As requested byĀ @minerva377 , and in light of a recent reblog, I will now beĀ posting an introductory lesson to SWORDS.Ā Some of you may know that I fenced for about a year and a half, and I have always had a love for swords. Unfortunately, I have not yet had the chance to use my love of swords in my writing, but I am glad to share my knowledge with you so that you may use it in your own work.
With that said, here is PartĀ One of my Swords 101 Tumblr Lecture
Note: Not all swords will have all parts.
Blade: The shape of the blade varies between types of swords and their uses. Three types of attacks can be performed with the blade: striking, cutting, and thrusting. Thrusting blades, for example the Rapier and Estoc, tend to be more long and narrow and sharp only at the point, while cutting blades, for example the Saber and Longsword, tend to be thicker and sharp down the length of the blade.
The blade can be double-edged or single-edged, the latter often having a secondary "false edge" near the tip. When handling the sword, the long or true edge is the one used for straight cuts or strikes, while the short or false edge is the one used for backhand strikes. Some hilt designs define which edge is the 'long' one, while more symmetrical designs allow the long and short edges to be inverted by turning the sword.
Fuller: The blade consists of four major parts; the Fuller, the edge, the ridge, and the point. The fuller is a groove in the center of the blade which allows the blade to be light and stiff while retaining its strength. This groove is commonly called a āblood grooveā because of the myth that it allows a wound to bleed more thereby making the sword more efficient for killing, but this is not the case.
Center of Percussion and Center of Ballance: Where the Fuller ends towards the point of the blade is called the Center of Percussion. The center of Balance is the point on the sword where you could balance it across your finger, and is usually between the cross guard and middle of the Fuller.
Forte, Middle, and Foible: The length of blade form the Crossguard to the Center of Balance is called the Forte. The forte is the strongest and usually the thickest part of the blade. The length of the blade from the Center of Percussion to the Center of Balance is called the middle, and the length from the Center of Percussion towards the point of the blade is called the Foible, and it is the weakest part of the blade.
Central Ridge: In the foible, the fuller is replaced by the central ridge, which is a thickening in the center of the blade to add to the rigidity and strength of the blade. The central ridge usually causes the blade to look diamond or hallow ground in shape when looking down the blade.
Point: The point, obviously, is the point of the blade, and is also the sharpest point of the blade, used for thrusting attacks.
Edge and Ricasso: The edge runs from the point of the sword sown one or both sides of the blade to the Ricasso, which is the part of the blade just above the guard which is not sharpened so that the blade may be grabbed so that the sword may be used more effectively. Not all swords have a ricasso, so the edge may run all the way down the blade.
Chappe: Below the Ricasso is the Chappe, which transitions the sword from the blade to the hilt and helps to hold in place the cross guard of the sword and support the transition from Tang to Blade.
Crossguard: The crossguard is a sort of shield used to prevent your opponent's sword from taking off fingers of the dominant hand during combat.
Grip: Beneath the crossguard is the grip, which is the part of the sword that is held. The length of the grip will vary with the length of the blade. Some swords are single-handed swords and will have shorter blades and grips. Other swords, like the Bastard sword, are hand-and-a-half swords. These swords will have leather grips for one hand, and a metal grip below that for a second hand should it become necessary to use two hands to wield the sword. Then there are two-handed swords, which will have leather grips for two hands.
Tang: There is a part of the blade that continues under the grip to the pummel which is called the Tang. There are three kinds of Tang; the rat-tail tang, the traditional tang, and the full tang. A rat tail tang is a thin rod welded to the bottom of the blade that forms the inside of the hilt. The rat-tail tang is used mostly for display swords and is not used in combat swords. In traditional tangs, the tang is forged as a part of the blade. Traditional tangs are usually peened over the end of the pommel or hilt furniture is welded to the tang and the pommel is screwed in place. In a full Tang the tang is about the same width as the blade and is the same shape as the grip, this is commonly used for machetes.
Pommel: The base of the sword is called the Pommel, which serves as a counterweight to the blade, bringing the Center of Balance closer to the Cross guard, making the sword easier to wield. The pommel can also be used as a blunt weapon.
https://www.swordsknivesanddaggers.com/anatomy-of-a-sword.html
