[Spenser T.]

Hey,

I've been searching for examples of specs on historical ( hopefully) scots but english or irish basket hilted swords would be interesting as well. I havn't been able to find examples of what range the points of balance lie within.
Any antique owners or experts with any examples? I'd guess 3-4 inches from the cross but i've been wrong before.

Tapadh leat airson do thìm is freagairt
thanks for your time & response

[Jonathan Hopkins]

If you scroll down in this thread I provided measurements of my English basket hilt:

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=7377&highlight=

[Spenser T.]

beautiful sword. I love the detailed statistics you've provided. Thank you for sharing with me.

[Thomas McDonald]

Hi Spenser T.

I've recorded stats on quite a few antique baskethilts thru the years and have found that the POB vary from sword to sword. 3-4" inches is a good guess but you do find pieces that have the POB closer to the hilt as well as ones that are pushing 6" inches out from the hilt. Obviously the POB depends on many factors in the swords construction.

Researching baskethilts in Glasgow I noted the POB on 2 Ribbon-hilts ... one had a POB at 5 1/2" another at 4 1/2".
A signed Thomas Gemmil of Glasgow came in at 2 1/2" while the POB on a signed James Grant of Stirling was at 3" inches.

I do have detailed stats on several that I studied, including the ones above, but am under obligation from the museums not to publicly post pictures & information of them.

Checkout some of my albums on this site, as there is much information there, as well as my Pictutetrail site at this link:
http://picturetrail.com/mactom

Take care, Mac

[Spenser T.]

Thanks for all the info, Mac.
Your picture collection is quite extensive and impressive, I am jealous of how many antique swords you've been acquainted with. It was the vince evans section that I drooled over for the longest however!

[Lewis Ballard]

Although I am sliding into this late, allow me to add my thanks for the information as well. At times I want to shake museums by the lapel, and cry out, "Length and weight aren't enough! Where's the distal taper information, where's the point of balance?" (I never do that, though.)

[Thomas McDonald]

Hi Lewis

Yes, it is frustrating that the informational "guts" of these swords are not put out there for our quick & easy reference !
But I suppose most museums have many more bits on thier plate than to worry about the little details that only a small fraction of folks, like us, would care or even want to know about . 'eh !

Any road ..... just to give a couple of thickness specs!

The signed Gemmil basket-hilt I mentioned above had a blade thickness of 5.5 mm at the hilt and a thickness of 1.5mm 1" inch back from the blades tip.
The signed Grant basket-hilted backsword was 8mm thick at the forte to 1mm thick at the tip.

Things are, in the words of John & Paul, "Getting better all the time" so have faith ... oneday the definitive baskethilt book will be published and answer all the bits we've all wanted to know !!

Peace, Mac

[Lewis Ballard]

Mac:

I profit from your information, and your courtesy in providing it, sir.

Good gravy, that's some distal taper!

[Spenser T.]

I'd like to throw out a new question here:
What's the (or some) historically correct way(s) to holding/gripping a basket hilt?

[Neal Matheson]

Hi Spenser,
It's pretty hard to hold most basket hilts with anything other than a standard "hammer grip". I have read [some fencers talk about using a sabre grip with a basket but in my experience this is not feasible. The Del Tin schiavona has a nice thumb rest but I don't recall this feature on the antique schiavonas I have held.
From George Silver we can get the idea that some felt the basket hilt lacked in the thrust due to the lack of finger rings or the ability to lay a thumb on the blade.
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Uploaded with ImageShack.us

not much space in this pretty standard basket!

[Spenser T.]

Hey Neal,
A picture is worth a thousand words. Thanking you for your input.

[Neal Matheson]

Hello Spenser,
You are very welcome.
Neal

[Lewis Ballard]

Neal's picture reveals, to me, one of two things: either I have dainty little ladyfingers, or the Cold Steel basket hilt is grossly oversized. (I suspect the latter.)

Sigh. I can recall the joy I felt when I ordered and then received the Cold Steel basket hilt, a joy which rapidly deteriorated when I attempted some very amateur "silverisms." (A "silverism" is, of course, an attempt to work through some of George Silver's forms.) Although lovely to look at---and lovelier the further away---the Cold Steel reproduction becomes less and less satisfactory the more I learn about originals. As regards distal taper, the CS version started thin and ended thick, in contrast to the numbers Mac quoted.

I had been enthusiastic, in the past, about ordering Mazansky, but my interest is more in the blade than in the basket itself. I shall take comfort in Mac's forecast of a definitive basket hilt book, to arrive sometime.

[Spenser T.]

I am fairy certain at this point that the only way to obtain the "real thing" in a basket hilt is to save up 1500-2000$ and give a well reputed custom maker very specific instructions on exactly what you want. myself, I'm gonna need a real, well-paying job if i want to have this kind of cash handy.

Here's to first-world problems

[GG Osborne]

I might suggest something from Armour Class. They are semi-custom and the "S" hilt in particular seems well-balanced and the grip is about right for folks with 21st C handsize (although this is a matter of debate among forumites!) Some also feel the baldes are a bit springy, but I personally find them excellent. There was a used "S" hilt for sale on the Forum. You might give it a look.

[Neal Matheson]

Hello,
I have really pretty small hands. I like armour class swords too but frankly find the customer service none too good. They are great to deal with but you will wait, and wait for your sword. Their blades are a good fit for many historical swords I have handled, for the price point they are great and have been considerbaly better weapons than some custom pieces I have handled.
Like a few people on this forum I made a rather decent weapon from a hanwei hilt and an armour class blade.
Neal

[Todd Salazar]

Hello Spenser,

The POB on my John Allan glasgow style basket hilt (circa 1740) with it's Andrea Ferara blade is about 2 1/4" from the cross.

Thanks,
Todd

[Todd Salazar]

Also, my Andrea Ferara broadsword blade is 3.175 mm thick at the hilt and 0.79375 mm thick 1" back from the blades tip. Because of these specs, I really can't express to you just how extremely flexible this broadsword blade is. I'm not sure but the blade thicknesses that Mac is refering to above might be backsword blades. I believe that it is important to distinguish what type of blade(s) we are talking about here. I also forgot to add that my broadsword blade only has two fullers that runs for only about 1/4 of the total length of the blade. It's amazing that this historical blade has survived in one piece this long!

Thanks,
Todd

[Spenser T.]

Todd,
I am envious of your antique ferrara bladed basket hilt.
Must be nice to wake up knowing you own something like that.
I don't think anyone would object if you were to post some pictures of it.

-Spenser