Rapier the thrusting death
Rapiers are characterized by their complex hilts/guards and long slender blades. Occasionally a rapier will have a slightly wider blade but even so they are designed for the thrust not the chop of most broadswords and other wider blades. Rapiers are so specialized that it wouldn't even be out of place to have no edge along it's length only a sharp point, though there are variations of the blade that do in fact carry an edge.
As a side note it is worthy of mentioning that the word "rapier" wasn't used by Italian, Spanish, and French masters during the height of the weapons reign, the terms spada or espada) were the normal names for the blade (these being generic words for "sword").
As a side note it is worthy of mentioning that the word "rapier" wasn't used by Italian, Spanish, and French masters during the height of the weapons reign, the terms spada or espada) were the normal names for the blade (these being generic words for "sword").
Parts of the Rapier
Hilt:
Rapiers often had complex, sweeping hilts designed to protect the hand wielding the sword. Rings extended forward from the crosspiece. Later these rings were covered with metal plates, eventually evolving into the cup hilts of many later rapiers as in the bell guard common on spanish rapiers. Many hilts included a knuckle bow extending down from the crosspiece protecting the hilt, which was usually wood wrapped with cord, leather or wire. A fat pommel (often decorated) secured the hilt to the weapon and provided a balance to the long blade.
Blade:
Various rapier masters divided the blade into two, three, four, five or even nine parts.
The forte, strong, is that part of the blade closest to the hilt; in cases where a master divides the blade into an even number of parts, this is the first half of the blade.
The debole, weak, is the part of the blade which includes the point and is the second half of the blade when the sword is divided into an even number or parts. However, some rapier masters divided the blade into three parts (or even a multiple of three), in which case the central third of the blade, between the forte and the debole, was often called the medio or the terzo.
The Ricasso is that portion of the blade, usually unsharpened, which extends forward from the crosspiece or quillons and which is protected by the complex hilt.
Rapiers often had complex, sweeping hilts designed to protect the hand wielding the sword. Rings extended forward from the crosspiece. Later these rings were covered with metal plates, eventually evolving into the cup hilts of many later rapiers as in the bell guard common on spanish rapiers. Many hilts included a knuckle bow extending down from the crosspiece protecting the hilt, which was usually wood wrapped with cord, leather or wire. A fat pommel (often decorated) secured the hilt to the weapon and provided a balance to the long blade.
Blade:
Various rapier masters divided the blade into two, three, four, five or even nine parts.
The forte, strong, is that part of the blade closest to the hilt; in cases where a master divides the blade into an even number of parts, this is the first half of the blade.
The debole, weak, is the part of the blade which includes the point and is the second half of the blade when the sword is divided into an even number or parts. However, some rapier masters divided the blade into three parts (or even a multiple of three), in which case the central third of the blade, between the forte and the debole, was often called the medio or the terzo.
The Ricasso is that portion of the blade, usually unsharpened, which extends forward from the crosspiece or quillons and which is protected by the complex hilt.
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