Swordbreakers: A Myth ?

Jim McDougall · 6th May 2009, 02:57 AM

All this talk about rapiers set my swashbuckling mind on another adventure,
the myth of the deadly 'swordbreaker'.

From "Schools and Masters of Fencing" (Egerton Castle,London, 1885, p.246):

"...the very vicious looking and somewhat fantastic so called 'swordbreakers' represented as usual fencing weapons of the 'main gauche' class by so many writers in arms and armour, never were at any time but the result of individual fantasy. As fencing implements notwithstanding thier elaborateness and forbidding appearance, they are decidedly inferior to any ordinary dagger. If they were ever used at all, it was probably in the right hand and alone, not in conjunction with the rapier. No mention is ever made in old books of fence, and thier date must be ascribed as 'anterior' to the 16th c."

It seems I have seen this topic discussed somewhere, but too long ago. In many cases the rapier and left hand dagger were made en suite, anybody ever seen a set which comprised one of these dramatically dentated daggers?

Fernando, I just know somewhere in that corpus of esoteric arms literature there must be something on these !

Comments, observations pulleeze.

signed,
'Z'

6th May 2009, 02:57 AM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,948	Swordbreakers: A Myth ? All this talk about rapiers set my swashbuckling mind on another adventure, the myth of the deadly 'swordbreaker'. From "Schools and Masters of Fencing" (Egerton Castle,London, 1885, p.246): "...the very vicious looking and somewhat fantastic so called 'swordbreakers' represented as usual fencing weapons of the 'main gauche' class by so many writers in arms and armour, never were at any time but the result of individual fantasy. As fencing implements notwithstanding thier elaborateness and forbidding appearance, they are decidedly inferior to any ordinary dagger. If they were ever used at all, it was probably in the right hand and alone, not in conjunction with the rapier. No mention is ever made in old books of fence, and thier date must be ascribed as 'anterior' to the 16th c." It seems I have seen this topic discussed somewhere, but too long ago. In many cases the rapier and left hand dagger were made en suite, anybody ever seen a set which comprised one of these dramatically dentated daggers? Fernando, I just know somewhere in that corpus of esoteric arms literature there must be something on these ! Comments, observations pulleeze. signed, 'Z'