Choosing the right length for your smallsword blade

As always, the contents of this post reflect my own opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of Maestro Ramon Martinez, Maestro Jeannette Acosta-Martinez, or the Martinez Academy of Arms.

The smallsword is one of the popular historical weapons being taught nowadays, and is arguably my favorite weapon (although really, all the fencing weapons are my favorite).  To learn to fence with a smallsword properly, as with anything, requires proper equipment, starting with an appropriate, quality weapon.  Unfortunately, many folks out there are using blades that are improperly proportioned for them, so it is worthwhile to look at what, historically, was recommended and how to apply these recommendations when choosing a training weapon today.

Guillaume Danet in 1766 and Nicolas Demeuse in 1778 both instruct that the smallsword’s length should be 30 pouces (French “inches”), aka 2.5 pieds (French “feet” = 12 pouces/pied).  Although the pouce was a somewhat variable…