Article: Notes on development of modern sabers - Role of Eastern Europe & the Hussars

tom hyle · 15th January 2005, 04:59 PM

This one just grew and grew, but I've finally read it all. Very interesting, all. A few notes:

Falchions often have curved spines, and are commonly thought to be derived from scramasax/longsax. Germans are more Eastern than Celts, and always have been though; Slavs more Eastern yet. This seems pretty directly sensical.

Estocs ARE lance-swords; basically shortish spears constructed as swords, often or even usually incapable of cutting. This is my view on smallsword, etc. as well. Rapier per se is debatable, being a very capable cutting weapon in its early forms.

Do you really think the "grip strap" of modern sabres evolved as an extension of the pommel? Do you have transitional examples? Don't you think it's a version of a tang-band?

To me it seems that the distinctly Western European evolution of the sabre is to bring the point back in line with the hilt, rather than trailing it behind, as on Tartaric ("true"?) sabres, and in effect combining sabre and estoc in a single weapon, or attempting so to do.

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15th January 2005, 04:59 PM	#22
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	This one just grew and grew, but I've finally read it all. Very interesting, all. A few notes: Falchions often have curved spines, and are commonly thought to be derived from scramasax/longsax. Germans are more Eastern than Celts, and always have been though; Slavs more Eastern yet. This seems pretty directly sensical. Estocs ARE lance-swords; basically shortish spears constructed as swords, often or even usually incapable of cutting. This is my view on smallsword, etc. as well. Rapier per se is debatable, being a very capable cutting weapon in its early forms. Do you really think the "grip strap" of modern sabres evolved as an extension of the pommel? Do you have transitional examples? Don't you think it's a version of a tang-band? To me it seems that the distinctly Western European evolution of the sabre is to bring the point back in line with the hilt, rather than trailing it behind, as on Tartaric ("true"?) sabres, and in effect combining sabre and estoc in a single weapon, or attempting so to do.