[quote][u][i][b]1)[/b][/i][/u]And like that you've lost me. No, no they would not cut through mail. This isn't Deadliest Warrior, people aren't running around in butted mail made of low-grade galvanized steel. [u][i][b]2)[/b][/i][/u] They'll be using at least soldered and more [u][i][b]1a)[/b][/i][/u] likely welded or riveted mail, and you aren't going to cut those with any kind of sword. Here's an example of an idiot with a claymore trying to cut through crappy soldered mail. This mail is one step up from butted, and he barely damages it, much less "cleaves it apart". Welded mail was both more common and stronger, and the top of the line riveted stuff was stronger still.

[u][i][b]3)[/b][/i][/u] youtube.com/watch?v=p_I_fkRngNM

There's more tests like this out there. Mail is by far stronger than people think it is.

[u][i][b]4)[/b][/i][/u] And also no, you can't stab through plate. Not even with a zweihander[/quote]
1) A stupid and silly comparison because in deadliest warrior weapons are often shown as weaker than they are, i.e. a crank based crossbow failing to go past lamellar armour in one of their tests. 

1a) People had much worse steel then than now, with far worse methods of purification and such and it would often be too brittle or soft, irregularly shaped, much worse maintained and weathered, etc.

2) If that were true than fencing manuals and schools would not teach one to go for a slashing movement for the armpits that are typically protected with mail. Unless of course you are of the meme "European swords kill people with blunt impact" school of thought. 

3) Yeah and I can post a video of a man using grorious nippon still slicing through plate armour, videos mean shit. 

4) Perhaps not renaissance era cuirasses and such which were much thick and designed to take on firearms, but more traditionally medieval ones you most certainly could. Thus weapons like the tuc were formed. "...As armour improved, so did the methods of attacking the armour ... long tapered swords could also be used as a lance once the lance was splintered..." lances and many polearms being notorious for being able to give plate the old stab. 


[quote]There's a reason every self respecting soldier carries and carried around a dagger or knife. If you can't go through the obstacle, go around it. Your points were all very good, thanks for those insights.[/quote]

Also not wholly true, many soldiers were found without daggers and those that did often brought knives along to be tools, weapons as a last resort and not really brought for that purpose.