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Old 19th October 2020, 03:16 PM   #8
shayde78
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Thanks everyone for the great feedback!
I knew I could expect the three of you to appreciate the well-worn nature of this piece. Jim frequently cautions about polishing off the history of these old warriors, and I take that to heart. I also thought of Mark since, like Vitrix,I wondered if this had been exposed to saltwater. I didn't want to prejudice the comments by suggesting this outright, but am heartened to hear others share this impression.

One thing that amazes me is how, after hundreds of years, these retain their edge. This one shows some clear nicks that look to be caused by another sharp edge. I will try to upload pictures of these details soon.

Also, I wanted to clarify - this sword DOES have the guardo polvo. YOu can make it out in the 4th picture of the original post. It is a simple diamond shape, and you can see on the exterior of the cup the large rivets holding it in place (transverse of the rivets securing the pas d-ans). Does this narrow down age attribution, or does this muddy things more?

I have a question about the flexibility of the blades on these and other side/arming swords from this time period. Unlike swords of earlier periods, those of this era were being issued to soldiers that were not part of a knightly class, and therefore (possibly) were not as proficient in their use. Was the flex tempered into these blades designed to allow them to withstand poorly executed thrusts and cuts? Or, was this a feature even well trained swordsmen would have favored. After all, if one thrust and contacted a steel breastplate, you might want a degree of flex to ensure the blade didn't fail.

Finally, for now, what would be carried in the off/left hand. This is not the most responsive weapon in terms of providing both an effective offense and defense. If indeed these were carried at sea, I could see a stout pistol serving this purpose. Or any nondescript knife. I'm asking simply to see if there was a convention, or one used whatever was at hand.

Thanks again for you insights! To be honest, I love when you give me good news, but it is always educational
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