Sai are pointed Okinawan melee weapons, used for both offensive and defensive purposes.
Description[]
The traditionally made sai are small (10-24 inch) short-handled tridents, that have a longer main prong in the middle and two shorter prongs on the opposite sides of it. They were possibly derived from a pitchfork head, a tool that farmers used to measure how far into the ground their seeds needed to be planted. Traditional sai are made of steel or iron and have sharp points at the end of the prongs, but no sharp edges like a dagger. Despite this, the edges can sometimes be sharpened too to make the weapons even more lethal.
Usage[]
The sai are very versatile weapons, and can be used both offensively and defensively. Their offensive uses consist of fast stabs and strikes with the main prong, and punches with the pommel, along with rapid grip changes between the standard grip and the reverse grip. Defensively, they can be used to block incoming attacks and trap the opponents weapons. Furthermore, their side prongs can also be used to bend or break weapons like the katana or the bo. They could also be used to disarm most weapons with ease. Because of this, the sai were favored for fighting against a samurai armed with a katana or other sword wielding opponents.