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Post by monorchism on May 30, 2024 8:23:27 GMT
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AndiTheBarvarian
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Bavarianbarbarian - Semper Semprini
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on May 30, 2024 9:13:56 GMT
Hi and welcome to the forum.
Concerning the balance I differ between blade heavy, balanced and hilt heavy.
That's the mass distribution, which depends on many things like blade type, profile and distal taper, hilt components.
A well balanced blade has more mass in the base of the blade near the hilt and the hand.
This works a bit like the mass distribution on a short dumbbell, not too much leverage.
I like this balance best.
Some swords are blade heavy, sometimes because that makes better cutters, viking swords for example.
Compared to a dumbbell it's a weight at the end of a stick.
It feels heavier than the same weight near your hand.
Some blades are hilt heavy, usually the result of counterbalancing a too heavy blade.
Complex hilt swords like rapiers have more mass in the hilt.
The overall weight is also important of course.
A single hand sword shouldn't have more than 3 lb.
I prefer 2 - 2 1/2 lb.
4 lb is only ok for big two handed swords.
Better balanced swords can have more mass without feeling heavy.
I use a kitchen scale.
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mrstabby
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Post by mrstabby on May 30, 2024 9:45:58 GMT
To measure the balance point you just put the blades flat on your finger, if the tip rises when you let go a bit (never let go fully!), you push the finger more towards the grip and vice versa. When it floats steadily on the finger, that's the balance point and you measure from the guard, where the blade begins to where your finger is. You can also use anything triangle shaped as fulcrum instead of a finger (Toblerone works well) because especially curved swords tend to tip towards the cutting edge and you don't want to balance that on a finger. If the balance is towards the grip it feels lighter than if it is more towards the tip, but it should still be somewhat far out (at least 2") for a good sword. A 880g/1,8lbs sword with a 17cm/7" PoB feels similar to a 1066g/2,4lbs sword with a 13,5cm/5,3" PoB when you move it around. There are a few very heavy swords that get away with it by having a low balance point but with extremes the sword will feel weird, like you have nothing in your hand if it's balanced far out and light or as if you are moving a dumbell with no weight in the blade for a low PoB. Kitchen scales with a 1g (not sure what that would be in imperial, sorry) resolution are well suited, but human weighing scales are too inaccurate.
EDIT: For two handed sword the balance point above the guard is pretty simila to single handed, 9-15cm/3-6", but the weight can be higher, 2kg/4,5lbs are not outside the norm for big ones. Although most are between 1,2kg/2,6lbs and 1,8kg/4lbs.
If you want to get very pedantic, it also depends where the weight is, like a sword with a heavy pommel will feel different to one with a heavy guard when weight and PoB are the same.
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Post by pellius on May 30, 2024 15:08:36 GMT
Welcome to the forum, and congrats on getting yourself a couple of swords! In my limited anecdotal experience, the most important thing to affect a sword’s handling is the blade’s distal taper. Though “distal” technically just means “distant” (from the hand), in Swordland it usually refers to blade thickness that thins toward the foible. Many poor handling swords have very little to none. While a heavy hilt can balance the blade., it will also add even more weight to the sword, making it sluggish with a difficult recovery. Better are swords with significant linear taper. Many in this class are okay in handling, but often start out too thin at the forte and remain too thick at the foible. IMHO, many 19 Century Euro military sabers really nail distal taper. They often start out in the neighborhood of 9mm at the guard, step down steeply, then gradually taper to the foible. The foible might be as thin as 2mm for most of its length. Here are some very detailed stats kindly provided by member bas: sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/62457/sword-measurementsSome semi-production makers such as Albion and Angus Trim bring brilliant overall sword balance to medieval style swords. Anyways, glad to have you aboard |
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Post by Topeka on May 30, 2024 20:02:00 GMT
The center of gravity has equal mass on each side of a fulcrum. The equal mass on a long lever balances that on a much shorter lever. The dynamic feelings of controlling a longer lever can make a sword feel heavy (for its weight) even if a ball of the same weight that feels lighter. Levers magnify force. Gravity is a force.
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