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Logan L





Joined: 18 Mar 2008

Posts: 4

PostPosted: Tue 18 Mar, 2008 9:35 pm    Post subject: Weapons. type . styles. and uses.         Reply with quote

This sounds like a simple title. Well, it is. I want this area to be for anyone to ask about weapons and have their questions answered by anyone else. My personal question is Great swords. In my mind this is a great weapon. Anyone else with thoughts or maybe some teachings on this question?
Are you part of the sword or is the sword part of you.
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Seth M. Borland




Location: Millbrook Alabama
Joined: 29 Jun 2007

Posts: 15

PostPosted: Tue 18 Mar, 2008 9:48 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I'd like to know how many different styles of rapier fencing there were. Currently the styles I've heard of are Italian rapier and Spanish rapier and German rapier, and one mention of English rapier. Now I do know that rapiers are usually titled with the country they were made in, so I'm not confused here in regard to that; I'm just asking what the differences were between each fighing style.

also, which hilt style is the best for the various styles of rapier fencing? Cup hilts are best for _____? _____ style goes best with pappenheimer hilts? swept hilts best fit the ____ kind of style. etc.

Thanks in advance for your reply.

Seth
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Chad Arnow
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PostPosted: Wed 19 Mar, 2008 10:52 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Folks,
We don't need one thread for many questions. Happy Please make separate topics for, well, separate topics. Happy

Happy

ChadA

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Anders Backlund




Location: Sweden
Joined: 24 Oct 2007

Posts: 629

PostPosted: Wed 19 Mar, 2008 11:09 am    Post subject: Re: Weapons. type . styles. and uses.         Reply with quote

Logan L wrote:
My personal question is Great swords. In my mind this is a great weapon. Anyone else with thoughts or maybe some teachings on this question?


You must excuse my nitpicking, but that isn't a question; it's a topic and a statement. Wink

The sword is an ode to the strife of mankind.

"This doesn't look easy... but I bet it is!"
-Homer Simpson.
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Bram Verbeek





Joined: 27 Mar 2007

Posts: 217

PostPosted: Wed 19 Mar, 2008 12:53 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

They may be great in stature, but I personally prefer something smaller, something you can lug around without having to worry about cutting the chandeliers from the ceiling. And something that goes with a shield. (or a bec the corbin, I like them too)

So, I disagree, I do not think they are all that great, because they are so great (in stature) and still are not prime material for can-opening.
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B. Fulton





Joined: 28 Dec 2004

Posts: 180

PostPosted: Wed 19 Mar, 2008 1:39 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I agree. Having fought with greatsword simulators and handled both replicas and seen up close the real thing, they have their uses, (causing a mess in someone else's formation, denying a large chunk of battlefield, etc) but in a close-in fight, or against a sword-and-shield or polearm, they can be beaten by someone who has a clue. I would prefer a halberd to a great sword.


Rapiers.... for "schools" of fighting, the various ones I know of (from my limited amount of study, I primarily focus on the 1100-1300s and armored combat): Italian: they fight to win. Dirty tricks, rapier and dagger or other weapon etc, everything is "legal" because they train to fight a real fight (not a pretty first-blood duel).

French: More formal, more "duelling", somewhat like modern fencing.

Spanish: Mental. The circles of fencing. They don't fight you, they put you in a position to where you finally attack THEM and then they wipe the floor with you. Having fenced (not being a particularly good fencer, but I can hold my own) against a Spanish-style fencer.. they drive me nuts.

I know the Germans had a few styles of their own but I haven't studied them.
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Seth M. Borland




Location: Millbrook Alabama
Joined: 29 Jun 2007

Posts: 15

PostPosted: Wed 26 Mar, 2008 8:54 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thanks for that reply.

Also, I am wanting to learn Rapier soon and would like some advice on a good budget piece that effectively replicates actual rapier handling and not merely a large smallsword/epee. I WANT the three-ring Italian rapier by A&A, but it's $700 price tag and sharp blade not suited for practicing swordplay with another sort of make me back away for now. Do A&A's "nail" practice blades for their rapiers replicate the look and feel of the model they're based on? Or are they simply a super skinny, almost foil-like practice blade? What are some other good options? Any help? Thanks in advance.

Also, I saw in one review of a rapier that the reviewer bashed the piece for being "too light and performing like a modern epee". My question is, Why's this bad? wouldn't a dueller WANT a large but very light piece that's easier to handle than others like it? even if that means using double-time parries rather than single-time parries (which I'm having a hard time getting my mind around how this works anyway... seems too complicated)? I would GREATLY appreciate input on this.
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Bill Grandy
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PostPosted: Wed 26 Mar, 2008 10:28 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Seth M. Borland wrote:
I'd like to know how many different styles of rapier fencing there were. Currently the styles I've heard of are Italian rapier and Spanish rapier and German rapier, and one mention of English rapier. Now I do know that rapiers are usually titled with the country they were made in, so I'm not confused here in regard to that; I'm just asking what the differences were between each fighing style.


Hi Seth,
There's no easy answer here. There are as many styles as there were instructors... so who knows? Now, there are certain national traditions, the most famous probably being the Italian and Spanish schools, with runners up being the French and English (whom largely adopted the Italian style into their own methodology), and to a certain extent the German school (which later completely embraced the Italian methods). What's the difference? That could take a full novel to write. Happy If I were to be very, very, very general, and assuming we're discussing the rapier of the late 16th and early 17th century, I would say that the Italian traditions utilized the lunge to a great degree, and tended to have a more linear fight because of it. The traditions that followed the Italian methods largely do the same. The Spanish have a more upright stance with smaller footwork, and with a larger emphasis on stepping off-line. Both the Italian and Spanish traditions ultimately follow the same concepts, though superficially they look different.

Quote:
also, which hilt style is the best for the various styles of rapier fencing? Cup hilts are best for _____? _____ style goes best with pappenheimer hilts? swept hilts best fit the ____ kind of style. etc.


A sword is a sword. Happy Renaissance martial arts were not limited to just one, super specific type of weapon. Like any good martial system, they were art forms that could be adapted to most hand to hand weapons (and indeed, many rapier texts make mention of the two handed sword and pole arms, implying the relationship between all weapons). So in regards to hilt style: Either choose one because of the time period it represents, the culture it represents, or because you think it looks good. Happy

B. Fulton wrote:
Rapiers.... for "schools" of fighting, the various ones I know of (from my limited amount of study, I primarily focus on the 1100-1300s and armored combat): Italian: they fight to win. Dirty tricks, rapier and dagger or other weapon etc, everything is "legal" because they train to fight a real fight (not a pretty first-blood duel).


Well, there are some misconceptions here. First, all rapier styles that I'm aware of trained "to fight a real fight". In the Renaissance, first blood duels were somewhat frowned upon. In a way, it was viewed that if something was serious enough to meet and draw weapons over, then it was serious enough to put your life on the line. So it wasn't just the Italians that trained this way. Second, rapier and dagger was common in just about every style of fencing at the time period, not just with the Italians. Third, I don't know what you call "dirty tricks", but keep in mind that an Italian martial artist was expected to defend his honor with honor. A formal duel to the death was expected to be done with respect for the other person. After all, the point of a duel was to face death and show that you are a better man because of it. While there are accounts of duels where dirty tricks were involved, those accounts tend to be over-romanticized in modern times. Remember, we have to look at how these fights were approached in their own contexts.

Quote:
French: More formal, more "duelling", somewhat like modern fencing.


Not any more true than any other sword style being practiced in the Renaissance. Happy Unless if you're referring to 19th century French fencing, which isn't what I would consider "rapier".

Seth M. Borland wrote:
Do A&A's "nail" practice blades for their rapiers replicate the look and feel of the model they're based on? Or are they simply a super skinny, almost foil-like practice blade? What are some other good options? Any help? Thanks in advance.


The nail blades are fantastic. They are some of the better rapier fencing blades out there, though they aren't cheap.

Quote:
Also, I saw in one review of a rapier that the reviewer bashed the piece for being "too light and performing like a modern epee". My question is, Why's this bad? wouldn't a dueller WANT a large but very light piece that's easier to handle than others like it? even if that means using double-time parries rather than single-time parries (which I'm having a hard time getting my mind around how this works anyway... seems too complicated)? I would GREATLY appreciate input on this.


I suspect you're referring to my review of the Hanwei Gustav rapier. In which case, my problem was that the original on which it is based was a military weapon. The Hanwei piece seems to be based on the idea that rapiers are used in the same way that Errol Flynn used his stage swords. Now, having said that, there are a number of later period rapiers that are incredibly light once you start entering the age of the smallsword. These so-called "transitional rapiers" often do not cut well, relying much more on the thrust (though this is another big generaliztion).

The reason why I personally would prefer a sword with some heft is because a lighter sword isn't necessarily any faster. A lighter sword also isn't going to defend as well against a heavier sword, such as a two handed sword, since you weren't always facing a matched weapon. That doesn' t mean your sword should be heavy, either: It should be well proportioned to your needs. I fence with a pretty hefty rapier, but more than one person who's picked it up has exclaimed, "Wow, it feels like it wants to move on its own!"

Lastly, regarding single and double time parries: This is something that can be a little over rated in rapier (and I'm as guilty as the next guy). In Italian rapier, the two-time parry (i.e. defend first, attack second) is vital, but the single time defense (defend and hit in the same motion) is considered the preferable method, because it robs your opponent of the chance to recover and do something else. Both need to be mastered, and both have their time and place.

Whew! That was a bigger post than I meant to write. Happy

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"For practice is better than artfulness. Your exercise can do well without artfulness, but artfulness is not much good without the exercise.” -anonymous 15th century fencing master, MS 3227a
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Seth M. Borland




Location: Millbrook Alabama
Joined: 29 Jun 2007

Posts: 15

PostPosted: Thu 27 Mar, 2008 12:30 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thank you for your input, sir.

Im still wondering whats a good rapier our there for me to get. Though I'd love to get A&A's stuff, my wallet is directing to to Hanwei, Windlass, and some other models, whose manufacturer I know not of, on ebay.

In regards to the nail blades, you say they are great, but that really didnt answer my question. I wanted to know if they looked and handled like the regular rapier blades they have for each individual model. I just LOVE the look of the italian 3-ring A&A, so it wouldn't seem good to me to buy a thinner, basic-looking, universal blade for it.

Also, I would like ask if someone could direct me to a good site and maybe some videos that visually show me just how to perform correct rapier fencing. All the photo's I've seen whether they be exerpts from manuals or stills from historical fencing organizations show the fencers in dramatic, over-the-top poses and almost always in the finishing position of most of their moves, but take little effort to explain how to end up in that position or to perform any actions.

thanks in advance!

Seth
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Sean Smith





Joined: 31 Mar 2004

Posts: 93

PostPosted: Thu 27 Mar, 2008 2:03 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Most fencing groups I am aware of require you to use a tip of some kind on your sword, with the "nail-head" types being the predominantly preferred. Two other rapier makers you may not be as aware of (and are slightly cheaper than A&A) are Darkwood and James the Just. Both design rapiers predominantly for an SCA fencing market, but both custom make their hilts, and if you discuss what you want with them, you can end up with just about anything.
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Bill Grandy
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PostPosted: Thu 27 Mar, 2008 8:40 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Seth M. Borland wrote:
Im still wondering whats a good rapier our there for me to get. Though I'd love to get A&A's stuff, my wallet is directing to to Hanwei, Windlass, and some other models, whose manufacturer I know not of, on ebay.


The Hanwei practical series aren't bad for the money. If you got serious, you'd eventually want to upgrade, but they're decent enough.

Quote:
In regards to the nail blades, you say they are great, but that really didnt answer my question. I wanted to know if they looked and handled like the regular rapier blades they have for each individual model. I just LOVE the look of the italian 3-ring A&A, so it wouldn't seem good to me to buy a thinner, basic-looking, universal blade for it.


The ones I've seen have been very similar to how the sharp blade looks. If it was a concern, I'm sure you could talk it over with the A&A guys, though, to make sure it still follows the same look.

Quote:
Also, I would like ask if someone could direct me to a good site and maybe some videos that visually show me just how to perform correct rapier fencing.


Well, have you looked at this yet?
http://www.myArmoury.com/feature_arms_rapier.html

I wrote that a few years back. It's just the bare bones, but its a start, at least. I have yet to see anything good in video online yet at the moment.

HistoricalHandcrafts.com
-Inspired by History, Crafted by Hand


"For practice is better than artfulness. Your exercise can do well without artfulness, but artfulness is not much good without the exercise.” -anonymous 15th century fencing master, MS 3227a
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