Sorry, that wasn't about knowledge. However, to clarify: power is power, and comes in all kinds of levels, which are further amplified by things like knowledge, intelligence, etc...... You don't need knowledge to be super powerful, but it will always give you even more.
On the situation of the swords there was once a quote I don't wholy remember. It was something like "one man with a gun, can control a hundred without"
Don't rule me
Loyalty being the ultimate source of power, that is.
-Madara Uchiha