I haven't found much in the way on the length of the smallsword. The only measurements I found are for A&A's, which is 34.75" overall, with a blade 29" long. For a while, I'd been under the impression a "small sword" was about the size of an Olympic style foil, being as small sword fencing was the basis for what eventually became epee (or the one that's not sabre, I know nothing of Olympic fencing).

However, I just discovered A&A's smallsword and realized the blade alone on my Olympic foil (which I'm using to learn smallsword) is longer than the entire A&A smallsword (35" blade on my foil). This prompts me to ask, just how big is a smallsword anyways?

M.

The only original smallsword I've ever handled did seem shorter than my foil, but I didn't have time to measure. It was also rather blade heavy, which I thought was odd. I think it was meant more for "wearing around town" than as a serious dueling weapon.

You might find this thread useful: http://www.swordforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56806

Though I love smallswords, most of my research as of late has been focused on Scottish Basket-Hilts. You're post has sparked my interest in smallswords again.

I'll see what else I can find!

Michael,
I highly recommend George C. Neumann's Swords and Blades of the American Revolution. It contains measurements for most of the items that are illustrated, including small swords.

Jonathan

PS--You should consider going to the Baltimore Show on the weekend of the 20th. There will be small swords there!

AVB Norman's books also have some good info in them as well if you can manage to get a hold of them (though they're starting to be reprinted now more often it seems of late thankfully!). As Bill said, the small sword varied considerably in length, blade shape and cross section as well as the guard itself. Obviously there was quite a bit of experimentation in trying to find the perfect sword of the era (such as the colichemarde styled blade to parry rapiers) so of course the period did have influence on the weapon's development and you'll find certain trends in certain time periods but I think you'll find most "typical" pieces somewhere between 28-31 inches in blade length and between 0.8-1.2 pounds (of course someone more educated than I can always correct me. ) which is why you'll find most decent reproductions somewhere in those ranges. It appears the heavier and longer blades are found earlier and sometimes dubbed the "transition rapiers"

Stephen Fisher has some nice scans and pictures of various smallswords in his album on this very site if you wanted to take a glance at a few.

I own an antique smallsword and the blade on my example is 33.5".

I own about a half dozen smallswords. They can range from 26 inch blades to 33 inch blades. Depending on what the owner wanted.

I went through Neumann last night and noted that of the 25 or so smallswords shown, the range on blade length was 25.5 inches to 34 inches. Most are in the 28-32 range. However, I have seen small sword blades as long as 36 inches before. The length, section (triangular vs lenticular vs diamond), and profile can vary quite a bit. tr

Thanks for the information. I think the one I have will work well enough for my purposes, though I could always cut it down a few inches and secure a plastic button I suppose (they're quite cheap, really).

M.

If you're just starting out learning, a foil is good enough for practice purposes until you get something more accurate.

the pair of mid-18th c ones I own, one's dated about 1720, the other dated 1746 or 45, (cant remember which offhand) are 27.5 inches, light hollowground diamond section, and 28.25inches flattened hexhagonal blending into lenticular section respectively.

both have a little wear, and I suspect the longer of the two had the last 1/4 inch chipped off, and re-ground during its working life.