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Half-swording is one of the most interesting (extra) techniques used by swordsmen with a longsword or bastard sword. The technique involved gripping the middle portion of the sword’s blade with one or both hands, allowing for greater control and precision. It was especially effective against heavily armored opponents where standard sword strikes were often ineffective.
Half-swording allowed fighters to:
- Deliver powerful thrusts into vulnerable areas like joints, armpits, and the neck.
- Use the sword as a lever for grappling and wrestling.
Different grips and techniques existed, allowing for various offensive and defensive maneuvers. There is also the “murder stroke” where both hands hold the blade, and the pommel or cross guard is used to deliver very powerful blunt force trauma.
How to Execute Half-Swording
To begin, start with a normal two-handed grip on your longsword. Then shift your dominant hand forward to grip the middle of the blade itself. Use a firm but not crushing grip, and keep your off-hand on the handle for leverage and control. When gripping the blade, remember to apply pressure rather than sliding motions to avoid cuts. Always use proper gloves during practice, even if the blade it’s blunt.
More In-Depth…
Historical sources indicate that half-swording technique(Halbschwert) were used during the 14th to 16th centuries. Evidence from medieval martial arts treatises, known as Fechtbücher (German for ‘combat manuals’), confirms that half-swording was a well-documented technique practiced during the medieval period. Many of these manuals, dating from these years, illustrate and describe armored combat where fighting at the half-sword was a primary element.
Several historical masters and their works are associated with this technique. Christian Henry Tobler’s analysis in Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship highlights the effectiveness of thrusts delivered using the half-sword grip in armored combat. Also the Philippo Vadi’s manual, De Arte Gladiatoria Dimicandi (1485). This suggests that swords should ideally be sharp only at the tip, a feature that would greatly benefit the half-sword technique by allowing a safer grip on the middle of the blade.
Swords intended for such use sometimes featured a “ricasso,” an unsharpened section of the blade near the hilt. It has even been suggested that some swords were intentionally left unsharpened in the middle portion of the blade, about a hand’s breadth wide, specifically to facilitate this technique.
