Editing Bat'leth (section)

== Description ==
A bat'leth is a curved blade approximately {{Convert|5|ft|m|sp=us}} long, with two spiked protrusions at each end and three handholds along the back which can be used to twist and spin the blade rapidly.<ref name=BBC>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/dna/ptop/alabaster/A56209287 |title="Star Trek" - Klingon Weapons, Honour, Pain and Sex |publisher=BBC |access-date=2012-05-02 |archive-date=February 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203074144/http://news.bbc.co.uk/dna/ptop/alabaster/A56209287 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Dan Curry created the bat'leth in 1990 for [[Worf]], the character played by [[Michael Dorn]] in ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]],''<ref name="Encyc">{{cite book|title=[[The Star Trek Encyclopedia]]|author=Okuda, Mike|author-link=Michael Okuda|author2=Denise Okuda|author3=Debbie Mirek|name-list-style=amp|publisher=Pocket Books|isbn=0-671-53609-5|year=1999}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Poe |first=Stephen Edward |title=Star Trek Voyager: A Vision of the Future |publisher=Pocket Books |year=1998 |location=New York |page=12 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MiJTlrdSkpAC&q=Dan+Curry+Bat%27leth&pg=PA12 |isbn=978-0-671-53481-3}}</ref> after receiving approval from producer [[Rick Berman]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Continuing Mission|author=Judith|author-link=Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens|author2=Garfield Reeves-Stevens|name-list-style=amp|publisher=Pocket Books|isbn=0-671-87429-2|year=1997|page=[https://archive.org/details/startreknextgene0000reev/page/184 184]|url=https://archive.org/details/startreknextgene0000reev/page/184}}</ref> Curry based the bat'leth's design on the [[Deer horn knives|Chinese fighting crescent]].<ref name=mov>{{cite web|url=http://trekmovie.com/2011/04/18/visual-effects-artist-dan-curry-talks-about-time-with-star-trek-designing-the-batleth/ |title=Visual Effects Artist Dan Curry Talks About Time With Star Trek & Designing The Bat'leth |publisher=TrekMovie.com |date=April 18, 2011 |access-date=2012-05-07}}</ref> A martial artist aside from his regular work as a visual-effects producer, Curry also developed a fighting style, based on a variety of different martial arts he learned during his time in Asia, for the use of the weapon.<ref name=mov /><ref name=Poe13>Poe, [https://books.google.com/books?id=MiJTlrdSkpAC&q=mek%27leth&pg=PA12 p. 13].</ref>

===Mek'leth===
[[File:Mekleth.jpg|thumb|A Mek'leth, a smaller version of the Bat'leth]]
In 1995, Curry developed a smaller version of the bat'leth, the mek'leth, whose design he based on that of a Northern Tibetan cavalry sword,<ref name=Poe13/> for Dorn to use when Dorn joined the cast, and Worf joined the crew, of ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]].'' Mek'leths are intended for one-handed use and shaped like a [[scimitar]]; they are approximately half the length of the full-size bat'leth.<ref name=BBC /><ref name=mekleth>[https://books.google.com/books?id=LKuvwS_pwQIC&q=mek%27leth&pg=PT192 "mekleth"], ''Star Trek Encyclopedia''.</ref>