kantslag

Kantslag is a term used in Scandinavian languages to describe an impact or strike delivered by the edge of a blade or tool. It combines kant (edge) and slag (blow or strike). The term is mainly found in Danish, Norwegian and Swedish contexts; English-language sources rarely use a direct equivalent, and translators usually render it as "edge strike" or "edge blow."

In martial arts and historical European martial arts, a kantslag denotes a strike that uses the edge of the weapon rather than the flat or tip. Practitioners emphasize precise contact along the blade’s edge and may target openings or exposed surfaces. The effectiveness and safety of edge strikes depend on the weapon, protective gear, and rules of the discipline.

In other fields, kantslag can appear in descriptive discussions of impacts at or near the edge of an object. For engineers and materials scientists, the term is informal and not a standardized technical designation; a kantslag in this sense would refer to edge loading that can produce localized deformation, chipping or crack initiation under appropriate conditions.

See also: kant (edge), slag (blow), edge contact, historical European martial arts.