Sword Accessories: Parts and Components of Swords

Long ago, before the humans knew any firearms or nuclear weapons, swords were the weapons they used for fighting. If we count the oldest weapons, swords would still make into the list. These are the long bladed weapons they did not just assist in fighting, but to accomplish several other tasks, such as defense and survival. But, the main purpose of using them was to fight the enemies and tear them apart. Yes, that’s the strength they possess.

Have you ever wondered how these swords are so powerful? They have certain strong parts attached to them that serve vicious cutting. This is perhaps why there are real swords accessories used with them, such as armor and sheath to prevent injuries.

There are certain parts and components of the swords. Notwithstanding the types and the eras in which they were made, a few components always existed with this weapon. We have enlisted the most essential parts of a sword.

1- Handle

Handle is the part of the sword which is held in your hands. This is in fact the component that allows you to control the weapon. At times, it is also called grip. However, grip is often determined as wire or leather wrapping found on the handles. So, it is the component you hold in your hands while operating or using the sword.

2- Guard

Guard is a part of the sword made of metal that serves protection of the user’s hands. It prevents the sword of your opponents to slide down over the hilt and cut your hands. Also, the guard comes as a handy part that keeps your hands from sliding down to the blade. Also, in several swords the guard tended to protect the hands against the shield in close quarter combat. Many European swords also featured cross guard that served manipulation of the blade and point control.

The guards were often just the crosspiece while it also ranged to a full basket that can even enclose your full hand. Many people wrongly believe that guard is a hilt. But, it is a component between the blade and the handle.

3- Pommel

Pommel is a component found at the end of the sword. It acts as a counterweight and makes sure that the sword does not feel heavy when held in the hands. Generally, the heavier blades feature heavier pommels, while the lighter blades include lighter pommels, and sometimes even no pommels. However, this is not a rule. This is the part where hilt is on. But, pommels are often larger compared to hilts. They also make sure that the sword does not slide out of the hand. They serve safety of the hilt to the tang. In the past, pommels were forged out of the similar length of steel as the blade.

4- Hilt

A hilt is a combination of guard, handle and a pommel. This is the greater component of the sword that includes all these parts. We can say that the part of the sword that isn’t the blade is the hilt. A sword placed in a scabbard has two main parts, one is the blade and the rest is the hilt. So, we can determine two major components of the blade, hilt and sword. Everything other than a blade is the hilt. Hilt is generally made of leather, wood or wire. Hilt is fastened to the blade’s tang to offer a comfortable way of holding the sword.

5- Blade

The foremost part of the sword is a blade. Everything that a sword does, such as cutting, is due to its blade. It is the dominant part of this weapon made of steel. We know it as the part other than the hilt. There are a couple of areas of a blade. There is a steel blade that is visible and then a blade that goes into the handle and then to the pommel. This area is called the tang, and it is not visible. However, tang is usually quite narrow when compared with the visible steel blade. The tang includes a shoulder (site of abrupt narrowing) on which the hilt rests.

A blade itself is categorized into three sections, including middle, foible and forte. Middle is the middle part, forte is the area of the blade near the hilt and foible is the area of the blade near the tip. A few blades also include grooves called fullers, that are running lengthwise. A few thinner sporting blades do feature a tip blunted with a wide nailhead known as a button. This is often covered or uncovered in leather or rubber for further security.

Every blade includes a few key things. A complete blade of a sword essentially has the following parts:

• Edge
• Tip
• Flat
• Back
• Fuller
• Tang Ricasso

Hence, a sword blade has to have these essential parts in order to make a complete sword. If these parts are not there, a sword blade won’t be that effective since you want to take some powerful benefits from this, such as cutting. The terms sword and blade are often used interchangeable. There are also just the blades available in the market. So, if you want to purchase a full weapon, make sure to ask for a sword, not just the blade. So, a sword is not just a blade. All the parts of the sword mentioned above are necessary to make a sword complete.