Hey Everyone,
I would like to inform everyone on this forum that there will be a English Backsword workshop on November 12-13 2005 in Moses Lake, Wa. Registration is ony $55. You can register online at http://www.silver.arador.com and the instructor will be Eric Slyter. You can email Eric Slyter knights@arador.com or call 509-855-1500.

Can we get a review?

what exactly is Backsword? how would you describe the weapon and the technique?

The dictionary definition of backsword (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=backsword) seems to be a single-edged sword. Another meaning is a stick used for fencing.

See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backsword
http://members.aol.com/dargolyt/TheForge/backswrd.htm

hmmmm, doesn't really describe the shape or weight...

Its a pretty general term, a backsword could be fixed up on any number of different hilt patterns.

For some good sword porn see www.myarmoury.com (http://www.myarmoury.com)

some backsword reviews and stats

http://www.myarmoury.com/swor_pmc_sinc.html

http://www.myarmoury.com/review_ve_diamond.html

http://www.myarmoury.com/swor_pmc_schi.html

There are some pictures of 17th century examples here, before it settles on discussing the broadsword:
http://www.thearma.org/essays/broadsword.htm

See also:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=832
http://home.arachsys.com/~substrata/English%20backsword%20mid%2017th%20century/

Its a pretty general term, a backsword could be fixed up on any number of different hilt patterns.

For some good sword porn see www.myarmoury.com (http://www.myarmoury.com)

some backsword reviews and stats

http://www.myarmoury.com/swor_pmc_sinc.html

http://www.myarmoury.com/review_ve_diamond.html

http://www.myarmoury.com/swor_pmc_schi.html

Thank you, this was helpful. So as a general definition, a backsword is essentially a single-edged blade with a basket hilt of some type, dating from about the 1500s to the 1700s.

There are some pictures of 17th century examples here, before it settles on discussing the broadsword:
http://www.thearma.org/essays/broadsword.htm

See also:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=832
http://home.arachsys.com/~substrata/English%20backsword%20mid%2017th%20century/

Geeze, more info. Very interesting, but makes it clear that perhaps there is no solid definition. Seems to describe various types of swords at various times. The info in these links is focused on the Broadsword, but it did make some backsword references. hmmm...

Yes, I gather it's a pretty general term. But the English ones appear to be mostly straight (not curved), with a basket hilt and often a false edge...maybe that narrows it down somewhat?

Yes, I gather it's a pretty general term. But the English ones appear to be mostly straight (not curved), with a basket hilt and often a false edge...maybe that narrows it down somewhat?

yeah, it looked like the Broadswords, while they often had the basket hilt, they were mostly still double-edged, like the Scottish Claymore broadswords (as opposed to the Scottish Claymore two-handed gigantic swords, more confusing terminology here, and "gigantic" is my own term, not to be confused for an official term).

Or as opposed to the American Claymore mines...

It looks like the single-edged nature of the backsword is the big difference from a broadsword in the English case, but other backswords at the Wikipedia site were curved, like sabers.

I find that wikipedia entry to be overly broad, I don't like over-arching blade classifications that include multiple unrelated cultures.

In addition there is an innacuracy regarding the use of scimitar by Islamic forces during the Crusades, the swords used by most of the Islamic forces of this period were straight.

Lamont

Edit it and correct it! You don't even need to register to do so.

I agree that the term backsword as used there seems to be too broad to be useful.