There is a lot of mythology in the historic community about why messers are called messers. Messer simply means knife in German. A messer sword is clearly a sword. I personally believe they were called messers because they were made in the syle of knives, ie: they have a broad tang with panels riveted on to the sides like a knife, instead of a narrow tang with a grip and cross guard fitted on from the bottom and secured by a pommel, as was the style with most swords.
Tom, never change! Pronouncing Schiavona in the past, now Landsknecht... 😅 I do want to let others know that, if you don't have a pommel, a longer grip is usually needed to have a good balance. This is common for swords in Asian cultures. And historical European fencing manuscripts tell us that longer grips on (langes)messer were also supposed to be used in hooking actions (i.e. hook the hand/arm). So these (28 inch blades and less) are designed for close combat, sometimes almost wrestling with blades, as opposed to longer swords (34 inch blades and more) that are made to focus on the wider fencing actions. Just saying, the grip size is not (just) to have room for the hand.
There is a lot of mythology in the historic community about why messers are called messers. Messer simply means knife in German. A messer sword is clearly a sword. I personally believe they were called messers because they were made in the syle of knives, ie: they have a broad tang with panels riveted on to the sides like a knife, instead of a narrow tang with a grip and cross guard fitted on from the bottom and secured by a pommel, as was the style with most swords.
Sounds like a very plausible theory! Thank you for sharing
NICE.
Tom, never change! Pronouncing Schiavona in the past, now Landsknecht... 😅
I do want to let others know that, if you don't have a pommel, a longer grip is usually needed to have a good balance. This is common for swords in Asian cultures. And historical European fencing manuscripts tell us that longer grips on (langes)messer were also supposed to be used in hooking actions (i.e. hook the hand/arm). So these (28 inch blades and less) are designed for close combat, sometimes almost wrestling with blades, as opposed to longer swords (34 inch blades and more) that are made to focus on the wider fencing actions. Just saying, the grip size is not (just) to have room for the hand.
🔥🌲
Sweet!
Now for the others...
That's more of a Chopper than thruster
Not quite accurate as to why they were considered knives and not swords...
the Messer was also worn edge upwards as well