Advantages and disadvantages of smallswords - HEMA

The smallsword, a shiv for the upper class.

I agree Sir, "stiffness is incredibly important for thrusting".

Yes smallswords are at a disadvantage against larger swords, but in terms of weight they're more comparable to a bowie knife. I'd take a smallsword over a bowie knife in a fight any day.

"So let's ignore the length, let's just look at the stiffness. Okay, stiffness is incredibly important for thrusting." Sounds like me when a girl pulls my pants down.

So, after 10 minutes of hearing the word 'spadroon' every few seconds (it is a very fun word, I must say), we find out that what smallswords have going for them is: 'they are not spadroons.'

I would expect though that a smallsword is much more wearable than military swords of the era, and would be an effective weapon against most urban thieves and bandits who might only have a knife or blackjack. Sure they might occasionally be better armed, but the thieves will generally need a small weapon for concealment reasons. At the least it advertises that you won't be a target with no risk.

Another thought: You don't have to believe a weapon is the best ever just to justify learning it. Sure, a small sword is worse than a lot of other swords, but it has its own technique and learning it would be a fun and rewarding experience. A long sword isn't the best weapon ever, and neither is a katana or sword and buckler. We don't come from a society that actually USES swords. We pick them because we want to learn about them and see it as a fun pastime. They all have their contexts.

So after 15 minutes I come away with; "Use the right tool for the job unless that tool is all you have with you." Got it. :)

I just gotta say, your channel and your videos are an excellent writer's resource. Thanks very much for making them!

"crap... rubbish... woefully inadequate"  Wow, Matt, how do you really feel?  Don't hold anything back.

here's a video about smallswords, now let me take this opportunity to yet again tell you how much spadroons suck lol :P

Hi Matt, I am a fan of your videos!!!  You have an extensive knowledge of swords, I truly enjoy listening to your critiques and praises of various weapons.  I have to admit, one of my favorite swords besides the Spanish cup-hilt rapier is a certain Spadroon used in the movie, "The Mission".  Col. Mendoza carries an iron Spadroon, with an iron shell guard with holes a blade with a large fuller, a thumb ring and a large pommel.  I know it sucks as a practical weapon, but to me "just looks cool".  I am also a huge fan of the Italian side sword and Conquistador-style swords.  Take Care & Cheers to You!!!

Personally I like Spads ... keeping in mind the context of their purpose and cultural significance helps a great deal. These were essentially beefed up Small or Court Swords for Officers - that Officer's could take to battle and use in a last ditch back to the wall circumstance - the idea being an Officer could maintain his standard and status with regard to the sword at his hip on Campaign and yet have something a little more robust, in case he meets something more hefty than another Spadroon or Smallsword. I still think they were largely ceremonial and status based weapons that were more largely intended to be used as a Dueling weapon or against others of their own class, using a weapon of like kind. Yes they were beefed up in order to be able to cope with a Sabre , Broad or Backsword ... but realistically, they were status symbols. On the other hand, McBane liked his Sheering swords all too well thank you very much and seems to have had great success with them. As always, it is more often than not the man and not the weapon that decides the matter. I still like Spads and think they're grand and lovely ...

It IS very interesting, thank you very much!

I'm not highly experienced with the smallsword or rapier either, but what I found from studying both was that smallsword and classical epee fencing might have been easier to learn up to a rudimentary level of proficiency; there were far fewer movement habits that I had to break and relearn before I could hold the guards and perform basic attacks in a manner that looked at least vaguely like what is shown in the plates of the more meticulously illustrated texts. By comparison, I had to do far more basic movement drills with the rapier before the look of my techniques even started to remotely resemble the plates in Capo Ferro (which I was studying at the time). If this was indeed the case back then, the smallsword's ease of learning might have been a pretty significant factor, especially since it meant a lazy noble or a middle-class tradesman (who might have been to busy to study fencing on a regular basis) would have a much better chance of absorbing at least some useful lessons when they hire a fencing master to give them a crash course prior to an impending duel. That being said, there are some possible objections to my notion that smallsword fencing is inherently easier to learn for the uninitiated, the most important being that most surviving rapier sources are less transparent and less beginner-friendly than later texts for the smallsword, foil, and epee.

the bent tip on that thing is irritating. also, the spadroon looks like it'd be pretty good for a modern carry, especially since it seems like it'd be less lethal than a rapier.  most criminals use knives, even here in the US, so a spadroon would be, relatively speaking, advantageous.

In terms of pistols you mentioned in a previous video, someone will not always go down when shot but it also depends where you shoot them.

The spadroon looks like a sword for people who weren't expect to actually use the sword.

So I guess the lesson with the spadroon is "Hey, spadroon! Make up your mind!"

Sound like the spadroon is an epic failure.  I find that the small sword is really quick though and coupled with quick footwork can be deadly.  I have alway had problems facing opponents with the small sword. I have always preferred the rapier or saber over the small sword.  Thanks for the great video on the topic.