What Kind of Blade Do You Need?

Choosing the hilt style from the other web pages is only half of the process. You also have a range of blades to choose from depending on the fighting style to be used. The following blades are all fight-worthy and can be fitted onto most of the hilt styles, but different blades will affect the grip and pommel style that can be fitted onto the sword. As different blades have different characteristics, and can greatly change the performance of your actors and the tone of the scene, it is the choice of the blade that is crucial to the effectiveness of the fight. Choose the hilt based on looks, but choose the blade based on function.

"What if the swords don't have to hit each other?" We also carry a wide selection of costume blades. These are non-tempered steel blades that are not suitable for stage combat but look and feel real enough for dress and flourishing purposes at a considerable savings. Straight or curved, short or long, just ask. NOTE: We do not carry a costume equivalent of the thin dueling blades. So if you need the thin elegant look of the epee or the schlaeger, you'll have to order the sword with those more expensive blades. [Once a blade is that thin, it has to be tempered steel]

"Oh, the actors aren't really fighting; they only have to hit them once or twice". I understand what you mean, but that's like saying that you don't really need brakes on your car because there is only one stop sign on your way to work. Even if you only need to touch the brakes once all day - at that one time YOU REALLY NEED THEM. The same with swords. Even if the sword only has to touch another one time, or if it has to be dropped, it must be a fight worthy sword.

Blades break. Under the stress of performance and rehearsal, blades break. The lighter blades break with more frequency, but even a broadsword blade will snap in half and give no warning before it does. Even brand new blades fresh from the foundry have micro-fractures. When these micros turn macro, the steel shatters. For this reason we strongly advise that sword fights be choreographed by an instructor of stage combat certified by the Society of American Fight Directors, or someone of equal training. This does not include fencing instructors. The techniques of competitive fencing are dangerous to actors and their swords.

"What about plastic blades?"  We don't carry them. Plastic breaks more easily than steel, and then you have a very sharp stick with the same potential for danger as a real weapon. Steel is safer. For some tips on blade longevity see our sword safety handouts

Foil - for the sport of foil fencing, it’s fine, but it is far too "whippy" and weak to be used for stage combat.    L= 35"; 5 oz.    We do not carry this blade - it is unsafe in actors' hands.

Epee - the traditional standard for stage combat. Pronounced "eh-pay", the triangular cross section and thin groove allows for stiffness, flexibility, and quick response, but it will break if strong cutting motions or aggressive parries are used.    L= 35"; 6 oz

Demi-epee - we’ve taken the epee and reduced the size to more closely match the true smallsword blade. Excellent choice for theatres with limited space.    L= 28"; 5 oz

The last blade shown is the Double-wide Epee also called the Musketeer. WE DO NOT CARRY THIS BLADE. Many people like them because they think that they are stronger than the standard epee. Please benefit from our experience. Over the past twenty years we have purchase thousands of both kinds, and we've seen that the double-wides break more often than the standard, and are three times as costly.   L= 35"; 7 oz

Schlaeger - an excellent compromise between a light blade for point work and a heavy blade for strong cutting. The current stage combat standard.    L= 32" to 34"; 9 oz

Poniard - this light and thin blade makes a perfect match against the common epee or foil bladed rapiers found in most props cabinets.    L=  15" [some a little shorter]; W= 5/8"; 4 oz

Wide Dagger - incredibly strong steel, this blade can survive even broadsword fights. Very lovely, but might be too strong against the fencing epee blade.    L= 12"; W= 1"; 8 oz

Main Gauche - at 17", this is a lot of dagger. Main gauche is French for left hand, and the blade was used for rapier and dagger fights of the late Renaissance and Cavalier period (but then again the rapier blades back then were up to 4 feet long). Consider it also for use as a short sword.    L= 17"; W= 1 5/8"; 10 oz. Sorry, but this French blade is no longer being made - so these last ones we have are for rental orders only.

Sabre - The weight of the blade dictates the use of singe-hand broadsword fighting techniques. Very strong and powerful. Also the blade we use for our Japanese katanas.    L= 31"; W= 1 1/8"; 20 oz.

Briquet Sabre - this is actually the true naval cutlass blade, a cut-down curved blade short enough so as not to get caught in a ship’s rigging. Also keep it in mind as a fine infantry sabre for weaker hands or when fighting space is limited.    L= 22"; W= 1 1/8"; 15 oz

Pirate Cutlass - a fantasy blade that looks menacing - but is still very light and quick.    L= 18" to 22"; W= 1 ½"; 14 oz. [This is one of the few blades we build, so we will repair it if it should ever break - free of charge]

Falchion - the peasant fighting blade of the middle ages, usually on a broadsword hilt. Most foot soldiers were untrained farmers, so simple hacking weapons were the most effective swords. No finesse required, just rush in and swing. Not for knights, but actually far more common than the broadsword in medieval baffles.    L= 18" to 22"; W= 1 ½"; 14oz     [This is one of the few blades we build, so we will repair it if it should ever break - free of charge]

Scimitar - Only available for rental orders, this is a very light spring steel, but stiffer than the usual bendy blades used by martial artists.    L= 30"; W= 1 3/8" [2 5/8" at the widest point] ; 25 oz

Shortsword - Greek, Roman, and other bronze-age and iron-age cultures.    L= 18" to 22" [shown at 22"]; W= 1 ¼"; 12 oz     The former supplier of this blade is no longer in business, so we have had to purchase blades from a number of manufacturers, so blade width may vary widely on our rental stock.

Single-hand Broadsword - A longer grip can be used on some blades for a two-handed fighting style if needs be.    L= 33"; W= 1 1/8"; 20 oz

Don't forget the vorpal blade (under straight cutting blades) ... a good choice when a very light broadsword is needed.

Hand-and-a-half Broadsword - The name comes from trying to distinguish this from the larger blades, but these are plenty big enough for the big bashing battles. Fight choreographers find that this is as heavy as a sword blade should get for a safe fight.    L= 35"; W= 1 ½"; 32 oz

Two-hand Broadsword - Although true to historical blade dimensions, please refrain from having actors use this - it's hard to swing, and even harder to stop.    L= 38"; W= 2"; 56 oz

Zweihander Broadsword - The blade used by the Landesknight foot soldiers.    L= 45"; W= 1 3/4"; 48 oz