Half-swording (German halbschwert) refers to the technique of gripping the middle of the blade with the left hand to better control the tip of the sword. Some of the heavier normal size swords that I looked out were the single handed wide blade cut and thrust swords like the Munich town guard swords. Its handle featured a waisted shape, tapering towards shorter, thinner half-grips. SPADA SCHIAVONESCA. The blade measured around 1 metre (40 inches), the grip averaged 15-23 cm (6-9 inches). At only 7 inches long, the guard appears a bit small for a sword of this size, but again, it's true to the original design. 1d6 slashing. The Military History Book: The Ultimate Visual Guide to the Weapons that Shaped the World, Cut and Thrust: European Swords and Swordsmanship, Knight: The Warrior and World of Chivalry, Medieval Armies and Weapons in Western Europe: An Illustrated History, The Art of Sword Combat: A 1568 German Treatise on Swordsmanship. The 19cm grip is constructed from timber, covered in faux leather with a sewn seam which is then cord wrapped for extra strength. By clicking enter you are verifying that you are old enough to consume alcohol. Longsword, bastard sword, and hand-and-a-half sword are all names used to describe a variety of medieval European swords. Optimized for armored combat, their blades were steeply pointed, suggesting that their primary function was to pierce armor. If a warrior was facing archers, for instance, he may wield the hand-and-a-half sword with one hand while using his other hand to hold a shield. Many different swords fall into this category and many of them are as maneuverable as they are surprisingly sturdy. It is uncertain whether the same term could still be used to other types of smaller swords, but antiquarian usage in the 19th century established the use of "bastard sword" as referring unambiguously to these large swords. The term hand-and-a-half or bastard sword became a label to denote the later manifestations of these war swords or longswords. Some of these terms originate contemporaneously with the weapons which they describe. [9] By the late 16th century, early forms of the developed-hilt appear on this type of sword. Great swords or greatswords are related to the long swords of the Middle Ages. 1101 Stinson Blvd. Special, versatile (1d8) The middle ground between an arming sword and a longsword --sometimes called a "hand and a half sword"-- this blade's hilt is short enough to be used in one hand while also being long enough to warrant two hands if needed though it isn't as effective as a longsword . The majority of these elongated weapons were designed for agility, precision and rapid thrusting blows to exploit gaps in the enemy's defences; the major joints of the arms, the opening in a visor. Most swords are intended for use either one or two hands. Specifications: Overall Length: 43" Blade Length: 33" Weight: 3 lbs Edge: Unsharpened Width: 4.7 mm - 3.6 mm Pommel: Nut P.O.B. Regardless, the sword's defining characteristics remain the same: it can be used with either one hand or both hands. The arming sword was the most used sword type in the medieval period. SBA-WARSPIKE-T $158 Out of Stock (M. Rector, Ed. The term "single-handed sword" (or "one-handed sword") is a retronym coined to disambiguate from "two-handed" or "hand-and-a-half" specimens. Tony Willis, "A Pair of Scottish Swords", Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of premodern combat weapons Swords, "Pappenheimer | Define Pappenheimer at Dictionary.com", "SOCIETY:: WEAPONS:: THRUSTING AND CUTTING WEAPONS [1] image - Visual Dictionary Online", "Search Chambers - Free English Dictionary", "A Perfect Length II: The Longsword | Encased in Steel", "Sword types in prize playing - The Association for Renaissance Martial Arts", "The Raymond J. 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There is no historical Italian equivalent to the English word "rapier". . 120-150 cm (47-59 in), blade length: avg. The waisted grip, featuring a wider center tapering toward the pommel, allowed better control of the weapon. As its name suggests, it had an advantage in terms of greater reach over the so-called short sword or arming sword. The longsword, greatsword and bastard-sword were also made in Spain, appearing relatively late, known as the espadon, the montante and bastarda or espada de mano y media respectively. Swordsmen were trained to use the dulled side for defensive and blocking techniques. Leather Wrapped Handle. The blade could be the same length as a single-hand sword but the tang and the grip . Bastard swords are also known as hand-and-a-half swords, falling between the longsword and greatsword in length. The basket-hilted sword is a sword type of the early modern era characterised by a basket-shaped guard that protects the hand. These are referred to by a variety of names and include Langschwert, spadone or spada longa, grootzwaard, pe btarde, and bastard sword. Hand and a Half Sword 88HNH medieval bastard sword by Cold Steel. [17]:plate 58 Some manuals even depict the cross as a hammer. [citation needed], The tuck may also get its name from the verb "to tuck" which means "to shorten". Among most Greek warriors, this weapon had an iron blade of about 60 centimetres. If wielded in one hand, the hand-and-a-half sword functioned similarly to an arming sword, though its balance would be slightly different. Grip Length: 7.5 inches; Overall Length: 46.5 inches; Blade thickness (base): 4.6 mm; Blade thickness (1" from tip): 3.0 mm; Guard Width: 10 inches; Half-swording was a manner of using both hands, one on the hilt and one on the blade, to better control the weapon in thrusts and jabs. Lengths usually ranged from 110 cm to 150 cm, with 120 to 125 cm probably being the median. @d-a-half-sw. The most common form is also known as the Chinese sabre, although those with wider blades are sometimes referred to as Chinese broadswords. [26] Instead, the energy of the cut becomes essentially pure concussive energy. Since it has no legitimate claim to being a member of either weapon family, it has earned the name bastard sword. The German langes Schwert ("long sword") in 15th-century manuals did not necessarily denote a type of weapon, but the technique of fencing with both hands at the hilt. [44], The "tuck" (French estoc, Italian stocco)[citation needed] is an edgeless blade of square or triangular cross-section used for thrusting. This is the classic one-handed sword used by knights and was often used in conjunction with a shield. Unlike the xiphos, which is a thrusting weapon, the kopis was a hacking weapon in the form of a thick, curved single edged iron sword. Includes Scabbard or Sheath (19) The backsword was a single-edged, straight-bladed sword, typically for military use. It was a specialist weapon wielded by certain Landsknechte (mercenary soldiers), so-called Doppelsldners. A defining characteristic of the sword isn't the overall length, it's the length of the handle. Irish Hand and Half Sword - Irish hand and a half sword, a Legacy Arms/Generation 2 design, dating from around 1475 - 1525 A.D. Swords, Knives & Reenactment menu. Here are the unique characteristics of hand-and-a-half swords: Historical hand-and-a-half sword blades were often made of a single piece of steel and were hardened by quenching. Blade Length: 34.5 Inches ; Handle Length: 11.5 Inches ; Overall Length: 46 Inches ; Balance Point: 3.5 Inches Below Hilt ; Weight: 2 lbs. While slashing attacks were still moderately effective against infantry wearing half-plate armour, cutting and slicing attacks against an opponent wearing plate armour were almost entirely ineffective in providing any sort of slashing wound as the sword simply could not cut through the steel, although a combatant could aim for the chinks in a suit of armour, sometimes to great effect. Medieval Longsword, Xiphos Sword: Facts About the Leaf-Bladed Greek Sword, Your Ultimate Guide to the European Smallsword, Gladius Sword: A Guide on the Roman Short Sword, Claymore: A Guide to Popular Scottish Sword, The Historically Authentic Executioner Sword, Flamberge: A Guide to the Flame-Bladed Swords. The term "hand-and-a-half sword" is modern (late 19th century). The sword is made of carbon steel with a Rockwell hardness of HRC 54 ? A longsword (long sword) is any sword that is generally wielded with two hands. These are all in reference to swords commonly called hand and a half swords or longswords today. Hand-and-a-half swords can be used with one or both hands as needed in combat. This . The Cold Steel Kris series, which includes a sword and dagger, is something we hope all . There is no historical dictionary for the universal names, classification or terminology of swords; a sword was simply a double edged knife. During the first half of the 20th century, the term "bastard sword" was also used regularly to refer to this type of sword, while "long sword" (or "long-sword"), if used at all, referred to the rapier (in the context of Renaissance or Early Modern fencing).[7]. [8] Access this answer and support the author as a Quora+ subscriber 44. Similarly, strong strikes could cut through skin and bone, effectively amputating limbs. In some instances, the crossguard could hook the shield or the weapon away and even trip the enemy. In HEMA, the term longsword refers to all swords with grips long enough to accommodate two hands yet lightweight enough to wield in one hand. Sign up for our mailing-list and be alerted to new products, special sales, limited product availability, and more. And this is why it remains a popular sword type even after all of those years. It was through students of Liechtenauer, like Sigmund Ringeck, who transcribed the work into more understandable prose[20] that the system became notably more codified and understandable. Another technique would be the Mordstreich (lit. Tough, rigid and durable. . "arming sword", "broadsword", "long sword", etc.) These terms were often described in relation to other unrelated weapons, without regard to their intended use and fighting style. Also, the hand on the blade increases its rigidity which is advantageous when thrusting. A longsword (also spelled long sword, long-sword) is a type of European sword characterized as having a cruciform hilt with a grip for two handed use and a straight double-edged blade of around 100 to 122 cm (39 to 48 in . Type XVII is a shorter-lived type, popular during the mid-14th to early 15th century. They also had a pommel that counterbalanced the weight of the blade, improving its maneuverability. $440. The last known German manual to include longsword teaching was that of Jakob Sutor, published in 1612. Replicated from a sword thought to be that of Albrecht II of Austria, the Hand-and-a-Half Sword represents the pinnacle of beauty and balance in medieval swords. By the 15th century, larger and heavier swords had been developed, including the 'Bastard' or 'Hand-and-a-half' sword. Glamdring (also called the Foe-hammer and the Beater) was a hand-and-a-half sword, forged for Turgon, the Elven King of Gondolin during the First Age, and much later owned by the wizard Gandalf . HEMA practitioners also use steel swords with unsharpened blades designed to bend in the thrust. An Italian Two-Hand Sword First Half Of The 16th Century. However, the reduced weight near the tips made them less efficient for slashing. In modern times, this variety of sword is also sometimes referred to as the broadsword.[36][37]. Two-Hander Longsword DJ Combat Two-Hander Longsword (2 reviews) Write a Review SKU: DD-W-206 $110.00 Quantity: Description Specifications Made from polypropylene. Bastard Sword Sren Niedziella from Denmark . So, what benefits (if any) does a hand-and-a-half sword offer? It remains identifiable as a type during the period of about 1350 to 1550. Leather / Wood Scabbard with Steel Fittings. Blade: 5160 High Carbon Steel. Sponsored. Later on, the thrusting rapier gained favor as a civilian dueling weapon.