Dussack

The dussack is another one single-edged sword that was categorized as a sabre or cutlass type; it was utilized as a sidearm in Germany, as well as in the Habsburg Monarchy which was during the sixteenth to the seventeenth centuries. it was also used as a practice tool in the early contemporary German fencing.

For so many years, the dussack sword has become quite popular with numerous European martial arts practitioners and as for researchers, they have continuously been studying a variety of historical treatises just like the 1570’s Joachim Meyer’s Kunst des Fechtens a foundational definition of the art of fencing that depicts the full and complete system of this one of a kind weapon.

The Origin of the Sword

The earliest description of the dussack first appeared in the treatise from around 1150 and this was from Paulus Hector Mair; this only means that the illustrations coming from treatise alone, the dussack can be pre-dated to a couple of years or even decades before the said year.

Based on research and records, the latest depiction of the dussack utilized as a weapon in European areas appears as an illustration coming from the eighteenth century, specifically the French Salle from the Encyclopedia of Diderot. The book exhibits a plethora of weapons that were being utilized, and one of these was the dussack.

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It really was not a surprise that there were no original and real samples of the dussack that came from the periods; this is because the lifespan of the dussack sword was surely not that long.

This was due to the fact that the weapon was quite expandable and affordable to create; plus, it also made a great kindling once the sword served its purpose for practice.

Characteristics of the Sword

Based on historical facts, there were both the curved and straight steel dussack and messers; however, remember that its curve was not a differentiating characteristic of the two blades.

Only some of the wooden dussacks featured nagles (a part of the sword that protected the wielder’s knuckles and hands against sliding cuts) and based on a few samples that were collected, about half of these did not feature any nagles; although this is the case, there were also some samples that were simplified and rather crude, exhibiting some sort of symbolical style.

The modern German dussack sword featured all the protection necessary for the wielder’s hand and it also had a knuckle bow and cross for more safety. As time passed, the side baskets of the dussack increased in size, and a thumb ring was also placed to counter any form of balance issues.

The development and improvement of the dussack were necessary since conflicts between the Ottoman and Habsburg Empire were vicious; because of this, the fighting styles and tactics have certainly affected each other and developed as well.

The Dussack as a Military Sidearm

The Germans began utilizing the Czech term of the dussack in the Hussite Wars after the sidearms that have been utilized by the Hussites. During the late sixteenth century, the dussage could possibly refer to any form of weapon that combined the hilt of a side-sword the German degen, and the blade of a saber.

In this sense, the dussage was utilized as an effective military sidearm just like in the year 1579, where records state of numerous deliveries of the dussage by their local smiths. Moreover, the German saber along with the term tessak, was eventually adopted in Norway.

One of the closely related blades that can somehow be compared to the military sidearm is the Schnepf which is also referred to as the Swiss Saber which was mostly used in early contemporary Switzerland.

The Dussack as a Practice Weapon

In 1570, Joachim Meyer describes the dussack sword as a training piece that featured a broad, arching blade together with a simple oval-shaped grip. The dussack represented a training tool that was single-edged and short; plus its usage became more widespread which led numerous schools to utilize the weapon for sports as opposed to using it to train for a real weapon.

Practice dussack swords appeared to be thick, short, and single-edged while having a measurement of about twenty-five to thirty-eight inches in total; additionally, the practice dussack was commonly made out of wood.

There were also some records stating that some of the dussacks were also made from leather and only a few samples of metallic dussacken are known to have survived throughout time.

The dussack usually lacked a hilt and instead, it featured a grip that was merely a hole that was cut inside the blade; without an upper guard / pommel, it appeared somewhat like a huge hole made for gripping scissors.

Based on records, no wooden and leather dussacks for practice have survived history, and only a few training manuals and woodcuts from the period have.

Dussack for Sale

The dussack is one of the classic weapons that date all the way back to the early 1600’s in Europe; and due to its simple yet functional design, the weapon was highly favored by a lot of commoners who required a weapon that could be utilized for a variety of purposes.

The dussack sword was highly popular for hunting, as well as for other activities such as fieldwork, farming, domestic chores, and also for fighting. One can readily purchase either a fully functional or decorative dussack sword for sale which has been replicated beautifully and as precisely as possible, making these perfect for training and a great addition to one’s collection.

The functional dussack swords are all forged from high carbon steel and these are also tempered, making the weapons strong, durable, and flexible like every other good functional sword; as for the decorative pieces, these are made to be dull and unsharpened to ensure the safety of the collector who adds this piece to his or her growing set of traditional armor and weapons.

Keep in mind that it is always necessary to ensure the legitimacy of the seller or shop one purchases from to ensure that they provide high-quality pieces made from excellent materials.

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