Stephen A. Fisher wrote: |
Hey Howy,
Great stuff as always! I'm particularly excited about the smallsword. Could you give me some information on The Angelo when you can spare the time? (blade cross section,overall length, etc.) [ Linked Image ] By looking at the picture, it looks to based upon some mid to late 17th smallswords. Which is good, because it will be great for working on earlier smallsword works such as de Liancour, Elder, & Hope. Regards, Stephen |
Hey Stephen,
I am glad to hear your interest in the small sword.
The hilt is indeed of a style that had its greatest popularity in the mid to late 17th C. The style does continue on, however, even if it becomes less common.
The blade will probably have a diamond section, but possibly triangular if heat treating allowes such a refinement. Experiments are being conducted for heat treat of these sparring swords as I write this. Regardless of cross section, the small sword will have a stiff and sturdy forte and a flexible foible. There will be some sort of blunted end to take a button for safe sparring. The exact shape of the safe point is not yet decided. It can be a small "club" or a flat "nail head". Blade length will probably be around 80 cm, as that seems to be pretty standard for originals of this period: not too short and not too long. I would be interested to hear if there are other priorities among practitioners, though. If there is a preference for a blade that would be slightly longer or shorter than the general norm, I would be interested to know about it and adjust the design accordingly.
There will be two kidney shaped plates in front of the quillon block.
The rapier blade will feature the same basic elements: a thick and sturdy forte and an agile and flexible point, both for safety in sparring but also to keep the blade as agile and exact in handling as would a sharp original. Since you need to include a button at the end you need to take that extra mass (as compared to a sharp point) into account when shaping a blunt.
I will strive to eliminate any tendency of "whippyness" while maintaining the flexibility of the point.
The philosophy of these sparring blades is that they shall handle the same as a sharp original but at the same time be safe for use in training.
As a sharp sword is made to be lethal and a sparring sword must first of all be safe, two completely different apporaches are followed in the deisgn.
The flexibility of the point section of a thrusting sword intended for sparring need to be greater than it would be on a sharp weapon. The body of the blade and the forte still need to have the stiffness you would find on a sharp weapon as the sparring sword otherwise would be wobbly and lack vital handling charactersitics in swordplay.
These two opposites: a stiff base and a safe flexible point section will be balanced in these sparring blades.
In weight and distribution of mass the sparring swords will be following the example of originals I have handeled and documented or otherwise have data for. This means the sparring line will build on the same body of research as the museum line and the next gen line.
In style the hilts of the sparring swords will be very close to historical originals. Pommels and gards are modeled according to specific historical styles. This is both an aesthetic and functional aspect of the design. There are reasons why hilts looked the way they did, why pommels and guards had their specific shapes. This will be reflected in the design.
The principle of construction, the way these swords are mounted, is developed to allow for greatest possible strength and durability. The finish of the sparring line will be close to that of the present Squire Line. The sparring swords will be built to take years of intensive use.
More details regarding construction or specific dimensions will follow as the swords are reaching completion.
I am always interested to hear about your preferences as to dimensions, handling characterstics or any other aspects.
Thanks :)