Re: I wouldn't touch that...

[Neil Maclay <nmaclay@psi.prc.com>]

Poster: Neil Maclay <nmaclay@psi.prc.com>

>
>I would think that for higher levels of blow force, at least,
>having no padding in the head of the polearm tends to make the
>victim _less_ conscious.
>
>-- Alfredo el Bufon
>
I know that Lord Alfredo is being humorous but he is also being wrong.
I am more likely to knock someone unconcious or give them a concussion
if I hit them on the head with a padded polearm than if I hit them
with a bare one. What does the brain damage is the brain bouncing off
the sides of the skull when the head is accelerated. Bare rattan tends
to bounce away from a hard surface such as a helmet while padded
rattan tends to stick and stay with the helmet. Therefor the head is
more likely to be accelerated with the padded polearm.

Broken bones and deep bruises are a different story. Here the padding
helps protect the victim. So take your choices, do you prefer brain
damage or bone damage?

		Malcolm MacMalcolm
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