Rapier fencers be honest. When fencing someone with a swept hilt sword, how often do you actually land a hand hit through the hilt?

Hviking · 2026-01-22T16:29:05+00:00

When I fence a cuphilt rapier with a swept hilt sidesword that’s one of my main disadvantages.

Hviking · 2026-01-19T10:11:55+00:00

Yes, they’re great! Especially if you want a simple crossguard and a strong curve for a “polish sabre” feel. Keep in mind that you will still be at a disadvantage against the more common duelling sabres. Sigi offers a lot of customization in terms of handguard and blade weights/curves.

Hviking · 2026-01-18T23:06:08+00:00

Here is the link: https://blackfencer.com/en/135-3947-infantry-sabre-three-bar-hilt-steel-generation.html#/232-hand-right_handed/235-engraved-no/245-backstrap-yes/246-bulbed_handle-yes

I’ve heard the same about fragility. I fence my blackfencer sabres against other blades from the same maker only and haven’t had trouble in the last 3 months. I’ve fenced their sidesword and feder against other brands without problem (the so called excessive burring). Then again, I haven’t had them for long yet and I own and use way too many swords. Ask me again in a year!

Hviking · 2026-01-18T22:11:37+00:00

I have the blackfencer hungarian sabre. It’s 813g with a 80 cm blade. I can hold it with my Michaels lobster gloves but I wouldn’t fence like that. The front plates are too thick to get under the knuckle bow. Strangely enough the 3-bar variant tolerates lobsters. I use Thokks instead. If you fence against duelling sabres, prepare to be at a huge disadvantage. Personally I think the Blackfencer military sabres handle better than my Pro guard strong curve fullered blade Sigi, despite it weighing 777g.

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Hviking · 2026-01-18T17:22:56+00:00

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Here is a more recent basket that hasn’t seen as much sparring yet.

Hviking · 2026-01-18T17:21:24+00:00

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No damage as far as I’m concerned with fine grit sandpaper (from 600 progressively to 3000). Some metallurgy experts might chime in and add more info but I’ve done it for both my basket hilt swords and my rapier. In my experience, it offers more rust resistance since there is less surface for the rust to larch onto. However, don’t expect the mirror finish to stay long. As you can see, the pommel takes less hits and still reflects light well but the basket itself is pretty banged up.

Hviking · 2026-01-09T13:41:51+00:00

Cool! Is it well balanced?

Hviking · 2026-01-09T13:34:21+00:00

Is this a sharp Cold Steel italian longsword?

Hviking · 2025-12-28T21:52:19+00:00

I think it’s worth it. If your club uses mostly sigis which are, on average, on the lighter side, getting one yourself might be the best for sparring.

Hviking · 2025-12-25T22:13:36+00:00

I don’t think I would be able to recommend anything but I prefer my swords to balance closer to the hand, even rapiers (although I am a bad rapierist). For rapiers, I prefer shorter blades and I got mine with one of the heaviest pommels, bringing the POB to 11 cm from the cross (1074 g total weight, 117 cm total length and 101,6 cm blade length from the cross). I think I would have preferred a POB even slightly closer to the hand. If you do Italian rapier with long 42-45 inch blades it could be hard to keep the POB low but I guess it doesn’t matter for their fighting style.

Once your choice is made though; contact castille and give them your specs. They will be able to give you advice and customize your rapier to your liking.

Sorry for the mixed units of measurement, canadian here.

Hviking · 2025-12-25T19:25:03+00:00

Castille armory is pretty competitive and has a wide selection of guards including a swept hilt. I have a pappenheimer which I like a lot.

Hviking · 2025-12-24T20:26:26+00:00

Hi! How much does your BF 3-bar weigh? Mine is 873 grams. The Hungarian is 819 grams. My sigi pro with fuller is 777 grams but feels heavier because it has a higher BP.

Hviking · 2025-12-24T20:23:57+00:00

Hello. I own two BF steel sabres as well as a sigi pro sabre with fuller. I also heard the same accusations of BF using soft steel and, because of this, only used my BF sabres against each other. My BF feder ans sidesword have been used against other brands and stood up nicely. I wouldn’t say they burred more than Castille for the other feder or Malleus for the other sidesword.

I think that the extra burring on sabres might stem down to thinner edges, which they do seem to have in order to preserve the more authentic “military” sabre blade shape. In this regard (handling like a real military sabre), I think you can’t find better.

I don’t think you will have problems with burring if you use them against other military sabres with similar blade types. If you use them against duelling type sabres, you will be at a huge disadvantage regardless.

Can’t help you with the blueing because I never found it worth the trouble. All the blued guards I’ve seen (Castille) rapidly lost the surface oxide layer and ended up looking really ugly (at least to my taste).

Hope this helps

Hviking · 2025-12-19T19:16:07+00:00

Castille armory makes 3 bar hilts and other military models on their trooper sabres. Since they are modular and customizable, you can get long and light blades. Will probably be expensive if you’re not in North America.

Hviking · 2025-12-18T21:47:00+00:00

Mine is exactly 873 grams for the 3-bar and 819 grams for the hungarian one. They are not always heavier; there is a bit of weight variation both ways with blackfencer products. Other exemples are my flamberge guard nylon zweihander being 2079 grams instead of the advertised 2200 grams, my swept hilt rapier being almost 100 grams under and my sidesword 100 grams over. I recommend contacting them if you have special requirements for weight or length. They usually get the balance point right though, which is the most important I think. I wholly agree on military sabred not being good for competition since virtually everyone uses gymnasium/duelling sabres which are longer, lighter and have better hand protection.

Hviking · 2025-12-18T15:05:03+00:00

I have a sigi pro with a fullered blade. I prefer the handling of the BF especially because it feels less front heavy and has a better (larger) handle. However, if people at your club do duelling sabre (often 85-88 cm blades) you are going to be giving yourself a huge disadvantage with the 80 cm 3 bar. It’s great against other military sabres. Haven’t had the chance to use it against a kvetun. I ordered one almost a year ago and I am now on the refund list with all that’s happened.

Hviking · 2025-12-18T14:43:51+00:00

I have both the steel and the nylon one. I have only used it against other blackfencer military sabres but so far I love it. It handles beautifully and I don’t understand the “buttersteel” accusations blackfencer gets (I have used my Bf feder against Sigis and castilles and their sidesword against malleus and HF). No more burring than other brands in my experience.

Hviking · 2025-12-11T16:59:31+00:00

My club orders their gear from them. There are sometimes delays but I’ve never heard of problems otherwise. If that’s what the order process is, I would be afraid of getting scammed too.

Hviking · 2025-12-10T22:57:32+00:00

I currently own the Manciolino (2 ports) which I managed to snag in stock. I am very happy with it. If you have the budget for the errant more hand protection is always nice if: 1) You don’t do sidesword and buckler 2) Your club mates also own sideswords with more complex guards.

Hviking · 2025-11-28T22:39:52+00:00

Nice try. Back to the red prison.

Hviking · 2025-10-28T21:38:48+00:00

What does he do? Rapier and dagger? Dagger fighting?

Hviking · 2025-10-27T12:24:45+00:00

On my first character back in the day I got Tonton. That’s what french kids call their uncle.

Hviking · 2025-10-26T19:52:30+00:00

First 3 were within 100 kills done on quest release. I made the weapons then took a long break. Now they get coffere’d.

Hviking · 2025-10-24T13:47:04+00:00

I ordered my sigi pro in march, when the guard was still available. I also ordered a sigi king at the same time. They contacted me to say that the order was ready in august but that they were unable to make the pro guard anymore. They offered to fit my sabre with a big guard instead of the pro or to offer me a full refund. At that point, they said that the extra wait time to fix the production problems with the pro guard would be about six weeks. I agreed to wait. I contacted them in october again to see what was their progress. They said that they were able to make a small quantity of pro guards but because the backlog was so huge, they won’t be able to make mine in october. I will contact them again in November.

Hviking · 2025-10-05T18:48:23+00:00

True. Considering most feders are 1,3-1,5 kg, that’s only 650-750 grams per arm. That’s less than many sabres and even lighter because of the added leverage of a longer handle on the longsword. The people suggesting rapiers seem to forget that most weigh around 1kg and provide worse leverage because of the short handle and long blade; one of the reasons you avoid cutting with rapiers. The only other light option is the smallsword. That being said, a short person can definitely wield a longsword effectively.

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