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WABUKAN Arsenal · Swords · Europe

Rapier

A long, slender thrusting sword of the 16th and 17th centuries, the civilian sword of duels. The Spanish "destreza" studied it with geometry.

Rapier
Rapier WABUKAN illustration

Also known as

espada ropera · espada ropera; rapieira; spada da lato

Origin and history

The rapier was the civilian sword of the 16th and 17th centuries, worn with everyday dress and used in duels. Italian masters such as Capoferro (1610) and the Spanish destreza of Jerónimo Sánchez de Carranza (1582) and Luis Pacheco de Narváez treated it with geometry.

Martial arts that use it

HEMA Olympic Fencing

Construction

A long, slender, double-edged blade (often over 1 m) built mainly for the thrust, with a complex hilt of rings, bars or a cup protecting the hand. The three rapiers below, from the Cleveland Museum of Art, show the swept hilt and the later cup hilt.

Rapier
Rapier, c. 1580–1610. Photo: Cleveland Museum of Art, public domain (CC0) · Museum record
Cup-Hilted Rapier
Cup-Hilted Rapier, c.1610–30. Photo: Cleveland Museum of Art, public domain (CC0) · Museum record
Rapier
Rapier, c.1625–50. Photo: Cleveland Museum of Art, public domain (CC0) · Museum record

Basic techniques

Training

Beginners learn grip, posture and footwork first, then cutting and thrusting lines in solo forms or drills, usually with a wooden or blunt trainer. Paired drills with a partner come next, at slow speed, before any free sparring with protective gear.

Safety

Train with wooden, blunt or club-approved trainers; keep live blades for experienced practitioners under supervision. Check the blade, handle and fittings before every session, keep a clear space of at least two weapon lengths and never cut towards people.

Legality (general information)

Swords, knives and other edged weapons are regulated very differently from country to country (and sometimes from region to region): owning one at home is often allowed, while carrying it in public, buying it under a certain age or importing it may be restricted or banned. Practitioners usually transport them cased, out of reach and straight between home and dojo. This is general information, not legal advice: check the law where you live.

Did you know?

The Spanish name espada ropera means sword of the clothes: a sword worn with civilian dress, not armour.

More weapons

Smallsword Foil Épée Sabre Gladius Montante

Sources

Original WABUKAN text, written from these cross-checked sources (facts, not sentences).

  1. Wikipedia — Rapier
  2. Wikipedia — Destreza