black sea yataghan

[Ahriman]

I was just about to write about that "sport" thing Ham mentioned... so now, I won't.
Just one thing. We, hungarians, used mostly sabers, especially after 1500. One of our warrior-poets, Balint Balassi, who died from a leg-removing nice little cannonball, had a gothic gauntlet recordedly. Gothic gauntlets don't really allow much wrist movement, just up and down and rotation. And of course, a bit sideway movement, but very little, especially if worn with vambraces. Later gauntlets allowed even less sideway movement.
And yet, Balassi was a sabre-user, and a good one, if the records are true.

Ham, is there anything worth considering in my crazy theory, or is it just another piece of my idiotism?

[ham]

Ahriman,

Not idiotic at all, sounds quite consistent with the use of the saber in Eastern Europe. Why not experiment a bit in honor of Balassi and let us know. But you'd best hurry, his birthday is next week!

Sincerely,

Ham