There are different ways to hold different swords, and sometimes different ways to hold the same sword. Viking swords are commonly used with either the right-angles "hammer" or the more diagonal "handshake" grip; fencing weapons have sometimes been held with just the fingers; etc. This has all been discussed before, of course.

What I want to know now is, what fingers do you grip the tightest with?

I have been told to hold fencing weapons tight with the middle finger and thumb, a little looser with the index finger, and loosely with the ring finger and pinkie. On the other hand, AFAIK a katana is most commonly held tightest with the last two fingers, somewhat looser with the middle finger, and very loosely with the index finger. Consequently, I tend to utilize either the former method with thrusting swords and the latter with cut-oriented types, or a sort of hybrid, with the middle finger holding on most tightly and the rest applying varying amounts of pressure as the situation calls for.

But what would, in your experience, as a general thing, be the ideal way to grip a viking sword? Or a Medieval arming sword? A Renaissance longsword? A falchion or messer? A fully developed rapier? A cavalry saber? Etc.

In other words, what piggy do you hold the most tightly?

From my experience, this is what works for me. Neat topic, actually... fun to go through the motions in my head, and feel my hands do what they normally do.

[quote="Mikko Kuusirati"]But what would, in your experience, as a general thing, be the ideal way to grip a viking sword?

Hammer grip - the middle and ring, using the pointer as a guiding force. Thumb has significant hold, too.
Handshake - ring slightly more than the middle, much less thumb's body, more thumb's pad.

Mikko wrote:

Or a Medieval arming sword?

Same as the Viking hammer grip...

Mikko wrote:

A Renaissance longsword?

Right hand - middle and thumb, supported by the others to varying degrees based upon movement.
Left hand - may not even be fingers, may be palm. This hand is all over the place...

Mikko wrote:

A falchion or messer?

Never fooled with either.

Mikko wrote:

A fully developed rapier?

Middle and thumb, the others adding wherever needed to try to finesse the weapon.

Mikko wrote:

A cavalry saber? Etc.

No experience here, either... at least, not enough to make a mention of.

Sparring with my medieval arming sword, Middle and thumb, at most times, middle and index when "wheeling".

For the saber, middle and ring. The use of the thumb depends on the saber though. On lighter ones you can put it along the backstrap and use the pad. On heavier ones this is more difficult and it is easier to wrap the thumb around like normal and use the meat of the thumb to grip. Control is accomplished with the index and little fingers.

I've never really thought to much about this, but I believe I use my middle the most and the crotch of my index and thumb, thumb doing the work. If I'm working with both hands the off hand is switching between floating (loose) and white knuckles. I also tend to switch to gripping the pommel (bracing against it) if I'm really committed to a strike.

Unless I am using a katana and then I do what everyone tells me, lol!

It changes a lot depending on what type of sword and what type of strike. For instance, in rapier it tends to focus more on the pinky, ring and middle fingers to make those tight tip movements, while the thumb and forefinger loosely finger the ricasso. With longsword my grip changes quite a bit from cut to cut. The off hand slightly rotates for certain cuts (such as the horizontal zwerchau, where my hands end up above my head). The leading hand generally grips with more of the middle fingers, but the pressure shifts subtlely more towards the pinky during the cut. Certain strikes cause the pressure to be more at the middle knuckle, others cause the pressure to move towards the first knuckle closest to the finger tips.