Without going into graphic details, growing up in South Bronx in a time of civil controversy I acquired some experience with edged and blunt things. Also with life experiences afterwards.
The efficiency of slashing is directly related to the medical knowledge of the slasher, coupled with how deep will that particular blade slash. Blood is nice if graphics are your goal, but IME a medium to heavy blade capable of delivering a wound to the hand like this
truly gets an opponents attention. No, you aren't going to do that with a Buck 110 or a steak knife, but I do have some old time butcher blades quite capable of doing that, as well as more modern blades which can do that easily (can we say Busse? LoL). Slashing produces little pain if the recipient is under adrenal or other drug influence so it is best used for disabling. Go for the nerves and tendons of the extremities. I.e.,
A little paring knife is quite capable (if sharp) of severing the nerves and tendons shown with a slice. Most so-called experts focus on defensive moves to protect their torso and skull/neck. They use their hands and feet for their defense and offense. The real experts understand the hands and feet/legs are valid targets in themselves. This is why after 1,000 years of sword fighting baskets evolved around the hand. Chop off the fingers and the other guy's sword hits the ground. To sum up" slicing severs things, produces little pain at first, but can generate some blood. It's efficiency shines when the object sliced is a crucial nerve (i.e., radial), a major tendon (i.e, carpal) or a major artery (i.e., brachial or femoral). The human body reacts to stabbing differently. A stab wound usually produces the phenomena known as shock instantly. Loss of conciousness from a non-fatal stab wound is not unknown. The body shuts down whatever is deemed non essential. Sometimes the brain miscalculates what is essential and the blood pressure drops too much. Stabs to the hand are problematic. A housemate of mine a few years ago managed to stab one of my steak knives completely through her hand while stabbing potatoes (for the microwave) and arguing with her mom on the cell phone. Whoops. LoL. Point is the impalement of her hand disabled her not in the slightest. I took her to the ER and throughout the procedures she remained conccious and alert. The function of the hand was not impaired and there was only a little blood visible around the knife blade until the blade was removed and even then, not very much, about a minor nosebleed worth. Alternatively someone else I know literally collapsed when a large folder went through his palm and the bones of 2 fingers and out the back of the hand. 20 years later he has use of the hand again. Good doctors. Stab wounds to the torso produce internal hemorrhage as the internal organs bleed into the torso. This can kill, but the process may take a minute or 5. Stab wounds to the neck produce lots of blood but often do not immediately produce shock. Stab wounds hurt more than slash wounds. They should, the implications are more severe.
Ususally when 2 people knife fight, both get cut. This is why knife duels were banned in the US 140 years ago. Society often lost both fighters, not just one. Old knife duels often involved a rope on the ankles so running away was not possible. Death was rarely instant, so the dying person often took the opponent with them.
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The efficiency of slashing is directly related to the medical knowledge of the slasher, coupled with how deep will that particular blade slash. Blood is nice if graphics are your goal, but IME a medium to heavy blade capable of delivering a wound to the hand like this
A little paring knife is quite capable (if sharp) of severing the nerves and tendons shown with a slice.
Most so-called experts focus on defensive moves to protect their torso and skull/neck. They use their hands and feet for their defense and offense. The real experts understand the hands and feet/legs are valid targets in themselves. This is why after 1,000 years of sword fighting baskets evolved around the hand. Chop off the fingers and the other guy's sword hits the ground.
To sum up" slicing severs things, produces little pain at first, but can generate some blood. It's efficiency shines when the object sliced is a crucial nerve (i.e., radial), a major tendon (i.e, carpal) or a major artery (i.e., brachial or femoral).
The human body reacts to stabbing differently. A stab wound usually produces the phenomena known as shock instantly. Loss of conciousness from a non-fatal stab wound is not unknown. The body shuts down whatever is deemed non essential. Sometimes the brain miscalculates what is essential and the blood pressure drops too much. Stabs to the hand are problematic. A housemate of mine a few years ago managed to stab one of my steak knives completely through her hand while stabbing potatoes (for the microwave) and arguing with her mom on the cell phone. Whoops. LoL. Point is the impalement of her hand disabled her not in the slightest. I took her to the ER and throughout the procedures she remained conccious and alert. The function of the hand was not impaired and there was only a little blood visible around the knife blade until the blade was removed and even then, not very much, about a minor nosebleed worth. Alternatively someone else I know literally collapsed when a large folder went through his palm and the bones of 2 fingers and out the back of the hand. 20 years later he has use of the hand again. Good doctors. Stab wounds to the torso produce internal hemorrhage as the internal organs bleed into the torso. This can kill, but the process may take a minute or 5. Stab wounds to the neck produce lots of blood but often do not immediately produce shock. Stab wounds hurt more than slash wounds. They should, the implications are more severe.
Ususally when 2 people knife fight, both get cut. This is why knife duels were banned in the US 140 years ago. Society often lost both fighters, not just one. Old knife duels often involved a rope on the ankles so running away was not possible. Death was rarely instant, so the dying person often took the opponent with them.