Type X Hand and a Half -- myArmoury.com

Lance Carter · Posted: Thu 29 Nov, 2012 9:47 am Post subject: Type X Hand and a Half

Hi, first time poster.
I have recently commissioned arms and armor to build a hand and a half sword with a type X style blade I have always loved the look of the type X blade and wondered why I have never seen it bigger than single hander, just wondering if anyone knows any reason for this, or has any evidence that they are out there. I spoke with Craig at arms and armor and worked out some of the details but the sword won’t go into production until January or February so I’m still looking for suggestions on the specs and design.
Thanks
Lance Carter
P.S. new to the site but it has already been a huge help, I will donate to the cause as soon as possible.

Chad Arnow · myArmoury Team

Hello and welcome to myArmoury. Happy

Check out this thread for early great swords. Some of these may be closer to XIIs and XIIIs than Xs you'll see very early examples of hand and a half (or longer) swords.

Nathan Robinson · myArmoury Admin

If the sword was larger than a single-hander, it wouldn't fit into the Oakeshott Type X category. Happy

As Chad mentions, there are swords that are early "great swords" that have some characteristics of Type X swords of the same era/region, but they would not fit into the typology then. They would be of an "unclassified" form.

Early Great Sword Topic

Lance Carter · Posted: Thu 29 Nov, 2012 11:02 am Post subject:

"If the sword was larger than a single-hander, it wouldn't fit into the Oakeshott Type X category."

I am aware that the excess will negate it being a true type X but you all know what im getting at, that style of blade only larger and on a hand and a half hilt.
Thanks
Lance Carter

Tim Lison · Posted: Thu 29 Nov, 2012 11:13 am Post subject:

Nathan Robinson · myArmoury Admin

Lance, you're in good company liking the larger early swords.

Joel Chesser · Posted: Thu 29 Nov, 2012 12:31 pm Post subject:

Cool project, Id love to have something like that made someday. What kinds of designs do you currently have in mind? what sort of inspirations do you already have?

Jack Savante · Posted: Thu 29 Nov, 2012 9:31 pm Post subject:

Sounds great! No reason why a Type X with a very long handle might have existed somewhere. There is an unfinished Blade in Oakeshott's 'Records of the Medieval Sword" which clearly shows that swords blades were often shipped with VERY long tangs the cut to suit the tastes of the area they were shipped to by the local cutler.
I say yes to experimental history by reconstruction!
Make sure you post pictures!!!

Lance Carter · Posted: Tue 15 Apr, 2014 2:16 pm Post subject: Pictures

Here are a few quick photos of the finished piece that I received last July. Sorry for the late reply, things have been a little hectic here. I will upload more, as well as specs and a quick review in the next few days.

Greg E · Posted: Tue 15 Apr, 2014 2:31 pm Post subject:

I like that sword very much. Thank you for having it made. Big Grin

Joel Chesser · Posted: Tue 15 Apr, 2014 3:06 pm Post subject:

I really like that. I have always liked the near parallel edges and long fuller of the type X. Looks really cool with the hand and half grip. congrats on your piece.

William Swiger · Posted: Wed 16 Apr, 2014 9:53 am Post subject:

Very cool sword. I have a couple custom 2-handers with the long fuller, wide blade and spatula tip.

Max L · Posted: Wed 16 Apr, 2014 10:56 am Post subject:

Yeah I like the looks of that, too.

Do you have any stats on it? I'd be interested to see how much a long fuller on such a big blade affects the POB for example.

Luka Borscak · Posted: Wed 16 Apr, 2014 11:23 am Post subject:

Interesting design, I like it very much. I also want to use this opportunity to praise the guys at A&A. Their standard sword models maybe are limited, some maybe could use some improvement, but their custom work is awesome. Copies of originals, more speculative pieces like this one, all awesome...

Stephen Curtin · Posted: Wed 16 Apr, 2014 1:57 pm Post subject:

Congrats on the new piece lance, very nice.

J.D. Crawford · Posted: Wed 16 Apr, 2014 6:53 pm Post subject:

On a purely historical note:

As noted above there are some early long-handled warswords with longer fullers, some quite narrow like an XI sometimes dated to 12th century and some 'in transition between Xa and XIII', in particular those from Central/Eastern Europe with late variant Brazil nut pommels dated to 13th century.

I don't recall seeing an original with a fuller this wide. I imagine its because the wide fuller is designed to lighten the blade for a quick slashing sword against lightly armoured or unarmoured opponents whereas warswords were designed to pack a big punch against somewhat better armoured opponents, so these components would be a bit at odds with each other from a functional standpoint in that historical context.

Of course, we are not in that historical context today so it doesn't matter if it makes you happy.

Craig Peters · Posted: Thu 17 Apr, 2014 7:44 am Post subject:

Lance Carter · Posted: Thu 17 Apr, 2014 9:10 am Post subject:

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the praise and comments about the sword, I really love it. I must say that I left a lot of the dimensions and fine details up to Craig @ A+A because I trusted his judgment over mine, and am very pleased with the decisions he has made with this piece. I did comment on roughly how long it wanted it, and how far to extend the fuller, also that I wanted a very acute looking tip, but he deserves most of the praise. I will do my best tonight to answer any questions you might have about the Sword as well as stats for it, so if you have any questions about it, anything at all feel free to ask and i will do my best to answer. I am at work right now, and unfortunately have been told I am not allowed to wear it over my government uniform, Sad

so I cannot post anything about it at the moment. I will say though if there is one word to describe it, it would have to be FAST, i have not handled that many swords of this size but when you close your eyes and hold it, it feels like a single hander to me.

Although it has some realistic elements I would have to say it’s purely a fantasy sword, ever since I was a little maniac (7) running through the woods with a blunted cutlass my uncle bought me, swinging it at trees and alders, I have had an image in my mind’s eye of what I thought a sword should look like, and I knew the one he had given me may have looked the part but was not the real deal. When I closed my eyes and thought of a knight holding his weapon on the field of war, or in a tournament, this is the blade I saw. I explained that to Craig during the process, and needless to say he has made a dream come true for this now adult tree fighting maniac.

But for now i must get back to work.
Thanks
Lance Carter

Mark Lewis · Posted: Sat 19 Apr, 2014 3:51 pm Post subject:

Hi everyone,
First time poster here myself... Coincidentally, I've just come across a recently published example of a (smallish) hand-and-a-halfer with a broad full length fuller. The sword is in a museum in the Czech Republic but is probably Hungarian in origin. It has been published in "Medieval and early modern weaponry from the collection of the Hunting and Forestry Museum in Úsov in Moravia" by Petr Zakovsky, available on academia.edu.

J.D. Crawford · Posted: Sat 19 Apr, 2014 5:21 pm Post subject: