Sometimes the best way to battle a blade is to destroy it.Thus, swordbreakers. Several cultures used truncheons to battle and break blades, and the Chinese Swordbreaker could be used as an iron baton. However, it and the European Swordbreaker also had piercing blades which is why I’m featuring them. I’m a fan of two for the price of one.
The European Swordbreaker, sometimes called a Parrying Dagger, was a main gauche, (left-handed) single-edged dagger used in the medieval era. It’s length was generally
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| You can’t see the knuckle guard here. It’s more visible in the video thumbnail. |
around fourteen inches. It featured a guard as well as a hoop shaped knuckle guard.The teeth on the spine were specially designed to trap a long, thin blade such as a rapier. Once trapped, the wielder could turn the dagger and bend or break an assailing blade.
The Chinese swordbreaker was a square blade of about thirty inches and weighed around three pounds. The edges of the blade were not sharpened and used only for impact. This sword would bend narrow blades, break heavier ones and absolutely wreck bones. The tip was sharpened for thrusting and would impale a body through. I love, love, love this sword.
Check them out for fight scene ideas.
So, all you sword wielding writers, you have a new playmate to bring to game. Remember, no matter how tough your protagonist has it, make it tougher. The Swordbreaker is a great way to do that.
Until the next round at FightWrite.net, get blood on your pages!
