ANTIQUES SPOTLIGHT | 16th C. Dussack

[@apprenticealex]

This was a blast to be a part of!

[@forteswordplay]

Always a pleasure to have you participate @apprenticealex!

[@bakters]

The "appleseed" convex grind is what you naturally get when you sharpen by hand. Even if they started with a triangular bevel, the maintenance itself would likely changed the profile. Just to clarify, by "sharpen by hand" I do not have in mind a pro Japanese sharpener, with huge perfect stones and years of experience. I think of a servant with a small sharpener who was tasked with the job. While it might be a difficult profile to replicate or perfect, it's what you get with a "good enough" approach. Regarding the main edge bevel, it does seem like someone needed the sword sharpened, someone else with decent skill and tools put this grind on the long edge, the sword was used once then left alone until today.

[@richardriley5074]

That a classic pirate saber

[@raphlvlogs271]

how similar is this to a 19 century cavalry sabre since they are both curved and have asymmetrical hilts offering a lot of hand protection to the right hand

[@forteswordplay]

It's difficult to answer that without losing a ton of nuance, but generally I'd say the dussack feels more robust and less agile than the few sabers of a later era I've had the opportunity to handle. (You can for instance compare it to the Dutch klewang I briefly had in the video at 5:27, which is much lighter and more agile in the hand.) To be clear, that's NOT to say it's less useful as a weapon -- in a battlefield, as I mentioned on the video durability and heft can be important factors, and this weapon has both, while still allowing you to do good technical fencing.

[@KnightlyNerd]

How does the thumb ring effect the handling?

[@forteswordplay]

I forgot to highlight it, great question! It's not essential, but it helps. Both to help keep the blade angle stable and avoid any unwanted torquing during a cut (or thrust, or point control in general)... or *assist* when you also might *want* help with rapid pronation, e.g. to get quickly into a hanging guard.