Looking for a rapier identical to this one.

[fernando]

I was lucky ... mine was clean as it is in the present pictures.
Aluminum foil ... i'll be damned; the same you use for wrapping sandwiches ?
How does it work ... folded in layers or making it a ball ?

[Dmitry]

First I generously oiled the sword, let it sit overnight, so the oil could penetrate, then ripped a small sheet of cooking aluminum foil, and scrubbed with it, wiping the dark sludge off, and oiling again. You can fashion it any way you want, layers, ball, glob, etc. Small pieces of foil will come off and get stuck in recesses, I just blow them off, or brush them off. When your glob starts to fall apart, toss it and rip a new one. A very inexpensive material. It stinks when you rub hard, though. Works great, as you can see, in many ways better than the bronze wool.

[fernando]

Спасибо большое

[kronckew]

question: how sharp would a rapier edge have been during their heyday? or would the be left dull, as the point was the more important?

[fernando]

Tricky question ... as the concept of rapier is a bit discussable.
... Chris Evans would better guide you into that universe .
Speaking of a "true" rapier the blade would be completely dull.
I have once seen a rapier blade, which blade was a highly tense diamond section dull "iron". I believe even their points don't have to be very sharp, due to their thrusting abilities.
Swords like the ones posted here are rapiers of second generation, to put it that way; their blades being more or less sharp like many other swords; not razor sharp ... simply sharp.
I guess this evolution was mostly based on the fact that original rapiers were destined for restricted purposes, to be used by previleged classes, either in fencing schools or, when in street fights, obliging for both opponents to be school trained.
... Whereas later ones could be effective in the hands of the common man, something more realistic as, when the moment comes, fighting is how you manage do it and not by following demanding manuals.
I hope all this makes some sense

[kronckew]

i had an ulterior motive for asking.

as this is the EU, this czech was free to immigrate to gloucestershire. she even brought her clothing. needle pointy with the schwech (foible - 1st third back from the point) mildly sharpened but won't cut paper, the rest is as sharp as a butter knife.

[fernando]

Is this original ?

[Chris Evans]

Fernando: Thanks for the cue

kronckew

Originally Posted by kronckew

question: how sharp would a rapier edge have been during their heyday? or would the be left dull, as the point was the more important?

I don't think that we can do any better than guess because if we see an unusually sharp antique rapier we would not know when it was so sharpened, and here we have to remember that even the end of the rapier era was over 300yrs ago, so a lot could have have been done to a sword in that time. And the bulk of the swords in collections are quite dull, but this may be no more than the work of the centuries

But given that rapier blades had little percussive effect, if they were expected to do any real cutting, they better be very sharp. I think that dueling sabres and schlagers offer us a decent clue because they fairly well replicate a slender bladed rapier, and these were kept extremely sharp.

Cheers
Chris
PS Nice replica rapier. How long is its blade?

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by Chris Evans

...
PS Nice replica rapier. How long is its blade?

blade is 96 cm. measured from the forwardmost guard ring. grip adds another 30 cm. from there to the end of the pommel (excluding the peening). blade is 22 mm. wide at the maker's mark. weighs 1.15 kilos.

it's just long enough so i can actually pull it from the scabbard while wearing the belt/hanger. more importantly, i can also then put it back in.

ah, well back to the same old grind (). i don't intend to cut any targets, but i would like to have it in operational condition.

[Chris Evans]

Kronckew

Originally Posted by kronckew

ah, well back to the same old grind (). i don't intend to cut any targets, but i would like to have it in operational condition.

Just looking at the photo, it appears to me that the cross sectional geometry of the blade does not lend itself to any significant cutting, because the four facets of the blade would make for rather steep bevels. In such instances, the only real effect of sharpening is to facilitate penetration and discourage the seizure of the blade with a hand by an opponent.

But there's nothing to prevent one from "thinning" out the tip area of the blade so as to be able to apply tip cuts.

Cheers
Chris