A friend's cup hilt sword for comments

[Victrix]

That’s a very beautiful sword. Is the grip made of wood or is it even some kind of bone?

It unsettles me a bit when I see a cuphilt and expect to see a delicate rapier blade for thrust, but there’s a broadsword for slashing attached to it instead. I wonder what it’s like logistically to slash with the swords edge. I guess a broad sword has an advantage against more slender blades when used as a slashing weapon where brute force can be used. I really prefer the broad sword blades, especially when there is writing on them!

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Victrix

...That’s a very beautiful sword. Is the grip made of wood or is it even some kind of bone?...

Certainly not wood; some kind of bone or even ivory!

The way i humbly view it, slender (rapier) blades may be seen both in cup hilts as in swept hilts, etc. Their particular purpose is that of engaging in dueling scenes, requiring some (school) fencing skill. Broad blades are more the basics, appearing both in military gear as in unsophisticated civilian hands. We may say they are fit for a dual purpose as, besides heavy slashing, they may also do the job in thrusting.



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