Swords for self defense?

before I start this I just want you to know that I just want a straightforward answer for this. do not go into legal issues or anything. alright, would a sword be good for self defense. I realize I will never carry one on the street. just say you were allowed to carry one though and you were. then, some thug a**hole comes up with a handgun or a club, baseball bat, etc. and he was trying to rob you. would a sword be effective for this. remember he will not shoot you immediately and some iaido practitioners would be able to draw a sword and make a cut before they could pull the trigger. would it be useful? some sites said it would not. so, this is like saying would a samurai be effective in a street encounter of this sort.

Soz tkd67, but I laffed so much when I read this. I pictured someone dressed up in full samurai gear with a large FO sword trying to use a cash machine. I then pictured someone with a baseball bat trying to take him on. How funny would that be?

Having said this, and trying to be serious, I think that if he was really well trained and was proper psyched then I think he would do well in a street fight.

Are you a secret undercover cop trying to justify swords in your department? I think that would be so cool in the UK!

Happy New Year

Scott

Effective weapon, wrong century.