what is this?

[C Daniel 1]

hi, everyone. i've been looking at a lot of old illustrations from the renaissance texts and i've seen one blade type in particular come up again and again and i can't figure out what it's supposed to be.

 

 

it's shown in detail next to other very detailed swords, so i'm confused if that's a long, continuing blade with a split (or maybe drifted) handle section, or if it's some sort of cutlass that wasn't drawn in quite as much detail? if anyone knows anything about this blade, i'd love to learn more about it.

 

thank you

casey

[Mark Green 17]

If it was an actual weapon, it sure looks nasty. And quite useful in a tight spot. If that blade curves all the way around the handle. It does look like it has some kind of hand guard.

Cool!

One in each hand. You could do some serious damage in a ship boarding in short order.

I think I would make quite a bit more hand guard.

Mark

[AJ Chalifoux 57]

That's called a dussack. They were training blades (often wood) for practicing messer, falchion, or any other techniques involving a curved blade in the martial arts of the period. The shape of the hilt was probably just the most economical way to get a more realistic balance, since they didn't have pommels, or else to simulate a D-guard of some sort.

[C Daniel 1]

thank you very much, it's been driving me crazy trying to guess at what it was haha

[Doug Lester 269]

Gee! I guessed right. I'm proud of me.

 

Doug