Sabre Characteristics#
The meta in Southern Ontario tends towards light-to-medium weight sabres, usually with cuphilts and partially curved blades. Broadswords are an exception to this, technically heavier by virtue of the weight in their baskethilts, but just as nimble as a medium weight sabre thanks to being so backweighted.
What this all means for you:
Tournament Specifications#
If you plan to attend tournaments, aim for a sabre that weighs 700g at minimum, and has a maximum blade length of 87cm (approx 34"). These are the requirements set by one of the main tournament organizers in the region, so you’ll need to work inside these limits to pass gear check.
Tournament rules change farther afield. For example: Montreal Sword Meisters sets the minimum weight at 600g, and Maritime Sword School at 750g.
If you don’t plan on attending a tournament, then good news: you get to pick whatever sabre works best for you.
Length#
There isn’t a lot of variety when it comes to sabre blade lengths as most makers have standardized on 87cm (approx 34"). There are exceptions like the Malleus 1912 which comes in 84cm and 89cm variants.
Broadsword blades on the other hand range anywhere between 87cm to 101cm. This upper extreme has a significant impact on the sword’s performance and your opponent’s options, so an 87cm blade is recommended for tournament-goers, up to 91cm for non-tournament-goers.
Weight#
All things being equal, lighter sabres are more nimble, quicker to change direction, and gentler on your opponent. Light sabres give up presence however; a heavier sabre can blow through an imperfect guard performed with a light sabre, and a heavy sabre guarding imperfectly can sometimes have enough mass to deflect a lighter blow.
A sabre’s weight is not strictly about its speed. Light sabres are less energy demanding, letting you drill and fence longer before tiring out. Heavy sabres can tire out the wielder more quickly, though with the practice and the right technique, heavy sabres can abuse properties of physics to let gravity do a lot of the work for you.
Which one is best for you? Try some and decide. In general though: a light sabre is terrifying in the hands of someone who is themselves fast and sneaky. A heavy sabre is terrifying in the hands of someone who has perfected their measure and knows how to control the tempo.
Our club considers “duelling” sabres to be in the 600-700g range. Something weighing at least 700g will be required to get into most Ontario tournaments. Duelling sabres are a lot of fun, and you can absolutely use these in class regardless of who’s allowing what into tournaments.
Our club considers “light-to-medium” sabres to be in the 700-800g range. The forward/backward balance of swords in this weight class starts to make a big difference, and ideally compliments your fencing style.
Our club considers medium-heavy sabres to be in the 800-950g range. These have a lot of presence and can parry a dueling sabre even if the strong/weak placement isn’t perfect. These sabres have their place and can be effective in the right hands, but they require more effort to control, and will put you at a disadvantage as a new fencer. If you find yourself preferring a heavier style, consider a medium-heavy sabre as your second sword instead of your first.
A broadsword usually starts at 1kg with most of the weight concentrated in the baskethilt. A 1kg broadsword tends to perform like a 700-800g sabre, but with better presence because the whole sword still has more mass even if it’s behind the blade.
An important consideration is that not all swords weigh their advertised weight. There are a lot of manual processes that go into their creation which can result in discrepancies. If you’re ordering from a distributor, you can ask them to weigh a sword before you buy it. If you’re ordering from an OEM, you can try to ask for more information, or in some cases request a specific weight.
Cup/Hilt Style#
HEMA sabres commonly have a cuphilt to provide some hand protection and bring the weight backwards. This protection is not perfect however, and since your hand is usually the part of you nearest to your opponent, it will be a frequent target. If you’re not sure what kind of hilt to get, opt for a cuphilt by default.
A three bar hilt is an ornamental design that looks fantastic at the expense of slightly less protection. Perhaps more importantly: three bar designs are asymmetrical and will be right or left handed. The handedness can be specified when ordering from an OEM, but check carefully when ordering from a distributor which will likely only stock right-handed options.
A stirrup hilt or knuckle bow can offer you a lot of mobility or room for a truly massive glove. This will be at the expense of reduced hand protection. Stirrupt-hilted sabres inevitably find their way into the hands of polish sabre practitioners. This should probably not be your first sabre as the weight and distribution is very different from other hilt styles.
A pecoraro hilt resembles a cuphilt with “ears” on either side which provide more coverage for the thumb. This extra protection can prevent certain heavy gloves from fitting inside, especially in the case of the Sigi Sabre Pro.
A baskethilt is an often elaborate hilt that wraps around the entire hand. These provide excellent defence against cuts and allow you to wear lighter gloves.
Blade Curvature#
Sabre blades can be straight, partially curved, or fully curved. Some curvature is useful for shedding techniques, and full curve can be fun for certain kinds of sneaky thrusts around an opponent’s guard. While there is perhaps an “optimal” curvature, it is mostly a matter of preference and what techniques you prefer. If you’re unsure what to choose, you can’t go wrong with a partial curve.
Some sabre makers offer multiple levels of curvature on all swords, and some offer only one.
All broadswords have straight blades.