My Sword Ricasso Experiment
Got this old rusty sword at a flea market last month. Paid 20 bucks thinking I'd just hang it on the wall. But when cleaning it, I noticed that thick part above the handle – turns out it's called ricasso. Totally ignored it at first like most people probably do.
Started practicing basic thrusts in my backyard against a hay bale. Without using the ricasso, kept misjudging where the sharp part began. Sliced my finger twice! Stupid shallow cuts but made me think: why do modern replicas still have this clunky-looking feature?
Reshaped a wooden training sword three different ways:
Version 1: Totally smooth transition from handle to blade.
Version 2: Super thin ricasso like some fantasy swords.
Version 3: Proper beefy medieval-style ricasso.
Tested all three with sparring gloves. Without that thick ricasso, my off-hand kept sliding onto the blade when doing half-swording techniques. That thin version? Practically useless – still dangerous. The proper ricasso gave me this secure shelf for my index finger to hook onto. Suddenly could switch grips mid-swing without looking down.
Why This Ancient Feature Still Rocks
- Safety dance: That little ledge creates a visual/physical barrier so fingers don't wander onto sharp steel
- Power steering: When you choke up on the ricasso for close work, it turns a slashing weapon into a precise poker
- Training wheels: Total newbies (my nephew tried) naturally place fingers there as a safety reflex
Modern knife makers totally get it too – tactical knives have that unsharpened section before the edge. Same damn principle! Tried my camping knife after testing and realized I'd been using its "ricasso" all along to control delicate cuts when whittling.
Turns out medieval smiths weren't dumb. This weird design quirk survived because it just works. That flea market sword now hangs in my workshop as a reminder: sometimes the clunkiest-looking solutions are the smartest.
