Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about
Bastard Sword
The bastard sword, also known as a hand-and-a-half sword, was primarily used with one hand but featured a longer grip that allowed the use of both hands. Neither a one-handed nor two-handed sword, the bastard sword was not a member of either family, hence its name. Often used as an alternative name for a longsword, it is a specific type of longsword used in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Let’s explore the history and unique characteristics of the bastard sword and how it compares to the longsword we know today.
Characteristics of Bastard Swords
The bastard sword is characterized by its hand-and-a-half-grip—often shaped like a bottle or appearing to have a waist—it also features a tapering, sharply pointed blade. Earlier examples had plain crossguards, but later ones featured a more complex hilt.
Here are the unique characteristics of bastard swords:
In the 16th century, several sword blades were mass-produced, though they were not always very high in carbon content. Some surviving examples of hand-and-a-half swords have blades made from a single piece of steel, hardened by quenching. However, the tempering techniques of the time were not yet completely mastered.
Modern reproductions of bastard swords widely vary in quality depending on their use. In Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA), stage combat, and historical reenactments, swords often feature high carbon steel blades with blunted edges. Decorative swords often have stainless steel blades while those used in LARP are foam swords.
A bastard sword had a straight, double-edged blade. Some were designed for more cutting, while others were better suited for thrusting. Unlike earlier longswords with wider, parallel-edged blades with rounded tips, bastard swords generally had narrower, tapered blades with acutely pointed tips.
Most bastard swords had a diamond cross-section with very narrow points for thrusting. Others had hexagonal cross-sections that cut poorly toward the tip yet excellent for cutting near the hilt. Many bastard swords also featured a ricasso, an unsharpened portion of the blade above the guard. The ricasso allowed the finger to extend around the crossguard for a better grip and greater point control.
Bastard swords vary widely in size, though some fencing masters describe them as short longswords—likely because they are typically short compared to other longswords. Many surviving examples of bastard swords have an average blade length of 35 inches (88.9 centimeters) and a grip length of about 7 inches (17.78 centimeters). Still, others may have shorter or longer blades.
While a compound hilt design might have added to a sword’s weight, medieval swords in general were well-made and agile fighting weapons. Some bastard swords weighed less than 2 pounds, though others with more complex guards may be slightly heavier, around 3 to 3 1/2 pounds (1.3 to 1.6 kg). Still, bastard swords are lightweight enough to use with one hand and move very quickly.
Bastard swords feature specially shaped grips for one or two hands. They initially had a plain crossguard but later acquired a more complex hilt.
Most recognizable for its waist and bottle shaped grip, the hand-and-a-half handle features a slightly wider middle and tapers towards the pommel to allow a secure hold and better control of the weapon. Some bastard sword grips were made of sharkskin, fitted around a wooden core.
Some bastard swords featured a compound hilt—consisting of finger-rings and side-rings. Finger rings are small loops extending toward the blade from the crossguard. These mainly protect the index finger when wrapped over the guard. Also, the side rings protect the hand and fingers when not wearing heavy gloves or gauntlets.
Medieval bastard swords often had wooden scabbards wrapped in leather. A scabbard typically had a metal chape that kept the sword’s tip from poking through. A warrior usually wore the sword at the waist, vertically hanging from a belt on the left hip.
And as always have a chilled day from the Viking
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