Edged Weapons 195
be described as a segment of a circle created by a line between their ends.
Therefore, every sabre blade can be described by two segments, an outer one,
following the edge, and an inner one, following the back of the blade, the inner
segment being necessarily smaller than the outer (fig. 2).
The measurement of this curvature cannot be defined only by the height of
this segment,135 since the same height can belong to blades of different length
which can affect the length of the segment itself. The curvature should there-
fore be described as a quotient of the height of the inner segment and the
length of the segment line, the latter showing what percentage of a circle is
defined by this curve. However, a deficiency of this approach is that in most
cases the curvature of the blade is not symmetrical or regular along its length,
so that in some cases the upper third of the blade is straight and only its end is
curved. However, its advantage is that it can be measured quickly and it consti-
tutes data for comparison.
The curved edge of the sabre is especially suitable for cutting, since its cut-
ting mechanism differs from that of single-edged swords.136 For example, the
straight blade will first push across the surface to cut, while the curved blade
slips on the surface and slits into the flesh (similarly to that of a scalpel), the
ideal angle for cutting being 45°.
The false edge (or ‘elman’) is the double-edge of the lower third of a single-
edged blade. The function of this false edge is largely agreed upon in the litera-
ture, being for cutting, as was first supposed by Gyula László.137 However, new
theories have since developed with the study of Gábor Szőllősy who observed
that the existence of the false edge facilitates the thrusting function, since a
lenticular cross section has several advantages over that of a triangular cross
section.138 However, the length of the false edge was not examined, and in most
cases no observations were made on its length during the description of the
sabre blades. Most false edges, however, are extremely short and not suitable
for cutting, and in most cases the false edge was probably used for thrusting.
135 For similar methods, see: Hampel 1905; Kalmár (manuscript), Pletneva 1973, 17–19;
Kyzlasov 2008, 75; Kochkarov 2008, 25–26.
136 The cutting mechanism of the curved blade was demonstrated by the figure of Zakharov –
Arendt 1935, 58. Abb. 23.
137 Gyula László (1944, 352) elaborated his theory of the false edge after the study by István
Kovács (1941, 130). Both of them supposed, that the main purpose of the false edge was
hurting the horse of the enemy, while the cutting function of the false edge was suggested
by Csaba Hidán to be in the attack against the forearm and hands (cited by Szőllősy
2001, 278).
138 Szőllősy 2001, 279.