As its name suggests, it had an advantage in terms of greater reach over the so-called short sword or arming sword. Grip Length: 7.5 inches; Overall Length: 46.5 inches; Blade thickness (base): 4.6 mm; Blade thickness (1" from tip): 3.0 mm; Guard Width: 10 inches; In the Oakeshott typology of blade morphology, "longswords" figure as a range of sub-types of the corresponding single-handed sword types.[16]. 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. 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. [8][9][10] Prior to this the term "long sword" merely referred to any sword with a long blade; 'long' being simply an adjective rather than a classification. The hand-and-a-half sword also belongs to Oakeshott types XVIa, XVII, and XVIIIa. Functionally, swords become more maneuverable, powerful, and fast when the handle is gripped with two hands. The name hand-and-a-half is not a historical term. [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 half-swording technique was essential in armored combat, as most cutting and slashing blows will not cause enough damage to an iron or steel plate. The khopesh is an ancient Egyptian curved short sword with a length of approx. All of these types can be classified in some of their forms as Longsword, Bastard Sword and Hand and a Half swords. In some instances, the crossguard could hook the shield or the weapon away and even trip the enemy. By the late 16th century, early forms of the developed-hilt appear on this type of sword. The grete war sword, also called epee de guerre or great sword, was an earlier type of longsword used throughout most of western Europe. 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. [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. Bastard Sword. From the late 15th century, however, it is also attested as being worn and used by unarmoured soldiers or mercenaries. This manual, unfortunately for modern scholars, was written in obscure verse. 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 Regardless, the sword's defining characteristics remain the same: it can be used with either one hand or both hands. 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. Minneapolis Minnesota The backsword blade was cheaper to manufacture than a two-edged blade. As with our single-hand broadswords above these weapons are custom made. A longsword (long sword) is any sword that is generally wielded with two hands. Answer (1 of 2): I'll apologize be as I'm long-winded and cover a lot of ground. We see very thin blades with tremendous cutting potential to swords of the more common diamond cross section, many with fullers, to the category of Tucks which hadblades designed for thrusting and levering ones opponent in close play. 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. Learn more about the history and use of the hand-and-a-half sword and how it compares to other medieval swords. [citation needed] The two handed claymore is an early Scottish version of a greatsword. It was through students of Liechtenauer, like Sigmund Ringeck, who transcribed the work into more understandable prose[20] that the system became notably more codified and understandable. The groin and throat were among the favourite targets. [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. The French pe btarde and the English "bastard sword" originate in the 15th or 16th century, originally in the general sense of "irregular sword, sword of uncertain origin", but by the mid-16th century could refer to exceptionally large swords. Type XVa is the classical two-handed sword of the 14th and 15th centuries (with early examples appearing from the later 13th century). However, they had various hilt and guard forms depending on their origin. 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. The excellent balance and light weight make the Warspike an exceptional addition to any collection. 55413 United States. The backsword reached its greatest use in the 17th and 18th century when many cavalry swords, such as the British 1796 Heavy Cavalry Sword, were of this form. Apart from being a writer, she also dabbles in fashion modeling and acting. The Cold Steel Kris series, which includes a sword and dagger, is something we hope all . 120-150 cm (47-59 in), blade length: avg. . Product details: Length: 115.6 cm / Blade length: 85.10 cm / Grip length: 30.5 cm / Blade width at guard: 5.1 cm / Weight: 1389 g / Steel type: 1056 carbon steel, hardness 52-54 HRC . SPADA SCHIAVONESCA. 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]. [6] Historical European Martial Arts associations have turned the term spada da lato[7] into "side-sword". A sword with a single hand grip length but longsword blade length The so called "hand and a half" swords Longswords/Greatswords that could be effectively used one handed but were usually used with both making it hard to describe as strictly a one hander or two hander J Jonathon Belt Joined Aug 20, 2011 Messages 40 Aug 14, 2013 #8 @d-a-half-sw. In later usage, 'cutlass' referred to the short naval boarding sabre. 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. (M. Rector, Ed. 3 Reviews; 3 Reviews. The hilts (handles) range from 8 to 16 inches long to provide room for gauntleted hands. ; M. Rector, Trans.). The swords grouped as "longswords" for the purposes of this article are united by their being intended for two-handed use. Peso g 1400 . [25], The "Masters of Defence" competition organised by Henry VIII in July 1540 listed[26] "two hande sworde", "bastard sworde", and "longe sworde" as separate items (as it should in Joseph Swetnam's context). 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). Inspired from swords used during the late 14th through to the mid-16th centuries, this is a hand and a half length sword and is fully functional. [citation needed] Small swords were also used as status symbols and fashion accessories; for most of the 18th century anyone, civilian or military, with pretensions to gentlemanly status would have worn a small sword on a daily basis. $269.99 $211.98! Black War Sword And Scabbard - High Carbon Steel Blade, Wooden Handle, Leather-Wrapped - Length 42". It remains identifiable as a type during the period of about 1350 to 1550. (2012). 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 . They were made from wood, lined with cloth, and bound in leather. Historically, katana () were one of the traditionally made Japanese swords (, nihont)[47][48] that were used by the samurai of feudal Japan. The most well-known systematic typology of blade types of the European medieval sword is the Oakeshott typology, although this is also a modern classification and not a medieval one. Posted by Will Cruse on 23rd Oct 2022 Cool and does the job. The term "hand-and-a-half sword" is modern (late 19th century). When pike formations became common on battlefield tactics, ranged weapons proved more effective against pikemen, diminishing the advantages of hand-and-a-half swords. A hand-and-a-half sword, however, falls somewhere between these two, with an average blade length of about 22 to 30 inches. The tip is 0.9 inch side and 0.20 inches thick. "arming sword", "broadsword", "long sword", etc.) The term "single-handed sword" (or "one-handed sword") is a retronym coined to disambiguate from "two-handed" or "hand-and-a-half" specimens. Weapon: A Visual History of Arms and Armor, Williams, G. (2014). Hand-and-a-half swords initially had a plain crossguard but later featured extensive hand guards. In comparison, a shortsword's blade is about 12 to 20 inches (30 to 50 cm). By clicking enter you are verifying that you are old enough to consume alcohol. . Price Availability* Description SBA-WARSPIKE $ 95 14 In Stock The Warspike: Knight Longsword Engrave this item for $20 . These blades are long and slowly tapering, with a flat hexagonal blade cross-section and a fuller running along one third of the blade. With the Irish Hand and Half Sword, you swiftly break through the enemy lines and claim victory for your army this morn. Types XVIIIb and XVIIIc represent the later longswords of the mid-15th to early 16th centuries. The arming sword was the most used sword type in the medieval period. But if that same warrior encountered an enemy on an open battlefield, he may switch to using two hands for greater strength and stopping power. The Blunted Blade is made from hardened spring steel with a full tang construction. Some historians believe that it was primarily used in war and not an everyday weapon of the knight. [17]:plates 128150, Another variation of use comes from the use of armour. 44. Hand-and-a half varieties typically have a blade length between 30 and 34 inches and weigh between 2 and 4 pounds. 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).