Despite technological progress, echoes of medieval times can still be found in various areas of human life. Most often, this effect is found in weaponry. The best representatives of this phenomenon are swords with modern names, as well as their ancient ancestors.
Sword - what is it?
A sword is a melee weapon whose blade is significantly larger in size than the entire hilt. The first products of this kind had one of the possible effects: chopping, pricking and cutting. Modern swords are more advanced models, so they can combine several features at once.
Today, products can be made from different grades of steel: stainless, unalloyed carbon, spring, tool, damask.
What are the details
In the photo of modern swords, you can see that their structure does not differ from their predecessors, consisting of the following parts:
- The blade is the main working area of steel swords; it can have a blade both on one and on both sides of the weapon. Moreover, the blade is not called the entire part of the blade: the lateral sharp edge is considered a blade, and the cutting end is a point.
- A hilt is a part of a weapon intended to be gripped by one or both hands.
- The top is the spherical part of the sword, located on the opposite end from the blade. There are swords with other forms of pommel, but its functions there, and in classic models, are the same - to set the center of gravity in the area of the hands for more comfortable working with weapons.
- Garda - a part designed to protect the hands of its owner. It can be of several types: reticular, crossed, shoe-shaped, bowl-shaped. Its presence is optional, so some modern swords without a guard are performed. In others, it is supplemented by a counterguard (protection).
Additional points regarding the description of modern swords:
- The presence of a special part, subjected to the most minimal processing. It is not present in all swords, but is preserved in history due to the enormous influence on the capabilities of weapons. She is known by the names of ricasso, choyl or heel of the blade.
- Built-in dol, which is presented in the form of a slot or gutter on the blade part of some swords. There is no clear opinion about its purpose, but thanks to the efforts of researchers, a list of its possible functions has been compiled.
- Ephesus - a definition that combines a guard, a hilt and a top.
Blade
The blade is the main working area of cold steel, performing clear functions: stabbing, cutting, chopping. It can be sharpened on one or both sides, and also have a built-in fake blade.
In the area of the blade, dol elements are often located that facilitate its weight while maintaining the same strength and stiffness indicators, similar to the structure of an I-beam. The area of the blade can either have or be made without the slightest hint of a tip (an example can be found among the Vikings, who did not have decent armor, therefore did not need piercing elements). The place from the middle of percussion to the tip is considered to be the weakest part of the blade area, therefore it is not recommended to repel them from oncoming blows. Stronger elements are located between the middle of the percussion and the hilt, and the part from the top to the center of percussion is already considered the middle of the blade itself.
In the unfinished area of modern swords, the brand of the manufacturer is better guessed. Japanese masters prefer to put brand names on the shanks (a place passing through the hilt area) under the handle. Ephesus and blade are connected in this way:
- When a shank is not provided in the structure of the blade, a small metal rod is welded to this area, and it is passed through the handle. This option of joining sword parts is mainly found on modern weapons designed for decorative purposes. In the manufacture of real swords, it is unacceptable, otherwise the weapon will break at the welding points at the time of fencing.
- In the manufacture of fencing swords, a shank is formed from a part of the blade, ensuring the integrity of these parts. This method provides maximum strength to the entire structure. The shank must pass through the handle and be fixed on it; in some cases, parts of the hilt and thread are added to it to install the top. In some modern swords, the top is fixed to the screws, holding the entire hilt, thereby making it possible to disassemble the sword if necessary.
- The shanks of the knives and machetes are identical in width to the blade, and in shape they resemble the bends of the handle itself. Many of the best modern swords in Europe and Asia are representatives of this type of shank.
Sometimes a leather strip is attached to the ricasso area, which is called the rain guard. Its task is to protect the sheath from water. In addition, among the swords made in the XVIII century, you can see a specially curved weapon, whose radius is equal to the distance from the shoulder of the owner to the blade itself. This feature increased the effectiveness of the sword, whose functions were supplemented by the ability to cut living flesh. In European weapons, such a radius could reach one meter. Oriental swords could not boast the same, as they were adapted for fencing with bent arms.
Hilt
This definition unites several parts of the sword: hilt, top and guard, responsible for the control and quality of work with the blade. An exception was the top, intended for balancing melee weapons and their grasp.
Since the beginning of the 17th century, firearms adapted for long-range combat have become more popular. The blacksmiths reacted to the next innovation by developing baskets in the style of baskets that protect the hands of their owner from the blows of the enemy, thereby eliminating the need to wear plate gloves. Such work was favorably reflected in the demand for swords, although they were more suited to close attack options.
Handle
Handle - a wooden or metal part of a sword, designed to be wrapped around the hands. Some are covered with sharks or shagreen skin. With the beginning of the 19th century, rubber was used in the manufacture of handles. All material was glued to the main part, and then fixed with wire.
Not always the arms were held with both hands. In the midst of the battle, where all the warriors were equipped with full-fledged plate equipment, the handle of any sword was held with only one hand, and the other at that time grasped the blade, delivering strong stabbing blows. This method of fighting was called the "half-sword technique."
The top
Also known as apple and pomelo. This is the spherical part of the sword located at the end of the handle. On any melee weapon intended for fencing, you can see the tops that adjust the balance according to the preferences of a particular owner. It is one of the only elements of the sword that retained their original functions.
In some fighting techniques with modern swords, you can see tricks based on the use of a pommel as a mace. Due to the variety of their forms (disks, crescents, deformed spheres), such blows can inflict serious damage to the enemy, without depriving them of that life. On swords that participated in special ceremonies, the tops are complemented with metal ornaments and jewelry.
Garda
Garda is a built-in part designed to protect the owner’s hand from the opponent’s sword and suddenly slip to the dangerous area of the blade.
The first guards with their parameters resembled direct crossbars located perpendicular to the area of the blade. Starting from the 16th century, more complex details appeared in their composition, resembling loops and figured waves, additionally protecting the hand from possible cuts and scratches. A little later they were complemented by decorative elements.
In the XVII century, in the process of making swords, in addition to guards, they began to use another defense of a round shape with a diameter of about 5 cm. Based on this information, they believe that this is how modern versions of swords and rapiers appeared.
Ricasso
A specific untreated part located in the area of the blade, almost close to the handle. It was first discovered on weapons manufactured during the time that went into the Bronze Age. Thanks to the ricasso, the masters varied in the size of the hilt of the sword, affecting the ability of the weapon at the time of fencing and stabbing. Therefore, this element can be seen on swords of completely different lengths: one and a half, ordinary knives, rapiers, two-handed, claymore, and so on. On the blades of two-handed swords, the ricasso ends with a counterguard designed to protect the hand at the time of grasping this area. In the process of making knives, a ricasso is also often provided, designed to help the future owner balance the edged weapons and control the pressure they produce using just a few fingers.
Dol
Dol is a built-in recess or a specially provided gap on the main part of the blade. Researchers have no specific opinion regarding its purpose. Some consider it to be a blood stream, which facilitates the flow of blood at the time of the sword’s defeat of the enemy’s body, while others consider it a functional feature that helps to save material without affecting the strength of the finished product.
If there is a dol, the main load directed to the sword is distributed around the edges, relieving the middle of the weapon from pressure. This effect increases the stiffness of the blade, slightly affecting the total weight of the product. The same principle is maintained if it is necessary to reduce the weight of the sword without affecting the stiffness of the main area. Experts say that the general structure of the I-beam has been copied from such swords.
Despite the uncertainty regarding the dales, they left an impressive mark in the memory of participants and researchers of military events. Therefore, they continue to be made as part of modern swords made of titanium, whose length does not differ in impressive dimensions. This influenced the functionality of the built-in elements, which now play a purely aesthetic role, and are intended more for spectacle than for specific purposes.
Features of Japanese Swords
Different forms of bends, a striking blade with a cutting edge, a comfortable handle and minimal presence of a guard are the first things that come to mind when mentioning modern Japanese war swords. The local masters are unique blacksmiths who managed to create many types of weapons that combine common features (katana, nagitan, wakizashi and so on). In the manufacture, they used the highest quality metal and spared no effort in the process of working out every detail. Therefore, it is not surprising that modern Japanese swords are sky-high and target a particular samurai.
The Japanese technique of owning paired blades (often swords of various types and from different metals) has become a legend in military art. Neighboring nations tried to adopt it, but the Arabs achieved greater success in this field. Europeans created their own fencing style with a sword and dagger, partly copying the Japanese technique. But this version has not yet been confirmed. Therefore, some researchers are of the opinion that national martial arts developed in parallel to each other, without intersecting.
What categories is divided into modern weapons
Although this weapon has not been used for a long time during the war, and modern gladiator swords are, in fact, analogues of real products, it still does not lose popularity to this day. Therefore, now you can find blacksmiths specializing in the manufacture of weapons, no different from the swords of medieval time. Products of masters can be divided into certain groups:
- Replicas of real weapons are copies of blades made in ancient times, and which have come down to us through archaeological finds and creativity.
The blacksmiths scrupulously calculate and verify all the possible parameters of the old weapons in order to create a similar copy, practically no different from the original. To avoid inaccuracies in the manufacturing process, only those methods are used that were known to the blacksmiths of that time, without the slightest involvement of modern technology. The masters are looking for the missing information in sources directly related to fencing and weapons mastery. The photo of a modern sword-replica shows that the only thing that distinguishes a copy from the original is the lack of sharpening. Otherwise, the replicas are so identical to real swords that even medieval dukes and kings could not distinguish them from their weapons.
- Sports swords - weapons made of steel or duralumin without a dol and with small traces of adhesions.
It is more affordable than a real replica, it has a perfectly adjusted balance and is practically no different from the medieval original. Such weapons are in demand among fans of historical fencing (people recreating medieval battles and dueling).
- Tournament swords - modern military products of a sports direction with a quality mark.
They are more consistent with replicas, have a detailed polishing and fully functioning dol. They are used by participants in tournaments of republican and state significance, where they are presented with serious requirements regarding weapons and appearance.
- Training swords are the initial versions of a real weapon.
In fact, these are unprocessed swords made of modern steel, whose handle is sometimes wrapped in ordinary rope. Such a weapon is heavier, but has a low cost, which makes it a favorite element of the training of beginner fencers.