Jeff's right. It's how you cut a tomato, or use a saw.
The basic point is that your arms move in an arc when you cut with a sword.
If you cut straight down, that's the classic cut. If it's short and sharp, it's a hack. If you put your back into it, you're chopping.
But remember, a cut is a straight line motion, and your arms are moving in arcs.
If you have a curved blade (or even a straight blade angled right), you will be pulling backwards on the blade to slice through your target at the bottom of the arc.
If you think of this in terms of wood, it's the difference between using an axe to cut a branch, or a saw to slice through it.
My 0.0002 cents,
F
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