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[fernando]

Originally Posted by shayde78

... but to be a TRUE rapier, there must be a TRUE ricasso that the fingers can grip by hooking over the quillion, and yet still be protected by the guard. No such ricasso, not a rapier. Personally, I would call anything with this exposed ricasso a rapier regardless of length (within reason). Because these typically have long blades and heavy hilts, they were used to attack, while the off-hand provided defense...

Also this concept could be negotiated ... perhaps. Indeed it was implicit that, as rapiers they were conceived, a weapon to accompany a civilian for his protection and (potentially) street fencing, consisting of a thin long blade and a hand (cup bowl) protection being obliged. Past time, sturdier blades had to be taken into account, namely for military (and not only) purposes. And, on the other hand, these slender long blades started to equip also other sword variants; which, in my humble perspective, were those 'swords' with a 'rapier blade'.
Attached a cup hilt sword that you can hardly consider a rapier, due its 830X25 mm. blade, which has its ricasso resource so predominant that the grip can only lodge three fingers.

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