The hand and a half and two handed swords are very good in a loose melee, supported by mixed weapon type troops but are not much use in a pressing melee. They tend to get bound up easily and then are just a useless bar of steel pinned against you. This is where the shorter "single handed" sword and a free offhand comes into its own. Whilst still being adequate in a looser melee and easily capable of dispatching zombies, the shorter sword is much easier to wield in a close melee. The most useful types for the situation proposed would be like a "falchion" type blade form, which is like a sword sized Bowie knife. This sword type is first recorded in paintings depicting the 2nd Crusade and was in use through to the 16th Century. It is theorised that it was a European modification of an Eastern style sword. Sort of a cross between a straight traditional type and an early scimitar. It was even carried by some knights and is shown in paintings used on horseback and cleaving straight through an opponent knights crusader flat top helmet and half way down to the neckline! It has considerable mass in the blade which creates an incredible impact/cleaving force but is also shorter than say a Viking type sword and so the weight and balance is still good - in fact the direction of the sword movement and recovery can be altered faster due to these physical characteristics. The blade edge starts off straight like a traditional European sword and then curves upwards gently towards a clip point. This makes it cut on a curved edge and also has the clip point for considerable thrusts. The sword can be used for cut or thrust and is pretty indestructible physically. It has a hand guard that bends back to cover the fingers and is chunky enough to allow a punching blow, like a knuckle duster but with the added weight of the sword behind it. This is useful if the edge does get caught up.
Alexander the Great's infantry cleaved their way through all opponents with a blade form of similar characteristics. It was again a single handed shorter blade of maybe 24 to 26 inches in length. It had a blade shape like a sword version of a "Parang" (not one of the Bear Grylls ones that is actually a machete/cleaver). This put the blade mass more towards the front with a pronounced upwards curve and it is recorded that the blades cut through their opponents helmets and down into their shields with a heavy overhand blow.
Another classic sword that is designed for close quarter hard pressing melee is the "Cutlass". Again, single edged for strength, a curved front part to the blade and possible a concave curve back towards the hilt for a running cut - also with a clip point but less angular than a true "Bowie" type clip point. This sword excelled in close confined spaces and especially below decks and urban raids where a longer type blade would be seriously disadvantaged. The hilt also incorporated a shell type hand guard that protected the vulnerable hand & wrist which was projected outwards while using the sword. Again they usually had a heavy solid pommel cap, that had a projecting rivet head that also secured the tang. this would easily fracture skulls if used so. They often incorporated a solid curved iron bar in front of the fingers as part of the shell guard design (similar to the earlier Falchion). This doubled up as a knuckle duster.
An important aspect to use of any sword, is the ability to carry it safely & securely in all manner of situations. This is one reason why the shorter single hander is by far the most common sword type throughout history. It could be carried in a scabbard on the belt or suspended by a leather strap in many environments without being too encumbering.
A single handed sword, not overly long, has plenty enough power to perform the task in any melee, especially against essentially unarmoured Zombies and is also excellent if the melee presses in or if using indoors etc. It also is not so easily bound up in a press and can effectively still be raised for a chop or the point be thrust if room is even more restrictive. This type of weapon use leaves the offhand free to be used proactively in some other way.
Hello Highlander. the sword you have posted a pic of looks unfamiliar to me as any type of cavalry sword I am aware of from the early 19th Century. Cavalry swords were normally long single handers that in the 19thC also curved throughout their length. This was the era of Sabres. The sword you posted does however look just like the ones issued to infantry like artillery units who were not expected to commit in the front line but who may unfortunately have to perform desperate defensive actions if the enemy attempted to overrun their positions. The blades forms for this were single handed and of a shorter & heavier profile than a cavalry sword. Also they had to be tough because infantry were noted for a tendency to use their short swords for collecting firewood and other tasks, no matter how often they were instructed not to do so. The hilt is of the classic Napoleonic period which was "apeing" after the classical Greco-Roman designs of antiquity. Please really do let me know if this is definitely a cavalry sword as I am always keen to improve my knowledge on the vast subject. By the way, that sword form is excellent for the Zombie despatching role and fulfils the requirements already mentioned :-)
If any members would like to chat about any area of this subject or poll weapons or even come round and get to grips with them for real, then I would be a happy prepper. TL.
It is indeed --->
http://www.relicman.com/weapons/zArchive...32Ames.htm
Regards, TL.
And in very nice condition. A valuable relic perhaps? :-)
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Fun but interesting the ultimate zombie survival gun.
