Sword porn, part I
Since it was requested... I do love to show off my babies.
So this is the first sword I ever bought. The maker is Armour Class, who do affordable and very reliable work. This is one of their prettiest blades, IMO - the earlier period stuff (example later) is a bit chunky for my taste, but this is just gorgeous. It's a weapon from around 1600, a mortuary sword. (So called because many featured an image of the deceased Charles I on the hilt, though this one doesn't.) These are cut-and-thrust blades, double-edged, and allegedly the favoured blade of Cromwell, though both sides in the Civil War used them.
The hilt work is simple but graceful, offering decent hand protection without the full basket hilt. There's no pommel: instead, the additional metal in the hand protection offsets the weight of the blade, which makes the balance slightly different.
Of all my swords this is the best for scoring hits with the point (as it should be) and for false edge cuts.. It's fast, light and easy to use, very popular with beginners and smaller students, who like to borrow it. I love it but the one drawback is that it's almost too light - opponents in maille sometimes don't feel the hits. You have to hit them with the flat of the blade, which is not this sword's forte. Great in a one-on-one unarmoured duel, though, particularly paired with a parry dagger in the left hand.
This is the next sword I bought, and both the most expensive and the nicest.
It's an arming sword, a basic sidearm for a knight or man at arms from around the 11th century to the 16th. This is a later period design (14th-16th c), as the downswept, curving quillons replace the straight, cruciform design of the earlier examples.
The curving quillon design is superior in the parry, enabling you to trap a blade or spear against your blade with a twist of the wrist, gaining a momentary advantage. It's also pretty. :) The copper band on the hilt is really just decorative. The wheel pommel is chunky but solid, and sits well in the palm if you're using hand-and-a-half techniques. It's technically a bit too short in both hilt and blade to be well suited to that style, but it works well enough for training and teaching purposes.
The sword is from Heron Armouries, who do amazing quality work. They cost a bit more but the weapons are lovely: beautiful, light and well balanced. (You can just about make out the heron on the blade, near the hilt.) You can see it's been well used, the hilt in particular showing some wear and tear.
More tomorrow.
So this is the first sword I ever bought. The maker is Armour Class, who do affordable and very reliable work. This is one of their prettiest blades, IMO - the earlier period stuff (example later) is a bit chunky for my taste, but this is just gorgeous. It's a weapon from around 1600, a mortuary sword. (So called because many featured an image of the deceased Charles I on the hilt, though this one doesn't.) These are cut-and-thrust blades, double-edged, and allegedly the favoured blade of Cromwell, though both sides in the Civil War used them.
The hilt work is simple but graceful, offering decent hand protection without the full basket hilt. There's no pommel: instead, the additional metal in the hand protection offsets the weight of the blade, which makes the balance slightly different.
Of all my swords this is the best for scoring hits with the point (as it should be) and for false edge cuts.. It's fast, light and easy to use, very popular with beginners and smaller students, who like to borrow it. I love it but the one drawback is that it's almost too light - opponents in maille sometimes don't feel the hits. You have to hit them with the flat of the blade, which is not this sword's forte. Great in a one-on-one unarmoured duel, though, particularly paired with a parry dagger in the left hand.
This is the next sword I bought, and both the most expensive and the nicest.
It's an arming sword, a basic sidearm for a knight or man at arms from around the 11th century to the 16th. This is a later period design (14th-16th c), as the downswept, curving quillons replace the straight, cruciform design of the earlier examples.
The curving quillon design is superior in the parry, enabling you to trap a blade or spear against your blade with a twist of the wrist, gaining a momentary advantage. It's also pretty. :) The copper band on the hilt is really just decorative. The wheel pommel is chunky but solid, and sits well in the palm if you're using hand-and-a-half techniques. It's technically a bit too short in both hilt and blade to be well suited to that style, but it works well enough for training and teaching purposes.
The sword is from Heron Armouries, who do amazing quality work. They cost a bit more but the weapons are lovely: beautiful, light and well balanced. (You can just about make out the heron on the blade, near the hilt.) You can see it's been well used, the hilt in particular showing some wear and tear.
More tomorrow.