Tag Archives: French

The Cavé in French Swordsmanship

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Patrick

French fencing masters wrote about the cavé (pronounced cahv-ay) as a distinct fencing action. In French, caver means to cave in or collapse. The cavé thus described how a fencer would change or position his wrist or body to create a sharp angle—“caving in” from, … Continue reading →

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Angelo on Mounting and Choosing a Blade

Posted on February 8, 2015 by S

Domenico Angelo’s L’Ecole des Armes Several historic texts on small sword and classical fencing have withstood the test of time.  Few have resonated as well as Domenico Angelo’s L’Ecole des Armes, originally written in French and published in London in … Continue reading →

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Fencing and Dance

Posted on February 7, 2015 by S

A gentleman of the 18th Century was schooled in the arts of fencing, dance, and horsemanship. What evidence do I cite? Well… the monkeys, of course! The Fencing Master and The Dance Instructor Christophe Hüet, from Singeries, ou différentes actions … Continue reading →

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Diderot: Modern Arms & Blades, 1765

Posted on February 4, 2015 by S

From the Encyclopédie of Diderot & d’Alembert, 1765.

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Monsieur L’Abbat on Sword Length

Posted on January 30, 2015 by S

If you are considering acquiring a smallsword, then the choice of blade and the overall weapon length merit careful consideration. Smallsword enthusiasts typically use practice épée blades, though they differ significantly from historic examples. Modern épée blades most often used … Continue reading →

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