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The typical hilt of the most commonly known spadroon, the British 1796 pattern infantry officer's sword. This is the fixed guard version. Many also had a hinged inner guard so that the sword rested flush against the uniform when worn. A spadroon [1] is a light sword with a straight-edged blade, enabling both cut and thrust attacks. This English ...
This includes the Broad Sword, Sabre, Spadroon and Hanger. It also includes a section on walking stick defence and opposing bayonets with a sword. The AOD system is a predominately linear (footwork) system that is deeply grounded in the back, broad and sheering (spadroon) sword sources of the late 17th and early 18th century.
It was similar to its predecessor in having a spadroon blade, i.e. one straight, flat backed and single edged with a single fuller on each side. The hilt was of gilt brass or gunmetal, with a knucklebow, vestigial quillon and a twin-shell guard somewhat similar in appearance to that of the smallswords which had been common civilian wear until ...
Although infantry sergeants' and cavalry troopers' swords were issued by the army, officers were expected to purchase their own equipment. In theory they were required to purchase a sword which conformed to an official pattern, however some regiments had their own peculiarities and some allowed their officers some leeway in specification, so there are variations between individual pieces.
The introduction of 'pattern' swords in the British army in 1788 led to a brief departure from the sabre in infantry use (though not for light cavalry), in favour of the lighter and straight bladed spadroon. The spadroon was universally unpopular, and many officers began to unofficially purchase and carry sabres once more.
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These swords were often of very fine construction and quality. Scottish swords continued to use the more traditional "V" cross-guards that had been on pre-Norse Gaelic swords, culminating in such pieces as the now famous "claymore" design. This was an outgrowth of numerous earlier designs, and has become a symbol of Scotland.
Bronze Age European swords. Harpe: mentioned almost exclusively in Greek mythology; Iron Age European swords. Falcata: one-handed single-edged sword – blade 48–60 cm (19–24 in) – with forward-curving blade for slashing; Falx: Dacian and Thracian one-handed or two-handed single-edged curved shortsword for slashing