about one-piece iron "dusacks"?

tom hyle · 19th August 2011, 01:03 AM

Like many others I was initially decieved by the woodcut illustrations of European swordsmen practicing with wooden dummy dusacks, and thought they depicted actual swords with the blade continued in front of the fingers like a knucklebow. Finding out that the objects depicted were wooden practice swords that did not closely resemble the real swords they represented has not entirely discouraged my interest in the concept/shape. In fact, I am currently engaged in making steel versions of these. I have heard that there are "period" examples of such objects as these bladed knucklebow steel swords, but have not been able to find any detailed info.
Does anyone know anything or have access to a photo of such a thing?

kronckew · 19th August 2011, 08:51 AM

found this one via google images search on 'dusack sword' (also try 'dussack' spelling variant)

parent site was in hungarian by the way

were a few more images of dusacks, mostly repros & woodcut prints. found one interesting japanese version you might want to see....

parent site in japanese

i've always assumed the hilts would be wrapped in leather to improve the grip.

tom hyle · 19th August 2011, 03:33 PM

Thanks. One can see the relation in the European piece to bill hook handles with hooks.
The Japanese one is wicked looking.

kronckew · 22nd August 2011, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom hyle

Thanks. One can see the relation in the European piece to bill hook handles with hooks.
The Japanese one is wicked looking.

yes, we discussed the beidanas

in this thread

they seem related.

broadaxe · 3rd September 2011, 05:48 PM

I think you may find these threads helpfull:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...sinclair+saber
http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewto...er=asc&start=0

Also a new photo have surfaced... attributed to the Reichstadt Museum in Germany. 2nd photo for ease of browsing, entitled as "from Cervenkas book".

tom hyle · 19th August 2011, 03:51 PM

duzhagge is my favorite fun spelling
I've pretty quickly found at least one other with the curled around knucklebow, and a plethora of repros of such, but specifically are there examples where the knuclebow is continuous to the edge as on the wooden dummies, and preferably is edged iteself? This is the kind I've been making, and they are not intended as reproductions, but I just wonder. Windlass made one like this, then didn't bevel the knucklebow. People seem to love the sharp knucklebow on mine....

tom hyle · 19th August 2011, 04:40 PM

BTW the last time I googled this subject I came up with only wide-bladed hangers with ordinary guard-grip-pommel hilts. It's been a couple of years; things have progressed, and all the top listings are now concerning one-piece swords (albeit mostly with the curled/bill hook style knucklebow); my interest seems to coincide with that of others....

19th August 2011, 01:03 AM	#1
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	about one-piece iron "dusacks"? Like many others I was initially decieved by the woodcut illustrations of European swordsmen practicing with wooden dummy dusacks, and thought they depicted actual swords with the blade continued in front of the fingers like a knucklebow. Finding out that the objects depicted were wooden practice swords that did not closely resemble the real swords they represented has not entirely discouraged my interest in the concept/shape. In fact, I am currently engaged in making steel versions of these. I have heard that there are "period" examples of such objects as these bladed knucklebow steel swords, but have not been able to find any detailed info. Does anyone know anything or have access to a photo of such a thing?

3rd September 2011, 05:48 PM	#5
broadaxe Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 332	I think you may find these threads helpfull: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...sinclair+saber http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewto...er=asc&start=0 Also a new photo have surfaced... attributed to the Reichstadt Museum in Germany. 2nd photo for ease of browsing, entitled as "from Cervenkas book". Attached Images Last edited by broadaxe; 3rd September 2011 at 05:55 PM. Reason: some more info

19th August 2011, 08:51 AM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,178	found this one via google images search on 'dusack sword' (also try 'dussack' spelling variant) parent site was in hungarian by the way were a few more images of dusacks, mostly repros & woodcut prints. found one interesting japanese version you might want to see.... parent site in japanese i've always assumed the hilts would be wrapped in leather to improve the grip.

19th August 2011, 03:33 PM	#3
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Thanks. One can see the relation in the European piece to bill hook handles with hooks. The Japanese one is wicked looking.

19th August 2011, 03:51 PM	#6
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	duzhagge is my favorite fun spelling I've pretty quickly found at least one other with the curled around knucklebow, and a plethora of repros of such, but specifically are there examples where the knuclebow is continuous to the edge as on the wooden dummies, and preferably is edged iteself? This is the kind I've been making, and they are not intended as reproductions, but I just wonder. Windlass made one like this, then didn't bevel the knucklebow. People seem to love the sharp knucklebow on mine....

19th August 2011, 04:40 PM	#7
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	BTW the last time I googled this subject I came up with only wide-bladed hangers with ordinary guard-grip-pommel hilts. It's been a couple of years; things have progressed, and all the top listings are now concerning one-piece swords (albeit mostly with the curled/bill hook style knucklebow); my interest seems to coincide with that of others....