Train the Stick to Learn the Blade?

[Don Roley]

They were conditioned to swing it and experienced in the better angles of cutting, but that doesn't always equate to a good fighter.

Yes. I never said that using a tool would make you a fighter. But it does teach you the use of the edge. So if you couple that with combat training, you get the full skill use. And the other aspects of combat training do not have to worry too much with ingraining you with edge use. But the aspects that they took for granted (i.e. using a blade to cut aeveryday) has been dropped. So, is it that important or should there be other expercises and training included to cover the gap?