Grossmesser. big knife

Of course, completely different types of weapons are used today, so these things are created mainly for the collection, just as decorative items. Today we will learn how to make a sword in the style of "gross messer" with your own hands.

Materials and tools for creating a sword:
- an old suspension spring from a car (or the blade can simply be cut out of a steel plate and not forged);
- furnace for heating steel;
- hammer, anvil and other blacksmith prichendaly;
- tree to create a handle;
- Bulgarian;
- belt sander and more.

Knife making process:

Step one. Making a blade
The author decided to make the blade in the ancient way, that is, by forging. But if there are no special skills to work with a hammer, the blade can be cut out of a suitable steel plate yourself. As a material, the author decided to use a car suspension spring, this metal should lend itself well to hardening.

As a result, the manufactured blade turned out to be 140 cm long, and since this is a lot, the author cut off 20 cm. As a result, the blade became 1 m long, and 20 cm went to the handle.

After that, the next type of work begins - this is grinding. First of all, you need to create a blade profile, that is, make bevels. This is a very crucial moment, since the blade is long, and the bevel should be as uniform as possible along the entire length. Without special equipment, this is quite difficult to achieve. The author carried out rough work with the help of a grinder, and then a belt grinder came to the rescue.

The next step was the gradual hardening of the blade. The first step after forging steel must be released, as it will be strong. To do this, the entire blade must be heated evenly and then allowed to cool gradually. Further, when the blade cools down, it needs to be heated again and then cooled in hot oil, this will be the hardening of the metal.

When hardening, the author had a problem - this is the deformation of the blade, but it was eliminated by pressing on the blade in curved areas. Steel for hardening must be heated to a temperature of about 270 ° C. Then, after hardening, it still needs to be finally brought to the desired thickness on a belt grinder. At the end, the blade is well polished.

Step two. Making a crosshair for a sword
The crosshair is designed to protect hands from an enemy sword. In addition, it must have the right weight and be located in right place to get a balance. The author made the crosshair from mild steel 2 cm thick and carved the desired shape. It was difficult to make a groove into which the blade is then installed. The blade should go into it as tightly as possible, with a minimum gap, otherwise everything will hang out. To make such a groove, the author first drilled holes, and then, using a file, bored them in the shape of his blade. The whole process of creating the crosshair took two days.

Messer (grobes messer, translated as "big knife", also called Hiebmesser - "heib-messer" - "chopping knife") - a type of German single-edged sword, with a knife-like handle, which was used during the 14th-16th centuries.

Subdivided into two types:

• Gross messer (langmesser) was a one-handed sword used by the middle class for self-defense. It was up to a meter long, and appeared as a development of the cord (a long knife common as a common weapon in the Middle Ages).
• Craig messer - a curved sword up to one and a half meters long, used with one or two hands. It was used by professional warriors in the 14th-16th centuries, such as landsknechts.

Gross messer design

Much less expensive than other types of swords available, this was a weapon civilian(not a warrior). Used, in addition to battles, for daily work, the gross messer had a curved blade that went into the cut end of the blade (like the Turkish kilich). It included a straight cross and a nagel (nagel literally means "nail" - a protrusion that runs from the right side of the guard along the blade) to protect the swordsman's hands. A very famous design of the gross messer was the attachment of the blade to the hilt with the help of wooden plates sandwiched between two hammered halves of the handle. It is also known that many Gross Messers were stretched or curved towards one side of the hilt (towards the blade), this feature is known as the "hat pommel". The surviving specimens of gross messers have a total length of about 1-1.2 m, with a blade about 79 cm long, and a weight of 1.1-1.4 kg.

Gross messer possession was part of curriculum several fencing manuals from the 14th and 15th centuries, including Leckuchner, Codex Wallerstein and Albrecht Durer. The gross messer was supplanted by the cleaver in the 16th century.

Gross messer and craig messer

One of frequent delusions is that the Langes Messer (Langes Messer, "long knife"), also known as the Craig Messer (Kriegsmesser), is often confused with the Gross Messer; however, it is completely different weapons. The Lang-Messer was over 1.5m long and shaped like a scimitar, and originated as a Hungarian variant of the German Zweihander. They were commonly used by Hungarian infantry officers during the Renaissance. Samples of these swords are currently preserved in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

I always wanted to have a reference book on hand where the name of such and such a sword would be told and shown. There was no intelligible, so I made it myself. The swords are located in alphabetical order. The most important period for the formation of European blades is the 10th century. Then the Saxons took shape, giving rise to peasant combat knives and boarding sabers; Langsaks from which Tesaks, Broadswords and Grosmessers descended; swords from which a huge amount of edged weapons went. 15th and especially 16th century gave European world so many types of edged weapons that it's scary to imagine. This was facilitated by technical and military progress. In the 10th century, such a thing as a "peasant sword" could not even arise, but at the end of the 15th century, a huge number of peasants rose into militias against opponents armed with all sorts of Grosmessers. The replacement of the feudal army by a professional army and the emergence of new tactics and new principles of supply, the spread of plate armor and firearms set new tasks for the blacksmith gunsmiths, which they masterfully performed. In addition, the Muslim East had a certain influence on wedge weapons. The 17th century was at the beginning the century of the dawn of edged weapons, and at the end of the decline of edged weapons, which could not compete with firearms.

It should be noted that the most popular weapon of the Middle Ages was a spear, the ranks of warriors were mowed down by archers, crossbowmen and gunners. In close combat went into action battle axes and halberds, and all kinds of hammers and maces, so that not by sword alone. But for some reason everyone wanted to have a sword.

Cutlass or broadsword(modern English Cutlass, modern German Entermesser, modern Italian Storta) - a weapon and working tool for sailors, not only pirates, but also the military and merchant fleet. It is characterized by a short, but massive and durable blade expanding towards the tip. The broadsword differs from the saber in that it has a straight blade. Several varieties of this weapon are known. Crakemart, Gaddare and Scallop are cutting sabers. Probably the English Cutlass-Cutlass is a corruption of the Italian Cortelas-Cortelas. Sea daggers - daggers are also often called Cutlass.

In the form in which we imagine it, namely with a hilt in the form of a solid cup or one wide arc covering the hand, boarding weapon formed only at the beginning of the 18th century.

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Or Begeler (fr. Badelair) - a wide, heavy saber. Also known as Kordelach.

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Hungarian saber, Buturovka, Magerka (German Batorowka) - characterized by a slightly curved blade with a barely pronounced yelman. The hilt is bent inward towards the blade, the hilt has a spherical or flattened pommel and a simple cross. Sabers of this type were widespread throughout the Balkans in Poland and Russia. Known since the 9th century. Early examples are often double-edged, but from the 12th century only single-edged, and in this form has survived to this day. At the end of the 15th century, the protection of the hand began to become more complicated.

Hungarian saber, 10th century. An excellent example in every way.	Icon of St. George, 11th century. Monastery of Vatopedi. Greece.	Holy Mercury. Fresco. Church in Ohrid 1295. Serbia.

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Walloon sword(English Walloon Sword) was distributed in Germany, Switzerland and Holland as military weapon and as an accessory of the nobility, due to its versatility: it was light, flexible, quite suitable for chopping and cutting blows, but still it was more often piercing and could well be equal to the rapier. The hilt did not close the hand as tightly as with other swords, usually limited to two bows. The front bow covered the fingers, and the back twisted to the blade.

After the military campaign in the Netherlands in 1672, when many of these German-made swords were taken from the Dutch army, the French began to produce these weapons as their first standard sword for the regular army. Weapons of this design were also issued to the Swedish army during the reign of Gustavus Adolf, and were used until the middle of the 19th century.

Walloon sword of the 18th century from a private collection. The basket is almost rudimentary. The right photo shows how to hold this weapon by the ring. The grip will turn out to be very powerful and it is extremely difficult to knock this weapon out of hand with fencing techniques.
This Walloon sword is interesting for its blued hilt with a cup screwed to the pommel with a button, the cup limits the hand only from below, and consists of two asymmetrical halves (the right one is larger) with round holes. Large twisted end of the cross, bent outward. It has the stamp of the Amsterdam Guards. Ring for thumb on the inside of the cutting. And the handle itself is wooden and wrapped with iron wire and held in place by rings at the top and bottom. Straight double-edged blade 86 cm. Dated 1650.

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Venetian sword(Shwert veneto, Venetian sword) - a long straight sword, the arms of the cross of which are horizontally curved in the shape of the letter "S" and have extended tips. The rectangular pommel is made up of two halves with a side protrusion. Appeared in the XV century, in the Republic of Venice and there it was called the word gli schiavoni. The birthplace of these swords is the northern part of the Balkans, inhabited by the Slavs. These swords armed the army of the Venetian doges, which was recruited from the Balkan Slavs. Through several intermediate versions of the swords, the Venetian sword turned into the Schiavona, which spread throughout Europe.

Among English-speaking reenactors, such a sword was nicknamed "Slavonesca".

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Gaddare(it. gaddare) - a saber with a short wide blade and a thickened butt of the blade. The thickening of the butt gives strength, especially with zonal hardening. The length of this saber is only 55-65 cm, weight 650-800 grams. This saber has an oriental origin. In the Turkish Empire, it was called Pala (pala). It was used in the 16-18 century. Made in Italy, but the best examples came from Turkey. Below is a beautiful and very expensive Turkish example of Damascus steel.

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Grosmesser, Grandmaster, Kreigmesser (German Großes Messer, Kriegs messer, sometimes lange Messer, English Grosmeister) - literal translation: Big and Military and long knife. It is a combat knife that has grown to the size of a sword. The two-handed version of this weapon is commonly called the Kriegs messer and has been known since the 16th century. Blades are different kind and the size and the most varied level of curvature, but sharpening is always one-sided, there is also a slight expansion at the end of the blade, a bevel on the tip is used for injections. Therefore, the main hallmark is a handle: with a shank flattened on the sides, covered on both sides with wooden planks not wrapped, but covered with leather. The handle at the end has a small pommel in the form of a bird's head, and sometimes the pommel as such is underdeveloped. The guard is presented in the form of a straight cross with long ends; in small one-handed Gros Messers, the front end of the cross is sometimes bent down to cover the fingers, and the back is bent up. The first images appear in the beginning. 15th century, and from the second half of the 15th century quite often used edged weapons. Grossmesser was used by infantry and militia, Kreigmesser prof. infantry. Worn in a leather sheath.

In the illustrations for the Romance of Alexander and in private collections, there are Craigmessers in which the guard is equipped with a bow covering both hands. But it is more correct to call them Kordelach. One-sided sharpening made it possible to make the blade thinner - the butt on the opposite side of the blade increases strength. The weight of ordinary Gross Messers is slightly less than 1 kg, and the weight of the two-handed version does not exceed two kilograms. American reenactors affectionately call the terrible two-handed versions of this weapon - "Chopper" - Chopper. Watch the video with this sword

Pay attention to many miniatures and paintings and sculptures of the 15th and 16th centuries, even of a completely non-military theme, many children see such overgrown knives. this one is dated 1493.	Grandmaster at the executioner, who looks like a landsknecht. At the armored man with a spear, the handle of the Grandmaster is visible. Painting "The Murder of St. Barbara 1510-15. Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY. thin Lucas Cranach
Duel of warriors armed with Gross Messer and Zweinhander, engraving c. 1500		We see Grosmesser in a peasant going to war. Engraving by Hans Sebastian Beham 1521.
This is the famous Craigmesser from the Imperial Collection in Vienna. Dated around 1490. The pommel is in the shape of a bird's head. The wooden planks of the handle are covered with black leather and fastened with five gold-plated rivets. The cross and the shell are gilded.

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Dussac(dussack, dysack, disackn) - a type of cleaver that appeared in Hungary and was used in Bohemia and Germany in the 16th century. The blade is short, slightly curved, single-edged, widening towards the tip. But there is usually no point as such - in most cases this sword is in no way suitable for stabbing, but only for chopping and cutting. One of the distinguishing features of the fall is the long shank bent to the blade so as to provide a reliable chopping blow with a pull on itself. Sometimes the bend of the shank completely covers the hand. It was used by peasants on the farm and by novice fencers. Probably, when working with Dussac, a thick leather mitten was put on his hand. In the jargon of Russian-speaking reenactors, it is often called Ersatz-falchion. What is interesting in visual sources similar weapons It has been noticed since the 13th century, but it is obvious that it was not widespread and as a weapon of a knight it is not applicable. American reenactors affectionately call him "Paisant chopper", hinting at his low status.

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Or Zweihander(German Zweihander, Bidenhänder, English Two-handed Sword, French Epee a deux mains) - a sword about 180 cm (6 feet) long, used by foot soldiers from the middle of the 15th to the middle of the 17th century. This weapon you have to use both hands to use it. Its prototypes appeared in the 13th century. A long double-edged blade, was usually with a pointed edge, but there is also a rounded edge. The stalk of the handle is very long - it is designed for two hands (although in reality at least five hands could fit there). Heavy pommels were triangular, faceted or pear-shaped, expanding downwards, designed to balance the weapon. Simple leather sheaths went to such swords, and were often worn without a sheath at all. They carried these swords behind their backs, hanging them by a loop, or even simply throwing them over their shoulders.

Zweihander, in the form in which we know it, was formed by the 16th century and then became the weapon of the German landsknechts on a double salary - doppelsolders. Standing out among others with a wide blade of more than 5 cm, starting from the handle by a third unsharpened. Often this unsharpened area of ​​the blade is separated by two short guards from the sharpened area. The weight of these swords varies around 3.5 kilograms. But there are also so-called ceremonial swords, which were demonstrated during parades and ceremonies, their weight is sometimes 10 kg. Some of them have traces of tournament / training use, such swords were nicknamed "Wunderwaffe" - Wunderwaffe - "Miracle Weapon". Watch the video with the classic two-handed sword.

Despite the fact that it is known about some two-handed swords that they belonged to knights, all the same, knights almost never used such swords in war. For a cavalryman, such a crane sword is inconvenient, in order to use it while sitting on a horse, you need to show incredible dexterity. The knight himself could use a two-handed sword for a duel or give it to someone from his retinue.

The most famous master of the two-handed sword was the pirate and mercenary Pier Gerlofs Donia (1480-1520. Pier Gerlofs Donia), his sword, which is stored in the museum of the city of Leeuwarden (Frisia, the Netherlands), has a length of 215 cm and a weight of 6.6 kg. It was ceremonial and was taken into battle as a banner, but Pierre Gerlofs Donia captured it and began to use it as a combat one. According to legend, he was a sazhen in height and incredible strength, for which he received the nickname "Big Pierre" (frieze. Grutte Pier .

Classic Two-Handed Sword, kept in the Historical Museum of Copenhagen. Total length - 143cm, blade length - 113cm, cross length - 36.5cm. The sword is dated around the end of the 15th century.
Two-handed sword. Venice, early sixteenth century. Wide steel blade with two narrow fullers. The long ricasso is completed with two strong pointed counterguards. The arms of the cross are straight, spirally corrugated, ending in pear-shaped knobs. The pear-shaped pommel is also spirally fluted. The wooden shank of the handle is covered with leather and has protrusions for the hands. Total length 162. Weight 3700 gr. sword completely	Two-handed swords of the 16th century. German Historical Museum (DHM) Berlin

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Dueling sword or Brett(German Schalenrapier; Spanish bretta and espada de taza) - this is sometimes called a light Rapier or Sword, the guard of which consists of a deep cup covering the ricasso, a wide cross and a front protective bow covering the fingers. It was popular with duelists all over Europe, and because of it Spanish duelists were nicknamed "Bretter". Full length 110-130 cm, weight 600-800 grams. It is not suitable for war, but it is quite possible to use it as an argument in a dispute or fight off gopniks, and it is not difficult to carry it with you.

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Carolingian (Capetian) swords- a family of swords characterized by a handle with a one-handed grip, a short cross and a massive flattened mushroom-shaped pommel (rarely in the form of a flattened disk). The blade is wide, with a long, well-defined fuller, tapering to a rounded point. The wooden shank of the handle is dressed on a shank and wrapped with a leather cord. It is a cutting weapon. The total length is 70-100 cm, the weight of most swords, taking into account corrosion, is not more than 1.4 kg, but there are samples of 2 kg.

These swords came into wide use during the reign of Charles Capeting, nicknamed the "Great", that is, the second. floor. 8th century. And it was used until the beginning of the 12th century. The vast majority of Viking swords are Carolingian. Video with this sword

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Dagger(in German: until the 16th century Degen, from the 16th-17th century Dolch; English Dagger; Spanish Daga; French Dague; Italian Pugnale or Arma;) - a light one-handed weapon with a double-edged blade, used for stabbing and cutting blows. Daggers often serve as an additional defense weapon in close combat, and the main weapon for strikes "from under the silence." The weight of most daggers is 300-400 grams. Length with handle 250-450 mm. The blade is usually rhombic and has no fullers. It is usually carried in a simple leather sheath.

Watch a video demonstrating the capabilities of the dagger

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(English Claymore) from the Gaelic claidheamohmor, which means "great sword". A term for one-and-a-half and two-handed swords used in Scotland and by Scottish mercenaries from the 15th to the end of the 17th century. In its classic form, the Claymore consisted of a straight, wide and double-edged blade, a hilt with long cutting and disc-shaped, less often spherical pommel. The main differences are that the straight ends of the cross are deflected towards the edge of the blade and end with clover petals. The crosspiece also has crosshairs for a more secure attachment to the blade. Blades of the Scottish big swords, as a rule, are shorter than contemporary blades of Continental Europe. The weight of these swords is usually 1.5 -2.5 kg, maximum 3.5 kg.

Claymore gained wide popularity thanks to the film "Braveheart", and the actor Mel Gibson, who played the Scottish patriot William Wallace. But for the truth, it must be said that the sword that was used as a prop is not similar to the one that is stored on this moment at Wallace Tower in Stirling, Scotland. The sword in the film is shaped in the late 15th and 17th century, but Wallace's sword is from the late 13th century.

One of the statues of William Wallace. It combines armor of the 13th century with a sword characteristic of the 16th century.	Genuine William Wallace wide two-handed sword 178 cm long and weighing about 3 kg. Stored in the Wallace Monument, built with donations in 1869 to commemorate the victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, two miles north of Stirling Castle. The monument is a five-tiered tower about 70 meters high. Its top resembles a Scottish crown. Climbing the 246 steps to the observation deck, you can see all the surroundings of Stirling. It is believed that it was from this hill that Wallace commanded his troops.
Claymore from a private collection. Total length 142 cm, weighs 3.4 kg.	Claymore at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK. Date: circa 1500-1530 On the wedge there is an inscription "AFORBES" (with F wrong - on the contrary) is most likely the name of the previous owner. .	Crossroads of Claymore from the Scottish Museum in Edinburgh (Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh). The Turkish sabers have crosshairs to capture the enemy's blade, the Claymores have a more reliable grip of the crosspiece with the blade.

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Basket Claymore(Eng. Basket-hilted claymore) - a sword that stands out for its rounded guard that covers the hand as completely as possible, which is lined with red leather or fabric. This style of sword comes from Scotland and is also often referred to as a claymore. In addition, a massive guard and a wide thick blade make this one-handed sword heavy, the weight ranges from 1.6-2.3 kg. Used since the 16th century. Variants of this sword quickly spread throughout England and Ireland, but outside English possessions he did not enjoy significant popularity. From the 18th century it became known as the "Scottish broadsword" and the blade became single-edged. Video with this sword, look

Claymore from the Jeff Demetrick collection. Overall length - 35.8" (91cm), Blade length - 29.9" (76cm), Blade width - 1.4" (37mm), Grip length - 3.9" (100mm). Weight - 2.3 kg. The inscription on the blade "No me saques sin rason. No me embaines sin honor; that is, Do not draw me without justice. Do not sheathe me without honor", which can be translated as "I was not made for sinful deeds. There is no greater dishonor than strip me for no justice. Do not sheath until honor is restored."		A Scottish Highlander with a Basket Clemore fights an English Cavalryman with a Mourning Sword. 19th century drawing

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Kortelas or Cordelas(It. cortelas, coltelaccio, Polish. cordelas) - Italian and Polish analogue of the 15th and 16th centuries, that is, a knife that has grown to the size of a saber. It differs from it in a handle with a short cross and a pommel in the form of a hoof, and an additional shield on the guard is also a very common detail. But these signs are not at all obligatory, many samples fit the definition of Grossmesers.

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Konchar(Polish Koncerz, Lithuanian Končiaras) - a very long 120-160 cm, but very thin and light (about 1 kg.) stabbing sword used in Eastern Europe in the 13-17th century. He came from the Middle East. Khanjar is the Turkish name for this weapon. The handle of the Turkish and Russian konchars is simple with a one and a half hand handle, a spherical pommel and a small cross. By the 16th century, Hungarian Konchars acquired a cross with ends bent to the blade. Typical for Konchar is a leather scabbard with a metal device, which was fastened to the saddle on the left side. It was effective for penetrating any armor and was used by cavalry. But since a long stabbing sword is inconvenient for a cavalryman, it has not received much distribution.

This weapon is best known as one of the standard weapons for the Polish winged hussars. "... and those soldiers who will serve in the hussars must have good horses; going out to war, he should mount a horse with a spear, in armor, in elbow pieces, in a helmet, with a short gun, with a saber, with a konchar or with a broadsword ... ".

As a distinctive feature of the "hussar Konchars" - the handle is equipped with a guard with a crosshair, characteristic of the Hungarian-Polish sabers of the 17th century. The Central European analogue is more massive than Konchar and was also sometimes used in the Polish hussar.

The history of the appearance of the gross messer dates back approximately to the end of the 14th - beginning of the 15th century. At this time, the German principalities were actively at war with each other, using both their own squads and mercenaries. And if noble warriors had the opportunity to use best weapons, then ordinary fighters needed something simple, cheap and effective. Gross Messer became such a weapon - translated from German as "big knife".

What is this sword?

Despite its modesty, the "big knife" is a full-fledged one-handed blade weapon. What does it consist of:

1. Handle. Almost always made of wood. Depending on the personal tastes of the owner, it was polished and covered with leather. The length of the handle was 30-35 centimeters (depending on the dimensions of the blade) and ended with a pommel. The handle held the blade in a simple way- the "tail" was clamped between the two halves of the handle and finally fixed by the hilt.
2. Hilt. Most often had the most simple form, without any embellishments. Transverse guard and dowel (protrusion from the side of the "strong" hand, to protect the hands).
3. Blade. Gross Messer had a blade 65-80 centimeters long, slightly curved in the upper third. The end was cut off to form the point of the sword.

How and by whom was this weapon used?

For most warriors simple origin the main weapon had to satisfy several criteria: be cheap, effective, easy to repair and preferably multifunctional. The Gross Messer met all these requirements - it was significantly cheaper than other swords, it was excellent for foot cutting, and it did not have complex elements in the design.

This sword gained special love from the Landsknechts - German hired soldiers. Detachments of "dogs of war" were most often on foot, and you can't carry much on your own two feet. What was a good gross messer for an ordinary mercenary? In addition to the main, combat function, it could be used for chopping branches, harvesting meat and many other everyday activities. Thanks to him, it was not necessary to carry an ax and a butcher's knife with him.

Fencing with a "big knife"

Despite the seeming simplicity of this weapon, they were not only primitively cut from the shoulder. Many fencing schools taught how to use the gross messer, and this says a lot. All fencing techniques with this sword can be divided into chopping, cutting blows and injections.

Of course, the main emphasis was placed on cutting - a heavy blade shifted the emphasis precisely towards "power" work. The cuts were used at close range, when it was extremely difficult to swing. Injections - the most difficult element, were used to hit vulnerable points - armpits, necks, faces.

What happened to this sword?

Despite all the usefulness and cheapness that the grand messer possessed, the commoner's sword lost in its fighting qualities to other swords - it was heavy for a one-handed sword and quite often broke (blade and hilt connection). Therefore, in the 16th century, the "big knife" was replaced by a cleaver (or, as it is sometimes called, dyussak). This sword did not have a handle, but only a blade - a hole was made in its first third for a grip. Even cheaper and more reliable, it is on long years occupied the niche of budget one-handed bladed weapons.

Grand Messer received a second life already in the 20th century, through the efforts of blacksmiths and reenactors-fencers. And again, its versatility and simplicity captivates - it is easy to make, it can be used both for training sparring and for cutting objects.

Where can I see what a gross messer looks like? You see the photo of the sword in this article - it is really simple and beautiful.