I know, cheatin' is awesome!
And Cut Lass can totally punch someone or hit them with the pommel or flat of the blade. Which actually makes it waaay more difficult to fight normals without hurting them. It would be much more efficient to have a heavy stick to thump people with. But... she's a ripped young woman with a pirate theme and a cutlass so she's stuck in her.... "particular idiom."
Actually, I guess she could have a belaying pin