In Part One, I highlighted the things I believed were most important for writers to know. But we can talk about this subject for hours. So, this is Part Two of the discussion. This gets a little more technical, so you may want to see Part One before reading. Like I said before, I’m not a martial artist, but I’ve done a lot of research on this.
Types of Swords
Hardly a complete list, but a good start. I’ve looked up lists of swords, and they can be rather overwhelming. I will have a more comprehensive list, though, so keep on the lookout for that.
Also, these are only terms we use in our day to describe these swords. To people using them at the time, these were just swords.
Longsword: The classic two-handed, double-edge sword. Such as Anduril or Glamdring from “Lord of the Rings.” They’re meant to be used with two hands, but it’s possible to use them in one. Gandalf does this so his other hand can hold his staff.
Great Sword: This is rather similar to the longsword, but much bigger. However, the blade still maintains a slender profile. This is really a cross between a sword and polearm. It can be used as both. But its main purpose is actually crowd control. Swinging it around in circles creates a wall of steel that’s hard to get through and is very intimidating. Ideal if your character is in the unfortunate situation of facing down multiple opponents.
Arming Sword: This is similar to a longsword, but it’s a little smaller and meant to be used only in one hand so you can pair it with a shield. Like Boromir’s sword from “Lord of the Rings,” or Peter’s sword from “Chronicles of Narnia.”
Small Sword: A ceremonial weapon or sidearm for the gentry, this was meant to be easy to carry around to parties and events. Hence the name. A notable example is James Norrington’s ceremonial sword from “The Pirates of the Caribbean.”
Rapier: A single-handed sword with a slender blade. Think of Westley and Inigo’s swords in “The Princess Bride.” During their iconic duel, Inigo is using a gorgeous swept-hilt rapier, while Westley’s has a basic cross guard with rings.
Saber: Rather hard to identify with so much variation. But in general, this is a single-handed, single-edge sword that tends to have a curve in it. I can’t think of an example from a movie, but if you do, please share in the comments!
Swords as Tools
What Makes a Good Sword: Several qualities go into a good sword, but to be simple—
- The point of balance is close to the cross guard. As in, the cross guard nearly weighs as much as the blade does, making it light and easy to move at speed.
- The blade is sharp and maintains a spring. As in, you can try and bend it, but it will want to spring back to true. There are exceptions, depending on how it was heated treated. But it’s generally desirable.
Also critical to note that even in medieval times, swords generally had a good spring to them. Again, there are exceptions, but they knew their trade. - The hilt is comfortable to hold and maneuver in one’s hands. Whether single-handed or two-handed, the grip and cross guard don’t hinder the fighter in any way.
Sword Making: Let’s make this clear: the people that made swords were not local blacksmiths. They were craftsmen specialized in this trade. Swords are nothing like hinges and horseshoes. To take raw materials all the way to a finished sword is a long and careful process. From getting the metallurgy recipe right, to hammering and grinding it to desired thickness and shape, heat treating it to have a good spring, etc. Often a sword/dagger would pass through several hands before being finished. From a bladesmith specialized in making only blades, to someone crafting the hilt pieces, to someone assembling it, to even a jeweler or carver for decorating (if ordered). Simply put, it’s a separate trade, and not often a one man’s job. There is a reason why swords are usually associated with knights, nobles, and kings, rather than commoners. Not everyone could afford a sword.
Durability: Unless it’s enchanted for longevity, or lives as a wall hanger, a sword is not going to last forever. If your character is using their sword constantly (highly likely I would guess), it’s going to show. Nicks, chips, stains, dust, fraying on the grip, rust if too often wet, etc. It’s also possible to snap a sword, or even shatter it. Not with your bare hands (never do that). But if a boulder lands on it, you probably won’t be using that sword again. That’s an extreme example. In real life, if a sword lasted you a couple years with consistent use, it’s a very good sword. But at some point, it’s going to break. And the cause of a break could be many things. Strain, metal fatigue, poor maintenance, wear from many rounds of sharpening, a fault in the forging process, etc.
Maintenance: Like any tool, they must be taken care of in order to function well and last as long as they can. Cleaned, sharpened, polished (if possible), protected from rust, etc. The owner of the sword could sharpen it themselves, if had the practice and means to do so. But there were also professionals who did this for a live. Maintaining a sword was a skill, and often a rather time-consuming one. Sharpening took patience and precision to do right, and if you messed up, it could potentially ruin your sword.
So, if your character is on a quest and having to deal with regular fighting, then it would behoove them to have the tools and the know-how to maintain it. But perhaps even more practical is for them to just take it to a professional from time to time, whenever they’re in civilization. It could be another great stop to add in for news or subtle exposition, if the local pub or panicking farmer’s wife are getting too convenient.
About Sword Fighting
Targets: There are two types of targets in sword fighting: shallow targets and deep targets. Shallow targets are what’s closest to you, like the person’s hands and arms. Deep targets are the ones farthest away, like their heart and stomach. Between the two, shallow targets are actually the focus. This is because deep targets are behind the other person’s sword. Trying to blitz in immediately to take one of those will often get yourself killed in the process. It’s far less risky to pick off their hands first and debilitate them. Especially in a 1v1 duel, where your goal is most likely to survive, not to kill.
But if you want your character to immediately aim for a deep target, you can definitely do that. There are techniques for that. Just keep in mind it’s a greater risk.
Footwork: You might’ve heard that a swordsman’s skill is judged by his footwork. There’s a lot of truth in that. Good footwork allows the fighter to keep their body in a structured stance, while moving in and out quickly. Watching HEMA fencers is probably the best way to see what this actually looks like.
Thrusting, Cutting, and Slicing: These are the three main actions you can make with a sword.
A thrust—A stabbing action. The point of the sword travels in a straight line. These are fast and cause very deep wounds. But you have to make sure you’re aim is on point (couldn’t help the pun).
A cut—A sweeping action, whether up or down. These actions are what you see most in Hollywood choreography, because they’re visually captivating and easy to follow.
A slice—A pressing action. The sword is against the target as it cuts.
Edge Alignment: A sword only has one or two sides that can actually cut. It’s not an omni-directional blade. Hitting with the flat will obviously fail to make a cut. But even if it’s the sharp side, hitting at an awkward angle will not give you a clean result. If it’s sharp, it’ll still do damage. If it’s dull, though, it’ll probably cause no worse than a nasty bruise. So, if you want your character to fail killing someone, give them poor edge alignment.
Parry: This is a word used to describe any defensive move you make with a sword.
The Strong and the Weak: These are terms referring to specific parts of the blade. The strong is the upper part of the blade, towards the cross guard. This has the most mass and doesn’t flex as much, making it stronger. This part is generally used to parry. The weak is towards the tip, and is generally used to attack.
Sword Sharpness: As you can imagine, this makes a difference. Your character can be the most feared swordsman of the north, but if his sword is dull, it’s going to make his job a whole lot harder. As someone who’s tried chopping with blunt knives, I can personally attest to the fact. Cutting a tomato suddenly becomes a process, not a 20-second task. (Never use dull knifes by the way. I’ve cut myself doing that.) So, if your character is intelligent and has the means, he should be keeping his sword sharp.
Terrain: The terrain will affect your character’s sword fighting. Uneven ground, like sand or crawling shrubbery, tight spaces, slopes, sunlight, and other things like will make everything much harder for them. But these won’t stop good swordsmen, who should be able to adapt according to their environment. But that’s still extra brainpower he and his enemy are having to be using.
Training: A lot could be said for how this is done. But for you writers out there, there’s one thing you especially need to remember: no one trains with sharp swords. This seems obvious, but this has been ignored in media before. From medieval times until now, people have been teaching and practicing with safe alternatives. Even if your characters are out in the middle of nowhere, and want to practice with each other, they should choose to use anything but their swords. Not only is it dangerous to train with sharps (duh), but it could also dull their swords. Swords are tools, and aren’t meant to be babied. But if your characters are depending on them for survival, the last thing they want is to dull them any more than necessary. Have them pick up a couple sticks and practice with those instead.
Brain vs Brawn: Some think that blind rage can boost a person’s strength or overall advantage in a sword fight. That might be true (we have no way to properly test that, really), but there’s a large caveat to this, and it could cost you. Sword fighting is actually very strategic. It’s a game of chess happening at 100 mph with your life on the line. To keep a cool head is critical, so you can calculate and avoid rash actions. The character who has that will likely be the winner. Unless the guy blitzing at him doesn’t care to live. Which could very much be the case. Still, I’m willing to bet that scholar in your books could make a good sword fighter, so long as he developed his athletics a little bit. And is willing to be an idiot enough to get in sword fight in the first place.
Conclusion
There you go. A second analysis for you writers out there on the dos and don’ts of the sword, and fighting with it. If you have more to share about this, comment below!