There is little or no evidence for multiple belts. Pants (hose) were laced to
the doublet (points). Most pictures from the era show the dagger worn in back,
nearly (but not completely) horizontal, and accessible to the RIGHT hand. The
rapier would not be used much indoors. It would not be worn, and would be hard
to use in a room of normal size. It was worn in ballrooms, and similar rooms.


The sword was worn on the left. There are several designs of "frogs" hanging
from the belt, so the hilt was about belt height in front, and the blade hung
down not so steeply as to hit the floor, but not so flat as to fall out or hit
people behind. Hitting people is a big problem, and could lead to a fight--the
sword sticks out behind you by 3 feet or so. You also had to pivot the sword
when you sat down. The sword was controlled by resting the left hand on the
hilt or scabbard at all times.

I have no idea how people got access to their main gauche weapon. I have found
no 16th C pictures with the dagger worn facing left, so it could be drawn, nor
have I seen any pictures of it worn on the right SIDE (not back) so that it
could be drawn with the left hand.

Most people use a frog that has a hook to the belt, and then gets wider to
have several straps that buckle around the scabbard. There is often a second
strap that goes across the front of the body to hook on the right side of the
belt to help control the blade.

I have made a scabbard using PVC tubing. I have to use 3/4 inch tubing so that
I can get the bird blunt (rubber tip) down the scabbard. And I had to use
electrical tubing to have a "belled" end to take the base of the blade which
is 1" or more. I then covered it with leather or leatherette. This is not a
great scabbard for dress use. If you want to wear your weapon for dress
purposes, get a second blade (even an epee  blade), without a tip. This will
let you use a regular flat scabbard. You can also use a shorter blade, which
will give you less trouble.

You can unscrew the pommel and disassemble the hilt of a rapier in a few
seconds, and reassemble it in less than a minute. Almost all modern rapiers
use a screw pommel with a 6 mm metric thread. (Some older ones use a 1/4"
thread. You can still get replacement blades, or any mechanic can re-thread
the blade. I believe Leon Paul still uses 1/4" thread)

------ Original Message ------
Received: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:34:32 PM EST
From: "ticeetal" <ticeetal@...>
To: HistoricalSwordsmanship@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [HistoricalSwordsmanship] Rapier Information Needed

> Greetings,
>
> I'm looking to take on a few new leather projects, and was wondering where I
can locate a good pattern for a leather rapier hanger and sword belt belt
either online or at the library?
>
> I would also like to make a scabbard for a rebated rapier used in HEMA style
fencing. The blade is a thicker 43" "rapier-style" blade with rubber archery
blunt on the tip of the blade. What would you recommend for making a pattern
to fit the blade snuggle enough that it won't fall out of the scabbard, yet
not appear too "tubular" looking either? Also, I will be making a similar
scabbard for a main gauche.
>
> Also, was the main gauche was worn on a frog worn on the same belt as the
rapier hanger, or was it worn on a separate belt independent of the sword belt
and rapier hanger?
>
> Thank you,
>
> Matthew
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>

Greetings,

I'm looking to take on a few new leather projects, and was wondering where I can
locate a good pattern for a leather rapier hanger and sword belt belt either
online or at the library?

I would also like to make a scabbard for a rebated rapier used in HEMA style
fencing. The blade is a thicker 43" "rapier-style" blade with rubber archery
blunt on the tip of the blade. What would you recommend for making a pattern to
fit the blade snuggle enough that it won't fall out of the scabbard, yet not
appear too "tubular" looking either? Also, I will be making a similar scabbard
for a main gauche.

Also, was the main gauche was worn on a frog worn on the same belt as the rapier
hanger, or was it worn on a separate belt independent of the sword belt and
rapier hanger?

Thank you,

Matthew