm with the entire cutting edge facing the wielder, primarily because your opponents are all coming from the side opposite that upon which the edge is located. And even the mid air placement of it’s COG is not as much of a problem as the fact that it simply does not have a wide enough offensive range.
Even if you tilt the blade back a bit, you still have the same problem. The scythe was designed to cut out a very narrow swath out of a non-moving target using a crossing inward stroke. It simply can not efficiently cut a wide enough swath for it to be effective in a battle scenario except for under very, very specialized conditions. You want killzone? Rotate the blade 90 degrees so it is pointing straight out. Now THAT puppy would make for a killer swing.
A spear has the advantage that it is thrust *directly* at the opponent. A Naginata has the same advantage and also the fact that it’s blade will cut a *wide* swath if it is swung in an arc. In fact if you look at any successful bladed battlefield pole arm, you will see that they have one or both of these features in common. Good thrusting characteristics or a good wide swing cut. A Scythe has neither.
guess so huh? Oh well, one day I hope to prove you wrong. I have already proven myself in both competitivity and stubbornness, and the scythe is just too cool to give up on. But untill then, I’ll admit defeat in this one field
You win for now Mr. phyre
X_X
LOL,
Crosseyes, you are definitely a worthy, highly competitive and stubborn opponent! LOL But if you plan to continue to argue purely on the basis of the “coolness” of the weapon, rather than it’s actual physical properties, and practicality, be prepared to fight a continuously loosing battle my friend!!
The truth is, I’m not really interested in winning per se. When I disagree with someone, it’s usually because I see a flaw in their argument or point of view. And while being wrong isn’t exactly a pleasant experience, I do appreciate being proven wrong because I generally learn things from it, and I think that is more important than whether I’m right or wrong…
nah, I’m done arguing on this now, you’ve proven your point many times over with both physics amd first-hand experience (niccolo.) sometime, maybe not even in the near future, I’ll find a way to give that thing some functionality, but untill then you remain at the victor’s podium.
niccolo >> p.s. If you want to see what I was talking about with the book, it’s fairly easy to come by (I got it at a Barnes and Noble) although, if you want to SEE see it then they have also adapted it into two movies and a manga seiries, but I wouldn’t reccomend either because I hear they are pretty bad
phyreblade >> last note: I agree with what you were saying that you can pretty much use anything to get someone from behind, but what sticks out for me is that it wasn’t from behind, the two of them (girl with scythe, and other girl) were face to face and talking, then in the middle she just kinda pulled it on her. honestly I thought it was kind of odd too.
All >> last last note: I know what I’ve been talking about may seem a little confusing, and I would make a link to the page, but sadly I don’t have access to a scanner untill tomorow or later today at the earliest, I’ll post it when I get the chance
Battle Royale: it’s more thrilling than most action movies of today, and it’s a book!
X_X
scythe fighting would be extremely clumsy but i spose as a last resort you could sneak up behind some on and slash at the neck gues i shouldnt imagin one to go throgh the bone =/
death originally had no scythe they just slapped that on him to make a reference to the “reaping” of souls.
Yeah, Death gained the scythe at some point after it’s conception as a dark cloaked and hooded entity. It’s interesting how the metaphor often ends up defining additional attributes for mythical characters that did not exist at their inception.
I WANT IT!!!!!!
CAN I BUY IT!!!!
LOL Hey NinjaFREAK
Yeah, Red Dragon Swords has one for sale (Link below):
Kultovator – Red Dragon Swords