British 1796 HCS pattern blade shape

Triarii · 17th September 2024, 06:31 PM

Hi Jim,

Both incidents were in contemporary broadsheet articles, pictures of which were included in the posts. I'm now more minded towards it being on Facebook in maybe the IASC forum or similar. In fact I think I recall who posted at least one of them, possibly in my HEMA club forum.

On the duel article, I'm only going by what the witness (defending the guy who mortally wounded the other) stated in the article, which implied that he didn't mean to stab him - quite possible given that killing someone would get you into a lot of trouble.

Cuts were much less lethal than thrusts, one reason which led George Silver to complain about the use of rapiers vice broad and backswords when having a good honest street fight.

As an example Donald McBane - who is in quite a few fights where people give up after receiving, or are incapacitated by, cuts that aren't fatal - stated that when fighting a broadsword user then a wet napkin folded under your hat and/or about your left arm would be enough take a lot of the blow.

I used to have an HCS with the spear point modification but had its langets and modified inner guard, which based on the folding guards of the 1796 IOS and early 1822s, was about comfort and not ragging your clothes.

17th September 2024, 06:31 PM	#3
Triarii Member Join Date: Oct 2021 Location: Bristol Posts: 113	Hi Jim, Both incidents were in contemporary broadsheet articles, pictures of which were included in the posts. I'm now more minded towards it being on Facebook in maybe the IASC forum or similar. In fact I think I recall who posted at least one of them, possibly in my HEMA club forum. On the duel article, I'm only going by what the witness (defending the guy who mortally wounded the other) stated in the article, which implied that he didn't mean to stab him - quite possible given that killing someone would get you into a lot of trouble. Cuts were much less lethal than thrusts, one reason which led George Silver to complain about the use of rapiers vice broad and backswords when having a good honest street fight. As an example Donald McBane - who is in quite a few fights where people give up after receiving, or are incapacitated by, cuts that aren't fatal - stated that when fighting a broadsword user then a wet napkin folded under your hat and/or about your left arm would be enough take a lot of the blow. I used to have an HCS with the spear point modification but had its langets and modified inner guard, which based on the folding guards of the 1796 IOS and early 1822s, was about comfort and not ragging your clothes.