Sword

A sword (from Old English sweord; akin to Old High German swerd lit. "wounding tool", from the Proto-Indo-European *swer- "to wound, to hurt") is a long edged bladed weapon, consisting in its most fundamental design of a blade, usually with two edges for striking and cutting, and a point for thrusting, and a hilt. The basic intent and physics of swordsmanship remain fairly constant, but the actual techniques vary between cultures and periods as a result of the differences in blade design and purpose. The names given to many swords in mythology, literature, and history reflect the high prestige of the weapon (see list of swords).

Terminology

The sword consists of the blade and the hilt.

Related Topics:
Blade - Hilt

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The name scabbard applies to the case which houses the sword when not in use.

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Blade

Three types of attacks can be performed with the blade: striking, cutting and thrusting movements.

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The blade is usually double-edged; when handling the sword,

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the true or long edge is the one used for straight cuts or strikes, while the false or short edge is the one used for backhand strikes.

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Some hilt designs define which edge is the 'true' one, while

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with symmetrical hilt designs, true and false edge may be inverted by turning the sword.

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The blade may have grooves or fullers with the purpose of lightening the blade while allowing it to retain its strength, in the same manner as an "I" beam in construction.

Related Topics:
Fullers - "I" beam

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The blade may taper more or less sharply towards a point, used for thrusting. The part of the blade nearer towards the point is called the weak of the blade, the part nearer the hilt the strong. The ricasso or shoulder identifies a short section of blade immediately forward of the guard. Most swords have no ricasso. The ricasso is not sharpened, which sometimes allows a finger to be wrapped around the blade for better control. On some large weapons, such as the German longsword, a leather cover surrounded the ricasso, and a swordsman might be grip it in one hand to make the weapon more easily wielded in close-quarters combat. The ricasso normally bears the maker's mark. On Japanese blades the mark appears on the tang under the handle.

Related Topics:
Ricasso - German - Longsword - Maker's mark

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• In the case of a rat-tail tang, the maker welds a thin rod to the end of the blade at the crossguard; this rod goes through the handle (in 20th-century and later construction). This occurs most commonly in a cheap sword-like object. Traditional sword-making does not use this construction method, which does not serve for traditional sword usage.
• In traditional construction, the swordsmith forged the tang as a part of the sword rather than welding it on. Traditional tangs go through the handle: this gives much more durability than a rat-tail tang. Swordsmiths peened such tangs over the end of the pommel. A modern variation of this method involves a pommel nut that holds the pommel on, thus allowing dismantling.
• In a "full" tang (most commonly used in knives and machetes) the tang has about the same width as the blade. In European or Asian swords sold today, many advertised "full" tangs may actually involve a forged rat-tail tang.

The term CoP (Center of Percussion, also known as the sweet spot), identifies the part of the blade that can deliver the strongest blow with the least vibration.

Related Topics:
Center of Percussion - Sweet spot - Vibration

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From the 18th century onwards swords intended for cutting, i.e. with an edge, have been curved with the radius of curvature equal to the distance from the swordman's body at which it was to be used. This allowed the blade to have a sawing effect rather than simply delivering a heavy blow. European swords, intended for use at arm's length, had a radius of curvature of around a metre. Middle Eastern swords, intended for use with the arm bent, had a smaller radius.

Related Topics:
18th century - Arm - Radius - Curvature - Middle East

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Hilt

The hilt is the collective term of the parts allowing the handling of the blade, consisting of the grip, the pommel, and in post-Viking Age swords usually a crossguard. It may also have a tassel or sword knot.

Related Topics:
Hilt - Grip - Pommel - Viking Age - Crossguard - Tassel - Sword knot

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The tang consists of the extension of the blade structure through the hilt.

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