Spada da lato question (originals)

[Carletto]

Hello, I did not have the luck to see many samples, much less handle them. I have a rough idea coming from museum visits, repros, images and reported measurements, which can be wrong.
It seems, from what I've seen, that a spada da lato grossly speaking has a one kilo by one meter (or more) ratio and is somewhat thick in the blade. Such weapon, maybe a little longer would suit my spada da lato student, because he's all for thrust and he's quite tall.
My case is all different, though, my style is all limbs cuts, even second and third intention draw and saw cuts with either edge. I don't need that long a sword, I don't need that weight and I don't need a thick blade; an almost two pounds 38" flat bladed sword would suit me better, but does such thing appear in original samples?
I've seen some nice flat bladed swords from 17th century Germany, how about earlier and how about Italy and the rest of Europe?

Thanks

Cap

[admin]

Without having hard stats to hand, I would say yes. So-called 'sideswords' come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and weights, just as rapiers, backswords, broadswords and spadroons do. Many one-handed swords are under 2lbs in weight - 1.5lbs is not that uncommon. Though for a sword to have a 38 inch blade and weigh less than 2lbs they will usually be either narrow or very thin (flexible). Also the hilt plays a large part in the total weight and a simple hilt keeps total weight down.

[Mink]

I have gathered some stats about rapiers & sideswords from The Noble Art of the Sword catalog and Ken Mondschein's Agrippa translation. The shortest ones have 90cm(35in) blades so that would fit your desired length, but they never weigh less than 1050g(2.3lb). This one is a good example, weight is 1110g.

Regards,

[Carletto]

Without having hard stats to hand, I would say yes. So-called 'sideswords' come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and weights, just as rapiers, backswords, broadswords and spadroons do. Many one-handed swords are under 2lbs in weight - 1.5lbs is not that uncommon. Though for a sword to have a 38 inch blade and weigh less than 2lbs they will usually be either narrow or very thin (flexible). Also the hilt plays a large part in the total weight and a simple hilt keeps total weight down.

I mean 38" of overall length, hilt included, so from what you say, it's realistic.
The hilt matter is an interesting one, I like a complex hilt but I can live with a very small pommel.

[Carletto]

I have gathered some stats about rapiers & sideswords from The Noble Art of the Sword catalog and Ken Mondschein's Agrippa translation. The shortest ones have 90cm(35in) blades so that would fit your desired length, but they never weigh less than 1050g(2.3lb). This one is a good example, weight is 1110g.

Regards,

That is a nice sample, although the blade alone is longer than the whole sword I would use, I would add just a couple more bars to the hilt, have a less thick blade and a pommel half the size.

[Carletto]

This is basically it


This is very good but too long and too heavy


very good, again too long and heavy, though

[Mink]

too long and too heavy

Yeah I honestly think your parameters are a bit extreme for a sidesword, especially the weight if you want a complex hilt... But I'm sure you can find some extreme examples anyway!

Regards,

[Carletto]

too long and too heavy

Yeah I honestly think your parameters are a bit extreme for a sidesword, especially the weight if you want a complex hilt... But I'm sure you can find some extreme examples anyway!

Regards,

but the one I would use is shorter than most, I mean, 96 cm is sabre lenght, would a couple of bars make a sword heavier than a sabre?

[Carletto]

I actually saw what I meant in this thread in Firenze (the excavated original exposed weights 800 grams), I was told there are several around like it.
Now, I wonder if repros are heavier because they take more abuse than original swords (which were likely not used unless needed).

[Mink]

Cool!
Where exactly have you found it? In case I happen to be there one day...

Regards,

[Carletto]

it belongs to a guy who displayed it at the event in Florence