Thanks, Marc, good and convincing explanation.
As a former fencer, I am intrigued by these devices: they must have been of great help in saber fencing, because they increased the stability of the cut movement and the parrying defence against a saber slash. In rapiers, they must have dictated a technique totally different from the French pattern that is based on the wrist and is aimed at thrust only. In effect, these rapiers were pallasches.
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