Sickle for comment - tool or weapon?

[shayde78]

Originally Posted by Philip

I don't see why this thing couldn't serve equally well as a farm tool or a weapon. I'm thinking of its Okinawan equivalent, with has a martial technique developed for it (used singly or in each hand) practiced to this day. Ditto for the grub hoe, also used for fighting in that culture and in the Philippines.

Yep - I agree, in general. Although, the example featured in this thread seems heavier and more stout than what would make sense for a strictly agricultural tool. It would be tiring to swing this for 8-10 hours a day. However, perhaps it made a lot of sense to have your tool able to serve as a functional weapon. You don't always get to choose when you're attacked, and the weapon at hand is more useful than the one you left at home.