In the Oakeshott typology of blade morphology, "longswords" figure as a range of sub-types of the corresponding single-handed sword types.[16]. Fully functional medieval battle ready sword. [26] Instead, the energy of the cut becomes essentially pure concussive energy. Classically simple in design with a flattened diamond-section blade and cruciform hilt, the original dates from the early part of the 15th century. The French pe de passot may also refer to a medieval single-handed sword optimized for thrusting. Some of the earliest swords seemingly designed for two handed use are the "Grete Swords of War" of the 13thC. [44], The "tuck" (French estoc, Italian stocco)[citation needed] is an edgeless blade of square or triangular cross-section used for thrusting. Length: 115 cm Weight: 1.4 kg Acquisition and important dates Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1933-03-16) by Henderson, James Stewart Dating 13th/14th Century Circa 1250 CE - 1350 CE Note hand and a half sword | BladeForums.com These blades are strongly tapered, more narrow and slender even than the single-handed type XV variant, with a flattened diamond cross-section. However, they had various hilt and guard forms depending on their origin. The backsword was a single-edged, straight-bladed sword, typically for military use. In comparison, a shortsword's blade is about 12 to 20 inches (30 to 50 cm). [19] There are also larger two-handed versions used by ancient and medieval armies and for training by many styles of Chinese martial arts. . The Warspike combines the length of a long arming sword, the hilt of a small hand-and-a-half, and just a hint of a "tuck" thrusting blade. So, what benefits (if any) does a hand-and-a-half sword offer? Most are leather covered with metal chape and throat. The hook sword, twin hooks, fu tao or shuang gou (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: Gou), also known as hu tou gou (tiger head hook), is a Chinese weapon traditionally associated with northern styles of Chinese martial arts and Wushu weapons routines, but now often practiced by southern styles as well. The longsword has many names in the English language, which, aside from variant spellings, include terms such as "bastard sword" and "hand-and-a-half sword." Black War Sword And Scabbard - High Carbon Steel Blade, Wooden Handle, Leather-Wrapped - Length 42". Hanwei's Albrecht Sword Review This versatility was unique, as multiple works hold that the longsword provided the foundations for learning a variety of other weapons including spears, staves, and polearms. The Red Knight - Weapons What Type of Sword is the Master Sword from Zelda? | ResetEra The last known German manual to include longsword teaching was that of Jakob Sutor, published in 1612. Weight: 50oz Blade Thickness: 1/5" Blade Length: 33-1/2" Blade Steel: 1060 Carbon Handle Length/Material: 12" Overall Length: 45-1/2" Additional Features: Leather / Wood Scabbard with Steel Fittings. The 34 inch blade on that tends to be like 2 inches wide and 6mm+ thick and tapering . [citation needed], The small sword or smallsword (also court sword or dress sword, French: pe de cour)[citation needed] is a light one-handed sword designed for thrusting[citation needed] which evolved out of the longer and heavier rapier of the late Renaissance. These long-gripped weapons were ideal for thrusting at small gaps in armor when the typical slashing sword could not chop through it. [40][41][42] Early models were either two-handers or "hand-and-a-half" hilted,[43] while later 16th and 17th century models (also known as koncerz) were one-handed and used by cavalry. [53] The term 'falchion' may also refer to the early cutlass. The Weapons of an English Medieval Knight These blades are long and slowly tapering, with a flat hexagonal blade cross-section and a fuller running along one third of the blade. Type XVII is a shorter-lived type, popular during the mid-14th to early 15th century. Apparently, many swords were designed for left-hand use, although left-handed swords have been described as "a rarity".[12]. The later hardened plate armours, complete with ridges and roping, posed a threat against the careless attacker. As plate armor became more common, swords became longer and acquired a leaner blade with an acute point for thrusting. $225.00. The Scottish Gaelic claidheamh mr means "great sword"; anglicised as claymore, it came to refer to a large Scottish type of longsword with a Vshaped crossguard. One example how a sword can be used this way is to thrust the tip of the crossguard at the opponent's head right after parrying a stroke. 8 . Today, it is among the most common weapons used in HEMA. Hand-and-a-half swords initially had a plain crossguard but later featured extensive hand guards. The hanger (obs. Two handed jians from the time of the Chu and Han Dynasty were up to 150cm (58in) long. Hand-and-a half varieties typically have a blade length between 30 and 34 inches and weigh between 2 and 4 pounds. Sword Mounting Hand-and-a-half swords can be used with one or both hands as needed in combat. Medieval Longsword, Xiphos Sword: Facts About the Leaf-Bladed Greek Sword, Your Ultimate Guide to the European Smallsword, Gladius Sword: A Guide on the Roman Short Sword, Claymore: A Guide to Popular Scottish Sword, The Historically Authentic Executioner Sword, Flamberge: A Guide to the Flame-Bladed Swords. Harnischfechten, or "armoured fighting" (German kampffechten, or Fechten in Harnisch zu Fuss, literally "fighting in armour on foot"), depicts fighting in full plate armour.[25]. Regardless of what they are called these swords areall of a type that is iconic to the middle ages. This increased the accuracy and strength of thrusts and provided more leverage for Ringen am Schwert or "wrestling at/with the sword". There are two late examples of longswords kept in the Swiss National Museum, both with vertically grooved pommels and elaborately decorated with silver inlay, and both belonging to Swiss noblemen in French service during the late 16th and early 17th century, Gugelberg von Moos and Rudolf von Schauenstein. In HEMA, the term longsword refers to all swords with grips long enough to accommodate two hands yet lightweight enough to wield in one hand. SWORD, late 14th century, . The hand-and-a-half sword is particularly versatile in this regard. By the second half of the 16th century, it persisted mostly as a weapon for sportive competition (Schulfechten), and possibly in knightly duels. [24] The pe de passot was the sidearm of the franc-archers (French or Breton bowmen of the 15th and 16th centuries). In the early Middle Ages, swords were broad and heavy and used to hack through the mail. A bastard sword or hand-and-a-halfer[1] are swords which fall between the longsword or broadsword and the two-handed greatsword in size. Ewart Oakeshott classified medieval swords into types, focusing on their blade type, pommel, and crossguard designs. It does not mean that these blades could not cut well, though they were less optimized for slashing. [citation needed]. Hand Forged High Carbon Steel Viking Sword, Sharp / Battle Ready Medieval Sword. Historical terms without a universal consensus of definition (i.e. What Is a Hand-and-a-Half Sword? | MartialArtSwords.com Some of the heavier normal size swords that I looked out were the single handed wide blade cut and thrust swords like the Munich town guard swords. Jun 13, 2018. In Athenian art, Spartan hoplites were often depicted using a kopis instead of the xiphos, as the kopis was seen as a quintessential "villain" weapon in Greek eyes.[46]. Use in the Inheritance cycle Slung across his back in a black leather shoulder sheath was Longclaw, the hand-and-a-half bastard blade the Old Bear had given him for saving his life. Its handle featured a waisted shape, tapering towards shorter, thinner half-grips. + $45.00 shipping. Classification of swords - Wikipedia Sword Dimensions? | BladeForums.com GOTHIC HAND AND A HALF SWORD. What kind of swords were used in medieval times? This balance made the hand-and-a-half sword a formidable weapon, as it was light enough to easily maneuver yet still heavy enough to inflict serious damage when wielded by a skilled swordsman. Special Properties None Base Damage: 1d10 Base Critical Threat: 19-20/x2 Base Damage Type: Slashing Weapon Size: Medium Feats Required: Exotic Item Code: nw_wswbs001 Return to Top Bastard Sword +1 By the late 16th century, early forms of the developed-hilt appear on this type of sword. Ewart Oakeshott distinguishes twelve different types. germ. Longsword - Wikipedia To overcome this problem, swords began to be used primarily for thrusting. Special, versatile (1d8) The middle ground between an arming sword and a longsword --sometimes called a "hand and a half sword"-- this blade's hilt is short enough to be used in one hand while also being long enough to warrant two hands if needed though it isn't as effective as a longsword . For example, there is a longsword in The Glasgow Art and History Museum, Labelled XIIIa. Minneapolis Minnesota George Silver[31] and Joseph Swetnam) is a single-handed "cut-and-thrust" sword with a 1.2-meter-long (4ft) blade[22] similar to the long rapier. [13][14][15][dubious discuss] The great sword proper was developed during the Renaissance, but its earlier cousin, the Scottish Claymore, was very similar in size and use, like the "outsized specimens" between 160cm and 180cm (approx. The "longsword" type exists in a morphological continuum with the medieval knightly sword and the Renaissance-era Zweihnder. The long hilt 10-15 inches in length mainly distinguishes the bastard sword from other medieval swords. Both schools declined in the late 16th century, with the later Italian masters forgoing the longsword and focusing primarily on rapier fencing. "murder stroke"), where the weapon is held by the blade (hilt, pommel and crossguard serving as an improvised hammer head) and swung, taking advantage of the balance being close to the hilt to increase the concussive effect (see the fighter on the right of the Codex Wallerstein picture).[26]. CAS Hanwei Hand-and-a-Half Sword SH2034 Brand: CAS Hanwei $40399 About this item Authentic replica of Museum Piece Fully functional Overall length: 44 1/2" Product Description The Hand-and-a-Half Sword is replicated from a sword thought to be that of Albrecht II of Austria and represents the pinnacle of beauty and balance in medieval swords. The scimitar (French cimeterre, Italian scimitarra) is a type of saber that came to refer in general to any sabre used by the Turks or Ottomans (kilic), Persians (shamshir) and more specifically the Stradioti[58] (Albanian and Greek mercenaries who fought in the French-Italian Wars and were employed throughout Western Europe). Cold Steel Hand-and-A-Half Sword with Leather/Wood Scabbard We see these depicted in art beginning in late antiquity and the early Middle Ages Miniature from Stuttgart Psalter, Ps 143, 10, showing David and Goliath. Bastard Sword Sren Niedziella from Denmark . Peso g 1400 . It was prevalent during the late medieval and Renaissance periods (approximately 1350 to 1550), with early and late use reaching into the 12th and 17th centuries. Length. Some had broad parallel edges to those with acute tapers from the guard to a spike like point and many variations in between. Two-handed swords, on the other hand, are long and heavy, making them particularly effective at dealing critical blows. It was the typical knights sword of the 15th century designed for thrusting against vulnerable points in plate armor. . At only 7 inches long, the guard appears a bit small for a sword of this size, but again, it's true to the original design. These are all in reference to swords commonly called hand and a half swords or longswords today. Dual Tempered HRc 60 48-50 at the core Fittings : Mild Steel Blade Thickness: 1.34 mm Total Length: 45 . Our Medieval Hand and a Half Sword with Blunted Blade is a Battle Ready sword designed to be used for Stage Combat. Great swords or greatswords are related to the long swords of the Middle Ages. Honshu Damascus Broadsword With Sheath - Damascus Steel Blade, TPR Handle, Stainless Steel Pommel - Length 43 1/2". Its blade range from 33 to 41 inches in length. Longsword | Military Wiki | Fandom A longsword (also spelled as long sword or long-sword) is a type of European sword characterized as having a cruciform hilt with a grip for primarily two-handed use (around 15 to 30cm or 6 to 12in), a straight double-edged blade of around 80 to 110cm (31 to 43in), and weighing approximately 1 to 1.5kg (2lb 3oz to 3lb 5oz).[1][2]. However, a section on one-handed use is among the volume and demonstrates the techniques and advantages, such as sudden additional reach, of single-handed longsword play. This hand-and-half sword has a sharpened, darkened 1065 high carbon steel blade with an extra-wide tang. A Rare All-Steel Left-Hand DaggerThird Quarter Of The 16th Century, Probably Spanish. Buy the medieval Albrecht Hand-and-a-Half Swords for $ 299.99. Cold Steel - Kris Sword - Kult of Athena Scabbard. Rather, it's intended to be used with either one hand or both, depending on the user's preferences and the circumstances in which he or she is using it. The term "hand-and-a-half sword" is modern (late 19th century). The term "hand-and-a-half sword" refers to a sword with a moderate-length blade that can be used with either one hand or two. Longsword, bastard sword, and hand-and-a-half sword are all names used to describe a variety of medieval European swords. These are referred to by a variety of names and include Langschwert, spadone or spada longa, grootzwaard, pe btarde, and bastard sword. Sword Length: 42 5/8". They run 3 pounds plus, but you wonder how much of that weight is in the basket hilt, etc.? The Elizabethan long sword (cf. [8] During the first half of the 20th century, the term "bastard sword" was used regularly to refer to this type of sword.[9]. Today, replicas have high-carbon steel blades, though the ones used in stage combat and reenactment have blunt edges. Overall 39 inches. The Blunted Blade is made from hardened spring steel with a full tang construction. The variety of longswords that have survived are diverse and it is obvious that personal preference and intended use where important factors in what a warrior of the period would choose to use. Bastard Sword Weapons | NWN2DB Unlike the xiphos, which is a thrusting weapon, the kopis was a hacking weapon in the form of a thick, curved single edged iron sword. Hand-and-a-half sword | Inheriwiki | Fandom HAND-AND-A-HALF SWORD | Cold Steel Knives Hand and a half swords are basically the historically correct terminology for a long sword, it's a sword that can be two handed or one handed depending on your needs, it only weighs like a pound and a half so it's super easy to handle. [2] Navigation menu . Bonhams : A Rare All-Steel Left-Hand Dagger The blade could range between 0.5 and 1m (1ft 8in and 3ft 3in) long while the handle was usually between 18 and 20cm (7 and 8in). Apart from being a writer, she also dabbles in fashion modeling and acting. Price Availability* Description SBA-WARSPIKE $ 95 14 In Stock The Warspike: Knight Longsword Engrave this item for $20 . SBA-WARSPIKE-T $158 Out of Stock . HAND AND A HALF SWORD. . Scabbards protected the sword from dampness, rain, and were typically reinforced by a metal chape at the tip. The term "hand-and-a-half sword" is modern (late 19th century). By The Sword, Inc. - 15th Century Hand and a Half Sword A longsword (also spelled long sword, long-sword) is a type of European sword characterized as having a cruciform hilt with a grip for two handed use and a straight double-edged blade of around 100 to 122 cm (39 to 48 in . The names derive from words popular at different times and places. A longsword typically features a blade with a length of approximately 33 to 41 inches (85 to 110 cm). It remained in use as a weapon of war intended for wielders wearing full plate armour either on foot or on horseback, throughout the late medieval period. We will never share your information with anybody else cross our hearts, hope to die, stick a sharp sword in our (ok, this just got a little silly). Handle Length. Equipped with a long grip, the hand-and-a-half sword was suitable for use with one or even both hands if one wished to give extra force to a blow. [4] The hand-and-a-half swords had long, slender blades and sharp points that could penetrate the gaps in the opponents armor. The distinction between two-handed swords and longswords can be confusing, and the deeper you delve into marginal cases the less clear the distinction can become. When we see references to the Grans espes d'Allemagne (large swords of Germany) at the beginning of the 14th century,it is obvious that the idea of a larger sword for use with two hands has entered the arsenal of the Medieval Knight. This type of sword had a thickened back to the blade (opposite the cutting edge), which gave the blade strength. First quarter of the 9th c. A.D. (Stuttgart: Wurt. A hand-and-a-half sword is a weapon either with a flat blade or with diamond or lenticular cross-section that's between 22 to 30 inches. Would a sword with a long handle, but a shorter blade (like an arming sword) be a "bastard" neither being a one nor two handed sword? Landesbib. ca. They were hybrid swords that enabled blows to be delivered with the power of a two-handed sword but could also be wielded with one hand. Jian (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: jin; Cantonese: gim) is a double-edged straight sword used during the last 2,500 years in China. A sword called by these names would most likely have a blade length of 33 to 40+ inches and a grip and pommel that one can get both hands placed comfortably upon. Bonhams : An Italian Two-Hand Sword The term hand-and-a-half is more of modern designation for a range of sword types that featured tapered blades longer than the common shorter arming swords of the time but without the double-hand grips of larger heavier war-swords. (M. Rector, Ed. Longsword - Types and History - ilovebuhurt.com Leather Wrapped Handle. They represent an optimised compromise between thrusting capability and retaining good cutting characteristics. Non-sharpened. [17]:7373,plate 67 The cross has been shown to be used as a hook for tripping or knocking an opponent off balance. It allowed more accurate and powerful thrusts against armored opponents. Top is some kind of dress sword, bottom is cavalry saber? From cut to thrust: The, Hand-and-a-Half Sword vs. A channel ran down about half of the blade. Hand-and-a-half swords had long grips that permitted the use of the second hand. What's in a name? [10] It is also used as a possible gloss of the obscure term tonsword by Nares (1822);[11] "one-handed sword" is somewhat later, recorded from c. 1850. The excellent balance and light weight make the Warspike an exceptional addition to any collection. These are single-cutting edged, usually thick or curved construction bladed swords, typically designed for slashing, chopping, severing limbs, tripping or broad sweeping techniques; but were often very poorly designed for stabbing. avg. In a depiction of a duel, individuals may be seen wielding sharply pointed longswords in one hand, leaving the other hand open to manipulate the large dueling shield. It was coined by modern collectors in the 19th century to refer to how the weapon is wielded. Their specially shaped grips, usually bottle-shaped or waisted, gave better control and hold of the weapon. Others also had knuckle guards, particularly the Swiss style. Frontline Books. Tough, rigid and durable. In Italy, spadone, or longsword, instruction lingered on despite the popularity of the rapier, at least into the mid-17th century (Alfieri's Lo Spadone of 1653), with a late treatise of the "two handed sword" by one Giuseppe Colombani, a dentist in Venice dating to 1711. In comparison, a shortsword's blade is about 12 to 20 inches (30 to 50 cm). [17][18] Use of the longsword in attack was not limited only to use of the blade, however, as several Fechtbcher explain and depict use of the pommel and cross as offensive weapons. It also allowed pommeling technique, in which the pommel is partially held in the palm of the other hand to execute more forceful thrusts into heavy armor. The Italian school of swordsmanship was the other primary school of longsword use. This hand-and-a-half sword is based on several historical originals. The bastard sword also had a long thin long blade that tapered into a point. The Scabbard All Hanwei western medieval swords come with a nicely made scabbard. These swords were too heavy to be wielded one-handed and possessed a large grip for leverage. Regardless, the sword's defining characteristics remain the same: it can be used with either one hand or both hands. The term "broadsword" was never used historically to describe the one-handed arming sword. [citation needed] It is thought to have appeared in France and spread quickly across the rest of Europe. . Historical (15th to 16th century) terms for this type of sword included Portuguese espada-de-armas, estoque or espada de duas mos for the version with longer handle used exclusively with both hands; Spanish espadn, montante, or mandoble, Italian spada longa (lunga) or spada due mani (Bolognese), and Middle French passot. $349.99. Leather Wrapped Handle. The French pe de passot was also known as pe btarde[citation needed] (i.e., bastard sword) and also coustille croix[23] (literally a cross-hilted blade). Add to cart. After a Brief exchange with the Questioner in another answer, I have gotten an approximation of what recurve profile has been asked upon. They have a flattened diamond cross-section, often with pronounced mid-rib, some being hollow-ground. Irish Hand and Half Sword by Legacy Arms - CAS Iberia A nonce attestation of "long-sword" in the sense of "heavy two-handed sword" is found in, Systematic use of the term only from 2001 beginning with, Oakeshott's Typology of the Medieval Sword A Summary, "Medieval and Renaissance Fencing Terminology", "Study of the Destructive Capabilities of the European Longsword", "The Two-Handed Great Sword Making lite of the issue of weight", "Oakeshott's Typology of the Medieval Sword: A Summary", Halflang and Tua Handit: Hand-and-a-Half and Two-Handed Scottish Swords, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Longsword&oldid=1141836737, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox weapon with unknown parameters, Articles containing Portuguese-language text, Articles containing Spanish-language text, Articles containing Italian-language text, Articles containing Scottish Gaelic-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Types XIIa and XIIIa represent the Great Sword or War Sword type used in the later 13th and in the 14th century. [5]:133[15] The term "rapier" appeared in the English lexicon via the French pe rapire which either compared the weapon to a rasp or file; it may be a corruption of "rasping sword"[38] which referred to the sound the blade makes[39] when it comes into contact with another blade. The majority of these elongated weapons were designed for agility, precision and rapid thrusting blows to exploit gaps in the enemy's defences; the major joints of the arms, the opening in a visor. While slashing attacks were still moderately effective against infantry wearing half-plate armour, cutting and slicing attacks against an opponent wearing plate armour were almost entirely ineffective in providing any sort of slashing wound as the sword simply could not cut through the steel, although a combatant could aim for the chinks in a suit of armour, sometimes to great effect. It is uncertain whether the same term could still be used to other types of smaller swords, but antiquarian usage in the 19th century established the use of "bastard sword" as referring unambiguously to these large swords. Two-Hander Longsword DJ Combat Two-Hander Longsword (2 reviews) Write a Review SKU: DD-W-206 $110.00 Quantity: Description Specifications Made from polypropylene. [citation needed] The arming sword was wrongly labelled a broadsword by antiquarians as the medieval swords were similar in blade width to the military swords of the day (that were also sometimes labeled as broadswords) and broader than the dueling swords and ceremonial dress swords. Sign up for our mailing-list and be alerted to new products, special sales, limited product availability, and more. Maximum Diameter: 4.2 cm (1 5/8 in.) The hand-and-a-half sword falls somewhere in between the one-handed and two-handed weapons. This technique combines the use of the sword with wrestling, providing opportunities to trip, disarm, break, or throw an opponent and place them in a less offensively and defensively capable position. According to the book titled "Exhibition of the Royal House of Tudo," hand-and-a-half sword is a relatively new term that just recently appeared beginning in the latter half of the 19th century. This sword tends to have a guard that is slightly loose. On the other hand, those with stainless steel blades are only meant for decoration while LARP versions have foam blades. On the contrary, the hand-and-a-half sword had a longer grip to allow it to be wielded with one or two hands, delivering a more powerful blow in one stroke if necessary. Hand-and-a-Half Sword: Its History and Use in Combat Traditional vs Modern Differential Hardening for Swords. A longsword, hand and a half sword or bastard sword is a long, symmetrical sword with a cruciform (cross-shaped) hilt, and a double-edged blade tapered to a sharp point for thrusting. Longswords vs Two Handed Swords - Arms & Armor Still, some sources show them used with bucklers or spiked shields in judicial duels, though the latter was unusual. The hand-and-a-half sword was a balanced weapon that enabled one to use it with one or both hands. The 1410 manuscript by Fiore dei Liberi presents a variety of uses for the longsword. It remains identifiable as a type during the period of about 1350 to 1550. #4. The hilts (handles) range from 8 to 16 inches long to provide room for gauntleted hands. Lengths usually ranged from 110 cm to 150 cm, with 120 to 125 cm probably being the median. Furthermore, there is a deprecation of the term "broadsword" by these associations. In southern Germany, it persisted into the 1560s, but its use also declined during the second half of the 16th century. Use of the two-handed Great Sword or Schlachtschwert by infantry (as opposed to their use as a weapon of mounted and fully armoured knights) seems to have originated with the Swiss in the 14th century.