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the Attic
The Textbook
of Stage Violence
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SWORDS for rent
When renting swords, you need to make three decisions:
-
HILT - what does the
director want the sword to look like?
-
BLADE - how is the
sword to be used by your actors?
-
LEATHER - is the
sword to be worn (and how)?
On the links below and
to the left you will find pages on various hilt styles for different sword
types, with different rental prices listed depending on what kind of blade you
want us to put on that particular hilt. Not sure of what kind of blade to use?
Just follow this link:
blade choices
If your actors need to wear the swords, you'll need to choose
from some options on this link:
leather
goods
Remember: almost any guard can be fitted with almost any
blade, although the blade choice may affect the grip length and pommel size.
Choose the blade for the fighting style; choose the guard for the look.
Photos are to illustrate the guard only.
Grip and pommel may change with
every weapon.
Any sword you see is also available with a costume blade,
which means non-tempered steel. But if a sword must strike another sword or must be
dropped, only a
fight-worthy blade must be used. If you fight with costume grade swords,
we'll charge you the fight grade price plus damages.
If your actors are going to fight with the swords, take a look
at some safety tips we have found helpful
On the Use of the Sword
[Prices are for the first 30 days and are subject to change].
 | Medieval Broadswords :
Broadswords of the mounted knight. The traditional
sword of the mounted knight. The hilts are variations of the cruciform style
and the swords were used either in single-hand or double-hand fighting,
although its primary function is hacking away while the user is on horseback. |
| Swords of War :
Shortswords, archers' swords, falchions. In very general terms, the
earlier the culture, the smaller the hilt and shorter the blade. The most
common first millennium blade was distinctively leaf shaped, which was the
pre-steel way of making the short, stocky blade extremely powerful, yet still
as light as possible. When steel was available, the same guards were used with
longer blades, as foot soldiers still preferred smaller hilts when in battle. |
| Trim
Hilted Swords :
Depending on your needs, these guards can cover a
tremendous historic range...and a wide choice of blade width. Rapier, dagger,
arming sword? No matter what the period of your show, you just might find
something you want here. |
| Rapiers - Full Hilts :
Swept hilts, cup hilts, and earlier styles. During the Renaissance a
lighter sword was developed which could be easily maneuvered by a small man
and could be worn without difficulty even when not on the battlefield. The
Spanish developed a cut and thrust weapon (which did neither well) and termed
it the "espada ropera", or dress sword as opposed to the arming sword. The
English mispronounced the term until it became known as the "rapier"
[pronounced - ray'-peer]. Experimentation was continuous, both in hilt
style and in military or civilian use. Some are mere outgrowths of broadsword
styles and can be used with wide blades. The rapier is purely European and
used from the late 15th until the late 17th centuries. |
| Smallswords :
Smallswords, courtswords, dueling swords. By the 1700’s
the clear superiority of thrusting over cutting in a duel became so obvious
that the civilian sword eliminated all traces of the cutting edge in favor of
a thin strand of steel which was responsive enough to both deflect an incoming
attack and run the opponent through in the same motion. (Since strong cuts and
blocks were not used, the blade edge was often filed to razor sharpness).
Completely useless for military applications, the smallsword
also reduces any superfluity of design to only the engraving. Historical note: our demi-epee
blade is the closest in length to the true smallsword. The modern
Olympic epee [pronounced - eh'-pay] is the direct descendant of these swords, both in blade and
fighting style. Courtswords (weapons worn in the presence of or
presented by royalty for formal occasions) followed this development closely but
since were never intended for actual use often had wider, weaker blades and more
ornamentation on the handle, guard and blade. |
| Sabres : Also includes
cutlasses. Once muskets came into standard use by the
18th century, sabres replaced every other type of sword on the battlefield.
Don’t be fooled by the place names of the swords - sabres were and still are
standardized around the world, with opposing armies often purchasing from the
same manufacturer. Here you'll also find all kinds of pirate swords. Aargh! |
| Exotica :
Katana, dao, scimitar, and fantasy. From the far corners of the earth (and the
imagination of our clients). Edged weaponry to fit the needs of
non-traditional (non-European based) shows. Some of these items were designed
for a specific production, but have proved popular enough to remain in our
selection. |
"What about plastic swords?"
We don't carry them. Plastic breaks more easily than steel, and then you have a
very sharp stick with the same potential for danger as a real weapon. Steel is
safer.
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