Blocking with bladed weapons

Some period Sabre manuals pretty clearly indicate edge pary in illustrations.

As an example, look at the parry/block chart here: http://www.careyroots.com/broadsword.html

The blocks are clearly to the edge and at or near the forte. This is repeated in all the Sabre, Cutlas, and Broadsword manuals.

Though often difficult to tell, it *appears* to me to be the same for older manuscripts as well such as the Goliath manuscript (http://www.schielhau.org/goliath.html) Talhoffer (http://www.thehaca.com/talhoffer/t3.htm) or Jakob Sutor (http://www.schielhau.org/Sutor.text.p6.html). Take this opinion with however much salt is required.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk Lawson

 

Kirk

Sabre techniques of the 18th & 19th centuries do involve edge-on-edge blocks. However, these is no reasonable evidence that any of the masters of the Renaissance and Medieval periods ever taught edge-on-edge parrying with cutting (non-rapier) swords. In addition to the articles I listed earlier in this thread you might also want to read "On Damaged Edge: Historical Evidence, Practical Experience (http://www.thearma.org/essays/damagededge.htm) by ARMA Director John Clements. A respectable martial artist does not go out of his way to break his arm, his leg, or his weapon.

 

To be honest Randall, there is roughly the same amount of evidence that they did not teach edge on edge parrying either.

This is something that is just not discuss in manuals, the same way that a cut is not discussed as these treatises are written for the man that already knows the basic stuff.

And before you mention - there is no swords that show edge on edge damage, well I have seen loads, equally, I have not seen the damage that dealing with blows on the flat gives on period pieces either

At the end of the day, I really think this flat vs edge thing is of very little consequence. With the medieval sources that I have read there is little concept of a purely defensive movement, every movement that provides a defence is a cut, this is what we should be really focusing on with the earlier fighting styles.

Regards
ROb

 

Both?????

Based on 1700 broadsword play, my personal experience in bouts is to use both flat & edge....
Inside/outside and cross guards meet my opponents cut edge-on
Medium/Hanging and half circle use the flat of the blade to parry.

Louie

 

Well, I think it's nice to have discussions like this one (edge on edge vs. flat on flat, etc.) it gives people an opertunity to air their theories and encounter others. Personally I agree with you that we should focus on performing the moves shown in the manuals, and that they will tell wether you parry with edge or flat. When you make your defencive countercuts correctly (at least as described in Fiore di Liberi), you'll see that the swords will come together in a compromise-way, that is kind of either edge on edge or flat on flat!