When spadroons are awesome

In the past I have made my dislike for spadroons clear. However, I don't dislike all spadroons - there are some which are good. I have featured a previous sword that I thought qualified as a good spadroon (the French 1882 pattern infantry officer's sword), but which would not be widely regarded as a spadroon. Here I look at at an antique sword which would be widely regarded as a spadroon, yet I think is also a good sword.
www.fioredeiliberi.org/antique...

[@Halinspark]

"When is a spadroon good? When it's not really a spadroon!"

[@johnstuartkeller5244]

Matt likes a spadroon! The end is nigh!

[@Sammie_Sorrelly]

In all fairness, he already has one video taking about a spadroon that doesn't suck from October 2015. watch?v=w1jhBfE5QiI ...That's when things started going wrong.

[@lakewooded4929]

Run away! Run away!

[@1johnnygunn]

Lakewood Ed yes let us follow Brave sir Robin who chickened out And buggered off

[@kiltymacbagpipe]

That is the goodest spadroon you have shown us so far.

[@scholagladiatoria]

Of all of the good ones, I do think it is the most gooder.

[@climbscience4813]

*most goodest Better keep the language correctest here. ;-)

[@Aeiouuoiea777]

The Bester

[@kingmasterlord]

​@@Aeiouuoiea777that's actually a really good name for one

[@Gloin79]

Quick release Mett Euston ! oh wait I'll summon him *Spodroon, Spodroon, Spodroon!*

[@metteuston7699]

Fuk sayke, whaaaat??

[@Gloin79]

huv ye sen dat gluttery shurt?????

[@MikeKnell2884]

Quick, somebody call Mett Euston from scoalacafeteria. He needs to see this video and give his expert opinion.

[@metteuston7699]

Matt Easton is now more Mett Euston than Mett Euston... sheeeyt jus gott reel yo

[@MikeKnell2884]

I fel yor pen, m8.

[@lednybeeg3474]

biro end tin off baked beans r stil eh bettr wepon since teh british armee usis dem innit

[@WozWozEre]

Who are you and what have you done with Matt Easton?!

[@musicalaviator]

context :P

[@UnclePutte]

Truly it must be the evil twin Mett. Matt would absolutely have poked the sword through his palm without noticing 'til there was blood everywhere.

[@bmxriderforlife1234]

its been awhile since ive seen mett in the comments.

[@DoktorWeasel]

Likes a spadroon, and used bad English (gooder), I think that's a good sign that he's being taken over by Mett Euston.

[@lednybeeg3474]

dat ist actoolee mett euston eeen dis viddya not matt easton

[@xiezicong]

"Yet again"? Yataghan!

[@noone-igloo]

"I can flex it, but it's stiff." - Matt Easton, 2017

[@amirkhalid5449]

"Spadroon" sounds like the name of a cake one serves with afternoon tea.

[@GamenRyder]

I know you don't usually do cutting videos, but it would be interesting to see the cutting and thrusting power of various swords shown in example/comparison. Cheers!

[@Smackosynthesis]

Always look forward to your videos, they only get gooder and gooder.

[@Nordiclaw1]

Great channel Matt. I always enjoy watching the videos and I usually learn something.

[@Muazen]

Mett Euston! How did you get into Matt's house?!

[@TheSillyPiglet]

Where's Mett Euston? He'll love this.

[@musashi3179]

So in short, spadroons are good when they're arguably not spadroons. It's good to have CONTEXT for these titles that make me wonder if Matt's evil twin took over without us knowing.

[@Evirthewarrior]

"Why is heavier gooder?" Really? Really? I know Engsoc is trying to take over Airstrip One, but calm down with the Newspeak.

[@hjorturerlend]

Why do you adhere to language goodthink? ;)

[@scholagladiatoria]

Gooders gonna good.

[@Daswarder]

That comment is doubleplusbellyfeel :3

[@ResistanceAintFutile]

1984

[@sloppymcslops954]

Ingsoc

[@konstantin.v]

Neat pictures at the end!

[@Tumasch]

Hi Matt, could you do a video on the most common guard positions for different sword types?

[@bakters]

Matt, if you are being held hostage, say "onion" in the next video!

[@dannypops5629]

I never thought I'd see this title on your channel.

[@Bakunaga]

Great video as always, Matt! I know it's not in your usual line of swords but could you do a video on kampilans? I understand completely if this request gets ignored but I figured hey, it's worth a shot.

[@Elentirion]

Anyone else waiting for Mett Euston to have a field day?

[@thiagodeoliveira1727]

Fabulous t-shirt, Matt

[@leandroadrianpaz]

Nice video Matt, you left me wanting to hear more about this type of "smallswordish spadroon". Could it be compared to McBane's or Wylde's smallswords? I mean, with the smallswords of that time.

[@TheSoling27]

Hello Matt -- thanks for the videos as always -- As an American Revolutionary War Re-enactor in a Loyalist Unit (Officer King's Royal Regiment of New York) do you have any suggestions for what sword I should be carrying -- our Battalion was raised from the loyal farmers and tenants of Sir John Johnson - 2nd Baronet of New York and more specifically my company was made up of 50 Scottish men Loyal to John Scotus (Spanish John) McDonnell. The rolls are not overly specific.. for Provincial Battalions so any insight would be helpful. Cheers, Loyally Yours Scott

[@muskyelondragon]

I got my Matt on at 06:00, it's gonna be a good day.

[@LV_427]

"There is no fingerings....."

[@basilb4524]

"why is heavier gooder?" yes. how to engrish

[@lednybeeg3474]

vhat r u talkin aboot? dat ist pefctlee fine english m8

[@basilb4524]

stfu spdnau prfect wepan. da shurshil wourst thank een ww2

[@suikakujun]

Excuse me Mr. Easton, but, what sword is the one at your right, the first beetween the flag and the cabinet? Nice videos, I really enjoy your knowledge!

[@icfubar9150]

What an interesting channel and knowledgeable host. I went looking for a form of sword to make out of wood for my two young grandsons and ended up here. They both will receive a replica medieval arming sword (correct term?) for Christmas after viewing the two boys doing sword battle with sticks against bushes and occasionally each other.

[@jonathanpresson777]

I think you'd like the CSA model. It's more like a broadsword, but a bit lighter with a spadroon style hilt. My grandfather has one that has a blade that (if the story is true) came from a "Scottish broadsword" and was ground down to make it shorter and lighter before retempering. Stiffer and heavier than the Union models I've handled but definitely lighter than a cavalry sabre or a Highland broadsword/backsword. I have minimal fencing education, but it feels nice in the hand to me and I can move the point around quite nicely. I used to steel it and go to the barn and poke apples that I hung from the ceiling. lol

[@brandonf5876]

Hey Matt, ever had a chance to play around with an albertina? ( Sardinian officers sword from the 1830s) I've got one with a nearly identical blade to the one you're showing there, but they have a really interesting hilt.

[@ramisabreur7961]

The blade on this "spadroon" looks intimidating and more robust indeed ! Matt Could you please talk more about mounted combat ! This topic is not well covered by HEMA instructors on youtube . Thanks in advance :)

[@Bearded_Tattooed_Guy]

#notallspadroons

[@Lallander]

I would love to see the 1882 blade with a more traditional hilt. Both nice looking weapons though. Speaking of smallswords and spadroons, does anyone make good practice versions these days? Also are there any translated manuals for them? I would love to get into that sort of practice.

[@JimCullen]

Matt, I don't care what anyone else says, your editing skills are *on point*. Someone should nominate you for a BAFTA or a webby or something for best editing.

[@fukyomammason]

I've been looking at and wondering about that leaf-bladed spear (partizan?) in the background for a long time. It may not be able to carry a video on its own, but I'd be interested to learn more about it (assuming he hasn't already made a video about it).

[@normtrooper4392]

Never thought I would live to see the day.

[@MisterKisk]

This seems more like the sword which McBane and Hope called a spadroon or shearing sword, and the Germans called a Haudegen (shearing sword), which others would call a Walloon sword. The one you're holding seems to line up with what Nick from AHF says about infantry Walloon swords, in that they had solid shell guards instead of pierced, lacked the thumb-ring, and had a slightly shorter blade than other Walloon swords.

[@bijad3854]

difference in length between a smallsword and a spadroon ? or difference in general , anyone know?

[@djcorner7747]

Great video. I cannot see the blade cross section; is it triangular like a small sword? Thanks!

[@nickrubin7312]

third, yet to watch, always informative p.s. siege tactics and logn/close combat weaponry, if you have time and patience fot it, up to you really

[@flametitan100]

The Academy of Historical Fencing also made a custom 1796 pattern Spadroon trainer. They found it was a fun sword to spar with, as you didn't have to worry about the disadvantages of the actual blade.

[@buffordevans6942]

Matt what do you think of the 1905 French nco sword? looks to have a duel fuller on both sides ,perhaps a slight weaker guard ???

[@14ldolan57]

Could you talk about Pickaxes as a weapon for combat?

[@marcaononymous]

thats a cool t-shirt, Matt

[@rem700vtr]

Hi matt! Can you do a video on yataghan bayonets and their spread in the third quarter of the XIX century in europe? Why they had so much success an then they where abandoned so fast?

[@andywilson8698]

is that sword at least sharp enough to do a push / draw cut if need be . or is the edge only slightly sharpened to reduce blade profile to add in the thrust

[@angusguitarhero]

Hi Matt, I recently wondered why the halberd was such a common weapon for guards. I mean they were not fighting against people in armor so much. So I thought that a spear would probably is a better weapon in a civilian context because it's lighter and got more reach in general. So is there any practical reason for guards using halberds, or is it because it looks more dangerous or something?

[@althesmith]

I believe that in the French military, all ranks got training in fencing for sport and exercise, but also for combat. Jean-Louis Michel, a famous master, served in the ranks and in fact refused a commission. So the NCO carrying these swords would very likely be quite skilled in using them.

[@TheOnlyToblin]

I half expected you to follow up that "When spadroons are awesome" with "...never."

[@IPostSwords]

The blade of the 1871 Italian Cavalry sword is worse than the 1796. It's honestly so flexible it's insane. But the hand guard is good.

[@scholagladiatoria]

I have to say that I am rather unimpressed with most 19th century Italian swords.

[@IPostSwords]

They're pretty terrible, at least the officers ones. The ergonomics and hand protection are really really good though. It's like they took the ergonomics of a fencing epee, and forgot to give it a stiff blade.

[@scholagladiatoria]

Some people would hate me for saying this, but my impression is that they were overly concerned with salle fencing, and not having to use swords very often in combat (no colonies in Asia or suchlike) they just forgot what proper blades need to function.

[@IPostSwords]

I think you're probably right. I even did a video comparing it to a fencing smallsword I have from castille armoury, and its more flexible than a training smallsword. It's nuts. It really does look like the just had no idea how to make a functional blade

[@scholagladiatoria]

I think it says a lot that they moved to pipe-backed blades after the British Army had abandoned them as useless for warfare!

[@spamquisition4046]

This is the best meme channel on KZbin.

[@ARR0WMANC3R]

Hey Matt - I appreciate what you've tried to do with the cuts back to previous videos about spadroons, but I think the transition you've used is a bit long and clunky. A simple fade might be more effective. Also, instead of overlapping the two clips, you might want to put them side by side in order to eliminate the period in which you talk over yourself, or fade out/in the audio.

[@randcoudray138]

Edges are good for more than just cutting. Edges can be used to help block and parry blows from wooden weapons like polearms and muskets. The edge will bite into the wood aiding blocks and paries. Just a theory about why spadroons needed an edge for military use.

[@jamessullivan7692]

I like that Sword, I have no idea like you. Said why they went back to a model like the 1796. However, concerning the edge on a thruster. There is only OnePlus that I would have some sort of an edge on a thruster. And that would be to keep somebody from grabbing a whole lot of it and yanking it out of your hand because when they grab it, you would be able to pull it back out of their hand and lacerate. Then pretty severely

[@orsettomorbido]

Really nice video :D

[@flickbug8717]

So who makes a good reproduction of this 1816 pattern French NCO sword, or one with the reinforced blade for thrusting that's not a small sword?

[@SwitchFeathers]

"Gooder" - Matt Easton

[@noobgamertr3656]

Hey Matt. Here is a question. Why do some swords have slightly curved blades if slight curves doesn't add anything to the cutting ability?

[@RafaelCosta-oi3be]

I have a sword very much like this one! I bought it from an antique seller, the only difference is that the hilt is slightly tilted upwards (and a little loose) and had a grenade symbol etched on it. Some people have said it might've belonged to an artillery officer, would that make sense?

[@scholagladiatoria]

Grenadiers probably.

[@Lachrandir]

As for narrow blades that are good cutters, what about the rapier?

[@funcounting]

Can you make a good compromise at estoc width?

[@iainclark8695]

Any boffins know how deep a blade of this length and width would need to be to reach a similar weight to the lighter chopsters?

[@toolthoughts]

what do you think about the cold steel five ball spadroon?

[@reddog694uk]

Never forget that on the battlefield, a basic weapon will get you an upgrade if the skills of the individual concerned are above par !

[@albinandersson1154]

what was the typical tactics used when heavy cavalry would fight heavy cavalry? If they simply charged in and hacked att eachother they would lose the speed advantage of the horse but some famous cavalry forces like hussars and templars was famous for beating much greater mounted forces. I have been trying to find out but som far I have had no succes, please anyone help me out.

[@Lieutenant_Dude]

How would you compare something like a spadroon with a colichemarde?

[@PrimordialNightmare]

If you make a smallsword bigger, does it become a mediumsword?

[@penttikoivuniemi2146]

I had to look outside to see if the end of the world has come when I saw the name of this video.

[@klod184]

You said officers would sometimes buy their rank, that interesting, could you talk about it some more?

[@M139NG]

Hey Matt! What would you classify Arya Stark's sword "needle" as? Sry if this is one of those annoying frequently asked questions:)

[@scholagladiatoria]

A smallsword.

[@M139NG]

Thank you, good sir!

[@edi9892]

What's the narrowest blade that achieves decent cutting? Single edged is certainly at an advantage here. However, I was really surprised what the AWE-ME channel achieves with their "revolutionary sword". It looks to me like a spadroon, but I guess the blade is too thick (in tapering) and heavy.

[@kalvinchester4068]

From what I saw, the cutting falchion is very thin but also very wide in profile. To cut through thick gambeson

[@ghosturiel]

I'm curious why that sword having an edge is unique? Estocs also make me question this. I get it's meant to primarily thrust, if you can put an edge on it to give it some cutting ability, even if it's poor at cutting, doesn't the versatility make it worth doing? Assuming of course it doesn't detract from the swords primary focus of thrusting, Which i'm assuming it wouldn't, but maybe i'm wrong?

[@rshiell3]

So, couldn’t someone take a blade off of something like an LK Chen Jian, mount it on a hilt similar to the spadroon one that you’re holding, and create a sword that both cuts and thrusts excellently? Looking at the blade widths and weights, they seem very similar.

[@Jremyisawsome1111]

fun question, how would one defend themselves with a pizza cutter?

[@dylanwight5764]

It's assumed you have access to pizza if you have access to a pizza cutter. I'd suggest sharing the pizza and not being such a greedy bugger trying to keep it all for yourself. Unless of course it's anchovies, then you can have the whole damned thing, you crazy person!

[@thelonerider5644]

As a Yank, I gotta ask, are you ever gonna do any American swords (I know you did the cold steel marines but I mean "real" i.e. historical swords. Just a thought. Would be curious as I know so many of ours are as you say ripoff of the French but in your opinion do we have any original designs? Maybe the Patton "sabre"?

[@mizutoryu242]

I'm Spanish and i've got a problem naming the spadroon, we call espadín the triangular bladed smallsword, florete is a foil and the fencing sword is basically the sport item that don't cut. What I'm most inclined to call that a ropera/rapier even if it's small for rapiers and it don't have the hild of rapiers. Can I if in Spanish don't have a single word for that? Some people call florete all strongly trusting centered swords even if they have blade witch i considere it wrong.

[@elijahtalmud8281]

Man, seeing the side by side shows how much livelier you are in the more recent years.

[@Tomartyr]

Anyone else assume this was a Mett Euston video from the thumbnail?

[@carloparisi9945]

I do expect good spadroons can be found on the continent, partly because Mc Bane said we used the a lot, partly because samples I've seen have the right cross section, although I couldn't handle them to verify.

[@varframppytwobtokwanguz2286]

If you watch the first episode of The Civil War by Ken Burns, at time mark 1:06:52, you'll see two soldiers posing for a picture with swords crossed. Guy on the left has a saber, guy on the right has what looks like a spadroon. What's so interesting is how far back they hold their guard position. Maybe they're just amateurs or needed to squeeze in to make the photo work, but it's very different from the "modern" saber guards you often talk about. Much closer to your description of medieval and Renaissance guard positions. Wish I could share a screenshot in the comments here!

[@adenyang4398]

Sam Sapirstein with simple hilts such as Stirrup or Walloon hilts, it becomes a necessity to use held-back guards.

[@jpf338]

I don't get the thing about the stiffnes, doesn't the triangular section of the smallsword make it stiffer than this version?

[@scholagladiatoria]

No, because this is wider. So they are about the same stiffness. If you made a blade this wide AND triangular, yes it would be stiffer, but also heavier.

[@ProjectThunderclaw]

I did feel like I recognized that sword, but not from American history - I recognize it because it's very nearly the spitting image of the model of 1701 "drabantvärja", used by Swedish life-guard household troops who served and protected members of the aristocracy. The 1701 has a few cosmetic differences like a slightly more curved guard and a less pronounced central ridge, but is otherwise very, very similar.

[@willinnewhaven3285]

"NCOs? Soldier, NCOs aren't born. They reproduce by fission." A soldier in a book I read

[@garychurch1632]

Cutting edges on a thrusting sword will make it difficult to grab the blade and wrenching th e blade around in the wound after penetration will do more immediately lethal damage. So in my view it does not have to chop off limbs to be useful.

[@b1laxson]

Even if a thin sword can't cut well you can still use it as a iron rod to bash and bruise. As recent tests by Matt, Skallagrim and Thegn Thrand have shown thick clothing, like some military uniforms, is better at cutting defense then commonly thought (movies, CRPGs, RPGs). Adding that to what Matt says here a poor cutter Spadroon is even less effective. As Matt says might as well have gone for the thrust.

[@joshm3484]

So you prefer longer, thicker, and stiffer?

[@laughingdaffodils5450]

Thanks for the video. "If a blade is only as wide as this, you can't make it into a good cutter so why try?" I'll give you this is nearly true. You didn't give the dimensions but it looks like at the base it'll be a bit wider than the khopesh which was certainly a good cutting design (and according to Thegn Thrand a good thruster as well, though that's hard to believe.) But it's not really just the edge-to-edge narrowness but also the length and weight and the property of having a good stiff thrusting point... that thrusting blade is a robust design resulting from millennia of trial and error as well as focused analytical thought. It's very difficult to add anything without taking something else away. The one you show here, it looks like they added a little weight to the basic design which allowed them to bring functional cutting edges out, but you still don't seem to think it can cut, I assume because of balance? What do you think about the khopesh? Why did that design fall so completely out of use?

[@noahtackett6264]

Half expected you to say, "They are never good!" and have a joke ending. I personally don't like thrust-only swords. I simply prefer slashing to thrusting, but will mix it up, which is why I like a sword that has a good balance between slashing and thrusting. Then again, it is hard to find an actual HEMA club where I live without driving too far. Also, were there any left-handed officers' swords made and if so, where can I get them and how much will they cost? Wanted to know because I'm left handed with melee weapons, and shoot right handed. I'm weird, but the saber and pistol officer style(I have a pistol that this can be done with, because the 1911 can be used almost entirely one handed if need be) might work very well for me. So can I find an antique officer's saber that's left-handed or will I have to go with an ambidextrous one that doesn't protect more of the right hand than the left? Thank you for reading my ridiculously long comment, hope you have a good one!

[@septegram]

Do you think you could make a good cutting blade at that width if it were single-edged?

[@scholagladiatoria]

The 1796 spadroon is single edged and I would say no.

[@septegram]

Thanks!

[@TheArcadianKing]

What is that sword exercise shown at the end of the video?

[@scholagladiatoria]

Angelo

[@MuirThePaladin]

I need a shirt covered with Matt-isms, with hits such as "It's better to be good at something, than to be good at nothing" and obviously something about penetration. Keep doing what you do, Matt!

[@dylanwight5764]

If you said a spadroon is a "smallsword which can cut" most people would probably get the idea. Since spadroon more or less refers to a whole family of similar light infantry swords, it's an apt description. But it doesn't deal with the huge variety that would still fall under that descriptions. In my experience, the best "smallsword which can cut" would be single-edged, relatively stiff and have a somewhat broad blade. It's not an infantry sabre. It's not a smallsword. It's somewhere between the two and carries the advantages and disadvantages of both. To call it a shorter, straighter infantry saber would also get the point across. EDIT: Okay, so the French 1816 pattern is pretty much what I was describing. Huh...

[@JariB.]

Matt, with what technique does one fence with a Schiavona? Saber? (As it was mainly a cavalry sword) Rapier? (Seems unlikely... But I've once heard of such a description as a "Heavy cavalry rapier", describing the swords rhe Carolean cavalry, which appeared, to only have a slíghtly narrower blade than schiavonas. So it isn't unthinkable, I suppose?) Or broadsword? (As it is a relatively broad, double edged sword. And has a basket hilt, therefore being sóme sort of basket-hilted broadsword? No?)

[@JariB.]

If anyone else knows... Feel free to tell me of course.

[@Kaskade173]

It seems most similar to a broadsword. probably your best bet

[@TheWampam]

It is a basket-hilted broadsword, so you should use it like a basket-hilted broadsword.

[@JariB.]

Using it as a basket-hilted broadsword would make sense, yes. But at the same time, considering when and where they were mainly used (17th century Central Europe, stretching from Venice (where they próbably were msde first) all the way to the Dutch Republic,), it seems unlikely that cavalrymen would've used them like... For example a Scottish basket-hilted broadsword. (Which came into "fashion" about half a century later than when the Schiavona's first appeared.) Or am I thinking weirdly here?

[@TheWampam]

If you think it woul be to early for broadsword-techniques they could also handled them like sideswords.

[@MegaRami14]

You mentioned "Pallash " ! What is the origin of this sword ? Was it different from cavalry swords of the day ?

[@edi9892]

Philipo Vadi I dunno where it originated but Austrians used it a lot.

[@Paelolithic]

Are you wearing a glittery scholargladiatoria tshirt?

[@scholagladiatoria]

Yes.

[@andrewshute9761]

scholaglamatoria shirt

[@Murdo2112]

I think he probably filmed this quickly, before heading out to the annual Scholagladiatoria disco, down at the Blue Oyster.

[@nealsterling8151]

It's actually a nice looking design.

[@viterf9227]

Do you think zorro used a spadroon

[@FortyTwoBlades]

A sharpened edge is still of importance on thrusting swords because it assists in cutting its way into the target during penetration. A sharp-edged thrusting sword is much less likely to be stopped up by heavy fabrics, for instance, as the sharp edges progressively slice their way through the material as the wound channel is enlarged.

[@scholagladiatoria]

This is certainly true with wider blades. With a smallsword it really makes little difference, as the blade is so narrow. That's why most smallswords are triangular in cross-section and not sharp at all on the edges. In that case stiffness is far more important than an edge (a big difference against knives, which are all very stiff anyway because they are short).

[@FortyTwoBlades]

Rigidity definitely trumps sharpness, but triangular smallswords would still see their penetrating ability improved by the use of sharp edges. See hollow triangular machinist's scrapers for a good example of a sharpened triangular cross section that manages to make the total geometry of the flanges thin compared to a solid triangle.

[@abdullahsameddemir8170]

for 2-3 inches, yeah. Not really the rest. I think the main point was ability to make pull or push cuts to weak parts of the body.

[@FortyTwoBlades]

Arguably that really depends on the blade profile. If the blade is mostly parallel-sided then only the very tip would need to be sharp on account of the rest of the blade being in the umbra of that tip geometry. However, because you don't want to over-penetrate, either, it would be sensible to only have the region of the blade intended to enter the target sharpened. Only the last 8" or so would really see any benefit, but all the same when dealing with heavy fabrics that advantage can really be pretty significant. Especially given that the stopping power of a thrust is improved if the section of the wound channel is larger and withdrawing the blade will also be easier if it can "cut" its way back out .

[@abdullahsameddemir8170]

Yeah, that is very true. I had the spadroons and smallswords in mind.