TherionArms

Kingston Arms rebated sidesword

It's a sidesword! It's a sword rapier! It's a cut and thrust sword! It's all three swords in one!

Actually, this is all three swords in one - at least, this style of sword has been called by all of those names (and probably many others). Conventional "sword time lines" show evolution in the early 1500's to mid 1600's from the military arming sword to the civilian rapier. Actually, there was quite a lot of overlap and contemporary usage - military swords began gaining more elaborate hilts, blades got longer and thinner, primarily cutting techniques gave way to primarily thrusting techniques; the arming sword became a rapier, which later became small swords and then fencing foils, showing a clear de-evolutionary trend which led from life-and-death battles to playing tag with car antennas (yes, I'm busting on the "classical fencing foil" here - I'm allowed, I like big swords and I cannot lie - also, I'm old and I remember when car antennas were external and three feet long).

But I digress - offered here is a wonderful sidesword. Very light and fast, and a joy to wield. The sword just flows in the hand. The swept hilt guard provides protection for the hand, with a leather wrapped ricasso for fingering. (Stop thinking that way, I'm talking about grip techniques. Um ... nevermind, you know what I mean.) Sideswords were often the weapon of choice for Renaissance / Bolognese rapier and buckler / sidesword and rotella fighing. Copied from a German original.

This sidesword meets the flex-test requirements for SCA cut & thrust fencing - every one I have checked flexes somewhere between 1/2" and 7/8" of an inch when checked with a 6oz weight. The rebated edge is 2mm wide, and the tip is rolled for safety. As with every Kingston Arms weapon I've held, this is an insanely sweet sword.

length: 43"
blade: 36" including ricasso
blade: 34 1/2" to foreguard
blade width: 1" at foreguard
blade width: 1/2" at 2" from tip
rebated edge: 2mm
grip and pommel: 6"
cord wrap: 4"
guard: 8 1/2" x 5" x 3"
balance point: 2 1/2"
weight: 2 lb 12.5 oz

Price: $250


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