Thumb ring

ariel · 6th July 2005, 01:04 AM

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.

Marc · 6th July 2005, 09:42 AM

Thank you for the nice words, Jim, it's always a pleasure.

I, alas, tend to contribute here much less than I would like...

Ariel, pallasches, indeed, also called very generally "Cut and thrust" sword, whatever utility may have such label...
No rapier that I know of features a thumbring, given the mechanics of rapier fencing they would in fact get in the way quite annoyingly. Note that here I use the word "rapier" as a general label to define a sword of Western European design from the 16th and 17th c., designed to be used for a primarily (but not necessarily "exclusively") thrusting style of fencing...

P.S. Ah, and it's "Walloon", up there, I just noticed the typo...

6th July 2005, 01:04 AM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	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.

6th July 2005, 09:42 AM	#2
Marc Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Madrid / Barcelona Posts: 256	Thank you for the nice words, Jim, it's always a pleasure. I, alas, tend to contribute here much less than I would like... Ariel, pallasches, indeed, also called very generally "Cut and thrust" sword, whatever utility may have such label... No rapier that I know of features a thumbring, given the mechanics of rapier fencing they would in fact get in the way quite annoyingly. Note that here I use the word "rapier" as a general label to define a sword of Western European design from the 16th and 17th c., designed to be used for a primarily (but not necessarily "exclusively") thrusting style of fencing... P.S. Ah, and it's "Walloon", up there, I just noticed the typo...