Since this is my first post, hello to everyone.

Last year I attended a workshop with Richard Marsden, which got me interested in Polish Saber and sabers in general. Eventually I may try to make one, or at least some approximation of one.

I have questions about the cross guard. Generally, the guard extends in two fingers out forward, parallel to the blade, and also back over the grip. I know this is the case in other sabers types as well. Is there a functional reason for this? It seems like a really basic question, but I haven't found an answer yet.

Also, any leads on technical information regarding guard construction and mounting would be much appreciated. Particularly I want to get some understanding of how the guards were fabricated historically.

Thanks.

Thanks for the information. I find it interesting that some guards were not mounted in contact with the blade. I had just assumed that they were held between the grip core and the shoulders of the blade, like on a longsword. Would a floated guard be more likely on a karabela than on a hussar type, I wonder?

It’s funny--I have a book that probably has the answer, but I can’t read it though, since it is in Polish!

The only European examples I've seen have been in contact with the blade, pressed between the grip core and shoulders of the blade. Western European mameluke guards, so quite modern.

Asian ones are often "floating". An example:
[ Linked Image ]
From https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-karabela-shamshir-crossguard-132381463
Note that on these swords, the blade is usually glued into the hilt with resin or similar. Any space between the main body of the guard and the blade past the end of the grip will be filled with that resin. Heat the resin, and it softens, so it's very easy to re-hilt blades. This is likely a major reason for the floating guards - you make the grip and guard as one unit, and swap blades when you want. Enough space between guard and blade so that you can fit almost any blade you're likely to want without having to modify the guard is useful.

Don't know about Eastern European ones.