The word "rapier" generally refers to a relatively long-bladed sword characterized by a protective hilt which is constructed to provide protection for the hand wielding the sword. Some historical rapier samples also feature a broad blade mounted on a typical rapier hilt.

As a civilian weapon of urban self-defense, a true rapier was a tip-based thrusting sword that used stabbing and piercing, not slashing and cleaving. The true rapier blade ranged from early flatter triangular blades to thicker, narrow hexagonal ones. Rapier hilts range from swept hilt styles, to later dishes and cups.

2022年4月29日 · Perhaps the most recognizable rapier style is the cup-hilted rapier. This sword was popular in the 1600s in Spain and other countries. Unlike the ornate sword hilts of Germany and other northern countries, Spanish cup-hilt rapiers were crafted for practical use above all else.

2024年9月25日 · The rapier, a thrusting sword with a long blade, was the weapon of choice for duelists throughout Europe from the 16th to the 17th century. It became a status symbol for swordsmen, signifying both their social standing and skill in swordsmanship.

In today's blog post we examine two such swords, our Town Guard Sword and our Cavalier Rapier. Both are complex-hilted swords from the early 17th century that have significantly wider and shorter blades than are commonly associated with weapons with this hilt design.

What kind of sword is a rapier? The best answer I can give is that the true rapier is a long, narrow, rigid, nearly edgeless single-hand thrusting blade with a thick, tapering cross-section and very narrow and sharp point. There is no question rapiers vary in their shape, length, and width and especially in their hilt configuration.

A rapier is a straight, two-edged sword with a narrow pointed blade, designed especially for thrusting. According to Encyclopædia Britannica , "the long rapier was beautifully balanced, excellent in attack, and superb for keeping an opponent at a distance."

2025年2月8日 · Unlike battlefield swords, the rapier was a civilian weapon, commonly worn by nobility and aristocrats as an accessory, a status symbol, a self-defense sword, and a tool for dueling. By the late 17th century, it was adopted in France and became the predecessor to the lighter small sword of the 18th century.

2024年12月15日 · The rapier emerged as a distinctive type of European sword during the late 15th and early 16th centuries, a period of profound social, cultural, and technological change. Its development was influenced by the decline of heavy plate armor, the rise of urban self-defense, and the blossoming of Renaissance ideals—particularly the emphasis on ...

2024年7月30日 · Introduction To Rapiers. Yes, rapiers are a distinct type of sword characterized by their slender, pointed blades and intricate hilts. Primarily used during the late Renaissance and the early modern period, rapiers are designed for thrusting rather than cutting.