Postby Brian Hunt » Wed May 23, 2007 9:26 am
Hi Kevin,
I have had the opportunity to handle a few antique rapiers, and I love rapier as a weapon. One of the biggest failings I see with most rapiers on the market is the cross section and stiffness of the blade. Most are built to easily bend as if they are an extra heavy foil and therefore are nothing more than steel noodles. The other problem I see is that the distal taper is never even close to correct. Either it doesn't taper at all until the very end of the blade, or they start too thin at the ricasso and do a straight taper to the point. The antique rapiers I have seen and handled all start off pretty thick at the ricasso, sometimes almost a 1/2 inch thick though about 3/8 seems about average, and dramatically taper over about the first 2/3rds of the length of the blade then flatten out and stay at about that thickness till it gets to the tip, which actually seems to thicken a little. I am sure there are variations, but of the 10-15 I have handled, they all seem to follow along these lines.
When fencing or fighting the biggest thing I want from a rapier is that it is quick in my hand and the point easily goes where ever I want it to without having to fight the blade, but still has just enough weight to still perform a percussive cut if I need to. As JC has said to me in the past, historic rapiers easily point at their targets as if they are a laser pointer. They need to be easy to get online and have an amazing amount of control so they are easy to keep on line, even when quickly changing guards or stepping. I have yet to handle a replica or a flexi-rapier that meets what I desire in a rapier, the closest flexi-rapiers I have found to this are the ones that I have hilted myself.
They should be stiff, but tough so they don't easily break. If a rapier is too flexible at it's weak, then it is easily taken off line by your opponent puting a little pressure on your blade and causing it to bend. A good rapier should be able to handle fencing against a longsword without breaking, but should not be overly heavy (2 to 4 lbs, though I prefer mine somewhere around 2 1/2 to 3).
Some rapiers can cut, and other didn't even have much of an edge. I like ones that have enough of an edge that I can do some cutting with it, but I don't expect a rapier to do heavy damage with a cut, they are primarily designed for the foining style of fence rather than chopping. If I want to chop, I will go with a cut and thrust or a arming sword, not a rapier.
I like a long rapier, something with about a 42-44 inch blade, so that when hilted, the whole thing comes in somewhere around 48-50 inches overall. I would be very happy with something that came in aroung 52 inches, but I am rather tall. The disadvantage to a longer weapon is that once someone gets past your point, it is harder to regain your measure and get the point back on them. Some people like shorter rapiers with about a 37 inch blade, these weapons are very subjective to individual fighting styles and ideas.
Balance points are important to rapiers, on a lot of the measurements for rapiers I have seen they have an average balance point at about 23% of the way down the weapon from the pommel no matter what their length or weight. Most of the weights I have seen have them inbetween 2.5 to 3 pounds.
And of course it goes without saying that a rapier should be astetically pleasing to the eye, whether it has a cup hilt or a swept hilt, as well as pleasing to the hand.
Unfortunatly large groups like the SCA have a great deal of pull on the market so blunts are made to meet the needs of their game, and most manufacturers try to make their sharps along similar lines. I would love to have a well made sharp and an identical blunt for my own training, but have yet to find anything that truly meets my needs. So much so that I have been planning to forge my own blades as soon as I get finished making equipment to heat treat a 48 - 52 inch blade in what little spare time I can spare that isn't already used up by my spare time for other projects.
Having held a couple of your blades, a small sword and a short rapier I believe you have the ability to make a fine weapon for our needs. The small sword was beautiful and was something I could have easily used in a fight. The rapier was nice but too short for my personal wants and needs. If I can be of any help in your reseach, feel free to contact me. You should still have my email.
Glad to see an interest in rapiers.
all the best.
Brian Hunt
GFS
. It had alot more substance and heft to it than the hanwei sparring rapier out now aswell, something I liked.
