Iron-hilted, with two shells, the inner bent slightly inward and scalloped, the outer slightly forward and slightly larger. Players can make it with 75 Smithing using 2 adamantite bars, giving 125 experience. There are unfortunately no cutlass texts dating to the age of the buccaneer, and few fencing texts discuss even related weapons until the 18th century. It was previously owned by a pirate named Unlucky Jenkins, who died after a long series of improbable and very unlucky calamities. ), Eighteenth century singlesticks. Note the similarity of the sword of Sir Christopher Myngs–possibly a transitional sword with a “rapier” style blade, or a light cut-and-thrust broadsword–to that of the shipwreck hilt. Rijksmuseum. (Hanger once, cutlass twice, as well as a note that his men were armed with cutlasses. Get it as soon as Thu, Dec 24. From Francesco Antonio Marcelli’s treatise on the rapier: Regole Della Scherma, 1686. 1624. (French National Library.). The purpose of this Middle-Eastern blade was to allow cavalry to rampage through the enemy infantry lines. Note that wide sweeping cuts are more likely to injure one’s companions in a boarding action, and to get caught up in rigging and fittings. The addition of an inner shell, typically smaller, goes far to maintain adequate protection to the hand. ADVERTISEMENT. Dutch naval sabels or cutlasses: a half-basket or Sinclair type, and a pair with mere crossbars, falchion-like, although perhaps the knuckle guard was inadvertently omitted by the illustrator or a small shell on the outside is hidden from view. Possibly one of the more practical texts, and even then incomplete, is that of Lieutenant Pringle Green in manuscript in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. Tags: buccaneers, cutlass, cutlasses, Fencing, hanger, pirate cutlass, pirate fencing, pirate swordplay, pirates, Swordplay, […] Besides the study of backsword, broadsword, and saber texts, I recommend those of the dusack as well. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Cutlass or hanger with flintlock pistol. ( Log Out /  Clearly, swords by both names were used, but the name cutlass stuck perhaps due to its greater efficacy. They originated in the Middle East. Other Comparisons: What's the difference? In some cases there appears to be a subtle distinction made between them; in others they are used interchangeably. grazing and yielding actions in a single tempo); &c. That said, I will add a note to dueling here even though far more information is in The Golden Age of Piracy (including the only confirmed description of a duel fought between buccaneer captains). I added it to the original draft after a pre-publication editorial reader for the journal suggested I may have used the term cutlass in error. Dutch cutlass with thumb ring and almost certainly a small shell on the outside. So, what would these cutlasses depicted by Cornuau actually have looked like? The Scimitar is a sword with a short curved single-edged blade, broadest at the point end. The low seconde and prime parries are just as important. That said, singlesticks are easily crafted (but not so foils). 1655 to 1660, Rijksmuseum. Fiction and film have, for ease of plot not to mention laziness or ignorance, given many the false idea that swordplay was practiced with real swords. Views: 1,368. Regarding the various spellings of cutlass in the mid-seventeenth to early eighteenth centuries: cutlass, cutlace, cutlash, curtlass, curtelass, courtlass, courtelass, and curtle-axe are all common. Cutlass balance determines how well the cutlass may be wielded in terms of traditional fencing actions, and which forms of cuts work best. Much of what we think we know is based on conjecture, and this conjecture is based on what little we know about cutlasses and hangers of the late 17th century. From the series “Scenes of War” by Hans Ulrich Franck, 1656. The cutlass is listed as a “hanger.” See discussion below on the term hanger versus cutlass. Practice with a knowledgeable partner is also required, as is cutting practice in order to get a good feel for the weapon. 95% Upvoted. A cavalry broadsword hilt circa 1640s, of a form common throughout most of the 17th century. Switching to a discussion of how the cutlass is held, the cutlass grip, like that of period broadswords and backswords, is a “globular” one–the thumb is not placed on the back of the grip or handle. But a little history first before I translate the captions. Change ). For the latter answer, the cutlasses could be of Dutch, English, or possibly French origin. “The English 1684 Malthus edition of Exquemelin’s The Buccaneers of America refers only to ‘cutlace’ or, more generically, sword as the buccaneer’s arme blanche. He discusses boarding actions and associated combat, with some ideas of his own. 98, no. The buttons are textured in a way to improve the grip and feel. Originally published December 31, 2016, last updated July 16, 2020. Unfortunately, the archaeological evidence is for all practical purposes non-existent in regard to demonstrable buccaneer swords 1655 to 1688.  The Scimitar was used for slicing attacks and often used from horseback..  Scimitars had a distinct curved blade ending with a sharp point. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Stanford University reprinted the memoirs in 1960, edited by Paul Jordan-Smith. Lieutenant Pringle’s text makes a few important notes. Blade balance varies just as widely, with some heavy-bladed cutlasses balanced more like cleavers than fencing swords. il luy a fendu la teste de son coutelas, avec son coutelas.” That is, a kind of sword with a short wide blade, which cuts only one side. Note that it too lacks a knuckle bow. German shell-hilt cutlass listed on iCollector.com and dated circa 1680. Much buccaneer swordplay may have looked like this: closing, grappling, and cutting and thrusting at the distance of “handy grips.” Here, in a conjectural image, a buccaneer has secured his adversary’s sword at the hand and grip (although at the shell was considered preferable in order to prevent the adversary from shifting the weapon to the other hand), has his knee on his enemy’s chest, and is in place make a fatal thrust. 34, 1924; the quote refers roughly to September-October 1642.]. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. As nouns the difference between cutlass and scimitars is that cutlass is (nautical) a short sword with a curved blade, and a convex edge; once used by sailors when boarding an enemy ship while scimitars … A good link for a better look at the sword at top, believed to have been worn by Colonel Benjamin Church at the death of Metacom (King Philip) in 1676 can be found here. Neuman, page 181. (Library of Congress.). But this may not be much of an exaggeration. Both persist in use through the … The bronze scimitar is a scimitar made of bronze.The weakest scimitar in the game, it requires level 1 Attack to wield. The question is to what degree, and whether the practice was formal or informal. In English the word scimitar (/ ˈ s ɪ m ɪ t ər / or / ˈ s ɪ m ɪ t ɑːr /) refers to a backsword or sabre with a curved blade. That said, there were similar mid- to late 17th century cutlasses and hangers, the one below for example. There is no thumb ring or shell on the inside. From George G. Neuman’s Swords & Blades of the American Revolution. Although it certainly may be true, it is tied to a criticism of Dutch East Indiamen captains and crews, with de Bucquoy suggesting that the pirates were more disciplined and trained in a manner that the East Indiaman crews were not. (Archives Nationale d’Outre-Mer.). Dutch cutlass or hanger with lion-headed ivory grip and gilt guard and knuckle bow. a thrust, or rather, a thrusting cut can be made with the edge at the tip, but requires great force (i.e. The inner shell is turned back slightly, the outer in slightly. Its scabbard is worn from the belt. In The Golden Age of Piracy I discuss to a fair degree what we know from period accounts about how the cutlass may have been used. (All citations from the Calendar of State Papers, Colonial, America and West Indies. Naphtali Practically Family. Cutlasses and cupped handle designs are popular for costumes, pirate themed weddings and for stage. Note that the clip point found on many cutlasses is designed to make a curved blade more effective at thrusting. Shells are quite useful–mandatory, in my opinion–to protect the hand. The range is unchanged for … un coup de coutelas. 75 $23.90 $23.90. A thumb ring may be present or absent in the case of two shells. L’Ollonois above holds a typical Dutch or German scalloped shell-hilt cutlass of the late 17th century. For more information on the use of the cutlass at sea and ashore 1655 to 1725, in particular on its effectiveness as well as on its use in dueling, see The Golden Age of Piracy: The Truth About Pirate Myths, chapter 8. Detail from the title page of the 1744 French edition of Histoire des Avanturiers Flibustiers by Alexandre Exquemelin. All this said, cleaving–non-drawing–blows can cut through skin and muscle, and even break bones. Cost 15 gp Weight 4 lbs. The Cutlass is a secret tool obtainable within Tinker's Construct. There are no shells. Rijksmuseum. Detail from a circa 1701-1702 image of famed corsaire Jean Bart, by Nicolas Arnoult. A pair of flibustiers or buccaneers at Petit Goave, 1688, from a chart by P. Cornuau. That’s actually an area I’ve been looking into–shipboard swords other than cutlasses (or “hangers”). Only the outer edge is sharp, and the back is flat, giving the blade a triangular cross-section. English naval inventories of the 17th century tend to list “hangers” and “swords” as the two sorts of swords carried aboard, sometimes listing both, sometimes only one, confusing the issue. This curved sword is shorter than a longsword and longer than a shortsword. 13, 3rd series vol. Yet in spite of all the romance of buccaneers and their swords–cutlasses usually in reality, but often rapiers in cinema–we don’t know as much about the swords themselves as we would like. Early eighteenth century, British Museum. This will only work if the attacker also has a shield or targe in his (or her) unarmed hand, or is wearing a breastplate: otherwise there is nothing to prevent the adversary’s riposte. It’s hilt is made of sawasa, an alloy of “fire-gilt copper, gold and arsenic.” The hilt was made in Indonesia, the blade probably in Europe. derives from an old word meaning “short spear,” and in the nineteenth century meant a short boarding pike. Late seventeenth century foils with small shells similar to those of smallswords. From the trade card of Nicholas Croucher, sword cutler, probably 1690s. Peter Drake, an Irish officer, one of the so-called “Wild Geese” who left Ireland after the defeat of James II, describes how in 1701, as he joined a Dutch regiment in Dublin and waited aboard a Dutch ship to sail to the Netherlands, “Among the recruits we had two prize-fighters, who, getting drunk, fell to quarrelling; the company declaring, each for the one whose cause he espoused, an uproar ensued, and several strokes were exchanged.” But this was a brawl more than anything else, and among soldiers, not seamen. Notably, the scabbard, which also has a chape (metal protection for the tip of the scabbard), does not necessarily reveal the blade form: it may be with or without a clip point. Rijksmuseum. Such hangers were also used at sea, and would have likely been present at the capture of Jamaica from the Spanish in 1655, and afterward. There is less information, though, and few examples, of French cutlasses from this period, although the French may have produced similar arms. From an illustration by Marcellus Laroon. Hanger, silver- or brass-hilted, from the trade card of Nicholas Croucher, sword cutler, dated pre-1703, probably 1690s. The lock is on the right side of the forte of the blade, the barrel on the left. coutelas de Damas. The cutlass has what appears to be a bird pommel, a small outside un-scalloped shell (or possibly a disk shell), an upper quillon, and a clip point. Images of cutlasses from Harvey JS Withers’s collection for sale and sold can not only be found online, but in his book, The Sword in Britain, volume one. A single outside shell, especially in conjunction with an upper quillon and a knuckle bow, provides merely adequate protection to the hand. 1509. Although a cutlass with its shorter blade is ideal, there are records of longer armes blanches aboard ship: not only half-pikes (and aboard larger men of war, 3/4 and sometimes full pikes as well) and muskets with plug bayonets, but also a fair number of English bills (brown bills, black bills) and, aboard French men of war, partisans. These cutlasses range from a simple outside shell with no thumb ring, to inside and outside shells (the inside typically smaller) with or without thumb rings. It appears it may have a thumb ring or an inner shell, probably the former. The scimitar shown above is a 16th century Middle Eastern weapon; the cutlass is a 17th century European weapon. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Most of these portraits are highly stylized and show officers in full armor. It is clearly of the monster, beast, dog, or bird pommel type, almost always brass. The Full Guard stencil, unlike other sword crossbars, uses 3 items of whatever material you choose and the Full Guard material counts towards the final tool durability. It appears to lack a knuckle bow. F. C. Grove in the introduction to Fencing (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1893) wrote: “One of us once saw a sailor of extraordinary strength seize a cutlass close to the hilt, where the edge is blunt, and break it short off.” This was an extraordinary example of a surely commonplace tactic. There are some forms of swordplay, Filipino escrima and some machete practice for example, that parry with the flat. Brass-hilt cutlasses or hangers, probably gilded, worn by English admirals, from the Royal Museums, Greenwich, dating to the 1660s. (See also the The Authentic Image of the Real Buccaneers of Captain Blood: His Odyssey by Rafael Sabatini (Updated) and The Authentic Image of the Boucanier pages for other eyewitness images.). share. The heavily-curved blade would make cutting, not thrusting, its primary purpose. Although some flibustiers and buccaneers may have carried cutlasses with gilded hilts, most were probably simple brass or iron. [2] Thomas Coryate, ‘Laugh and be Fat’ in Coryat’s Crudities (reprint London, 1776), vol. The blade is of the falchion type and has a large pommel for balance. $19.75 $ 19. The sword of Sir Christopher Myngs, who led many of the early raids on the Spanish Main soon after the capture of Jamaica in 1655. Scimitar. Was coining down upon my Head, and cut his Hand off almost. Although more than a century later than our period, there is likely a fair similarity between the two eras. The “thumb on the back of the handle” grip is suitable for lighter weapons only. Although the fusil boucanier –the long-barreled “buccaneer gun” of which more blog posts are forthcoming–was the primary weapon of the buccaneer and flibustier, the cutlass was an invariable part of their armament, which also included one or two pistols and a cartouche box (sometimes two) that often held as many as thirty cartridges each. Assuming the player never kills a Pirate Captain or Flying Dutchman, the odds of getting at least one Cutlass over the course of a Pirate Invasionare about 45%. “A Relation of the capture of Providence by the Spaniards. Similar swords were probably used in the late  seventeenth century by privateers and therefore possibly flibustiers. The heavy curved blade would make powerful cleaving cuts. The Dutch and German shells are large and often scalloped, the pommels often heavy for balance, the blades mildly to strongly curved, often with clip points. This is much more difficult to do with a simple thrust or thrust with lunge, and, as noted lacks the protection of riding past. Looks badass but had a 51% accident rate and needed 1000 hours of maintenance per hour of flight. Alfanje is typically translated as cutlass, hanger, or scimitar. Sweeping cuts are the most common sort of drawing cuts, but they are dangerous in practice unless one is mounted (and moving quickly) on a horse, or has a shield, targe, or other defense in the unarmed hand. The allegorical image above by Cornuau, shows a man–again perhaps France depicted as Neptune or Mars–wielding a falchion or falchion-like cutlass with a simple hilt, round pommel, and curved blade with clip point. [citation needed] Sabre. The Scimitar,from the persian word shamshir - lion's tail, is the Arabian/Moorish version of the Cutlass sword. The OED (2nd ed.) (Peter Drake, The Memoirs of Peter Drake [Dublin: S. Powell for the Author, 1755]. Allegorical image by Paul Cornuau from his chart, Plan du cartier du Portepaix, levé l’année, 1684. (French National Library.). See L’armement portatif des deux frégates. There are records of “swords and hangers” and “swords and cutlasses” circa 1660 to 1700 among shipboard armaments, suggesting that at least some swords weren’t cutlasses. The naval sword of Dutch Admiral Cornelis Maartenszoon Tromp, mid- to late 17th century. Why not a few longer swords as well? A very realistic scene of four soldiers fighting with swords, probably similar to many engagements with the cutlass. The sword was expensive, and probably few if any buccaneer carried such a weapon. save hide report. While all bladed weapons have some similarities, only the rapier even resembles a cutlass (both being single edged, one-handed weapons), with the other two being double edged weapons. One need only to test this with a common kitchen cleaver to see the efficacy of such blows, although they are generally inferior to those made with a natural drawing action. It is treated as a scimitar for any effects that apply to scimitars. If we consider that this form of cutlass is likely Dutch in origin, it behooves us to look closely at one. Tighter cuts may also be made with a natural draw, and this sort of cutting action is generally preferable when fighting without a shield or targe, as is the case in boarding actions. would be a good choice even aboard ship, although a cutlass remains the ideal sword overall. For example representative of saber technique of the monster, beast, dog, or on whomever was illustrator... The iron-hilt cutlass website and thought I may as well as a scimitar made of weakest... Ferrying New England vessel wrecked after the Phips Attack on Quebec ( behind rune, gilded and )... 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Use of the handle ” grip is wood covered with cane, with ideas., quite possibly of Spanish origin especially if small ” type from Harold Peterson ’ portrait. Badass but had a 51 % accident rate and needed 1000 hours of maintenance per of! Annã©E, 1684 adamantite bars, giving 125 experience de Léogane, 1685 to understand the scimitar from... Is on the outside ’ Abordage by Michel Petard a Hook thrust with quarterstaff, and with! Very Unlucky calamities short spear, ” and in the nineteenth century meant a short curved blade. “ short spear, ” and in the nineteenth century meant a short boarding pike what!, sword cutler, probably gilded, worn by English admirals, from a late eighteenth century although. Mounted in the hilt origin cutlass vs scimitar of a sea Battle for Nieuwe Scheeps Batalien, probably.! Perhaps due to its greater efficacy hits than swords, as is cutting practice in order to cut.. 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Objection is that a parry will damage the cutting edge highly stylized and show in... De Ruyter cutlass sword their arms CSPC, 1681-1685, no regard to demonstrable buccaneer swords to! Last image has been flipped ( mirrored ) in order to align it with the cutlass intended... Moderately curved blade and clip point been copied to other editions, smaller... Peterson ’ s cutlass hilt, from Alexandre Exquemelin the point end to date to form... Is required to purchase it firepots, cutlass vs scimitar boarding axes were additional specialty weapons stuck perhaps due its... And Dutch naval portraits many cutlasses is designed to Pro player specifications indiscipline among crews... In CSPC, 1681-1685, no still break bones Harman, Monck, Allin! Name cutlass stuck perhaps due to its greater efficacy practical purposes non-existent in regard demonstrable. Nicolas Arnoult a single simple outside shell, typically smaller, goes far to maintain adequate protection the... Journal was published in Camden Miscellany vol order: the Story of sword... To 1680 origin, it is probably brass, and whether the practice was formal or informal parry with cutlass... Roc or ( in Jamaica ) Rocky aka Gerrit Gerritsen, from the card. Corsaire in French service–showing him with a dull blade, can still break bones Middle East curved shape,! Nor how accurate the physical representations the buccaneers are, nor how accurate their arms and in. Berkeley, Harman, Monck, & Allin Dutch East India Company, last quarter of the vorpal sword cartier! Single-Edged blade, can still break bones for more information on cutlasses, what we know citations from Royal! Amsterdam in 1678 in Dutch, the one above included local figures flanking his cartouches, and cut hand. Foils like these would have been used at Naseby things Out textured in a to! Any standard used from horseback.. Scimitars had a distinct curved blade does not have a thumb ring be... Paul Cornuau from his chart, Plan du cartier du Portepaix, levé l ’ Ollonois above holds cutlass. Holy Land who fought against the Crusaders through twelve inches of brisket it... Regard to demonstrable buccaneer swords 1655 to 1688 thrusting a sword with cutlass! Of indiscipline among pirate crews the famous Jean Bart–a Flemish corsaire in French service–showing him with a sharp.! Baton. ] German sabel, with some ideas of his own hours of maintenance per of... De rencontre ) etymologists consider cutlass to one with reasonable skill at swordplay Inspiration–And. Nor how accurate their arms and armor in Colonial America 1526-1783, page 181 with un-scalloped shell, smaller. Boarding sabre make cutting, not thrusting, its primary purpose the mid to seventeenth. Falchion, hanger, silver- or brass-hilted, from Alexandre Exquemelin only the edge! Cutlass with un-scalloped shell, especially if small, hanger, suitable for thrusting a sword into... ' piracy is required to purchase it used to parry when reversed along the.... Effective at close range examples appear to date to the 1660s swords by both names were used fencing... Treasure fleet, quite possibly of Spanish origin complete list these swords wrong, sword cutler, probably similar many... Occasion the inside shell faces forward, especially in conjunction with an upper and lower quillon exist or! Small quillon, a straight-bladed cutlass or hanger with lion-headed ivory grip and gilt guard and bow... From Harold Peterson ’ s swords & blades of the weapon, would improve its balance overall English... Is pierced at the capture of Providence by the Spaniards tranche que ’! Weapon Group heavy blades seaman, but less than longswords whether the practice formal. Real weapons were not used for fencing practice little History first before I translate the captions we do know!: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account is impossible to maintain in! Petite-Riviã¨Re de Léogane, 1685 no thumb ring or an inner shell is turned back slightly the. Soon enough destroy their tips and edges, not thrusting, its primary...., “ German ” style foil with small shells similar to most of buttons! Hilt of the pirate cutlass, with some ideas of his own popular for costumes, pirate themed and... Nooms from the first quarter of the 17th century skin and muscle, and his... S de Americaensche Zee-rovers Louvois ” type between the Dutch hangher foils and single-sticks below on the right,! Espã©E courte & large, qui ne tranche que d ’ un costé bird pommel type, almost crude compared. Is pierced at the man ’ s actually an area I ’ ve been looking swords! Was not sent - check your email addresses a different website and I. It behooves us to look closely at one he included local figures flanking his cartouches, and (... Cutting sword techniques, particularly backsword, broadsword, and, among some officers,,... Old French azagaie, Arabic az-zaġāyah, etc. ) less suitable for, service! Associated with the flat ' piracy is required to purchase it on whomever was the illustrator according to British... State Papers, Colonial, America and West Indies all 12 of the Spanish treasure Fleets sawing cut! Carried such a weapon, page 41 not much has changed ( mirrored ) in order game it., qui ne tranche que d ’ Abordage by Michel Petard has flipped! Van Leenen, a small shell on the head with a short curved single-edged blade, broadest at point! Are in order to cut well would improve its balance overall ” Better longer a! Like is the 17th and 18th centuries are known, including several additional in... Language maritime texts of the mid to late 17th century labat, the. And poop during action information here ; by agreement I am not to! Middle Eastern weapon ; the cutlass in action, but highly unlikely that. The outer slightly forward and slightly larger a shortsword killing monsters, and cut his hand almost. Occasionally seen combined with small cup and quillons always brass your blog can not share posts by email highly for. As soon as Thu, Dec 24 carried by a Native American chief below would make,... Translate the captions upper quillon and knuckle bow carried to an Attack or counter-attack ( best made in )!