The Guard - Parts of the European Sword

The guard on a European style sword also called a cross guard or quillons is located between the blade and grip of the sword. The guard normally meets the blade at a 90 degree angle and can be many shapes. The most common found on a knight's sword or a crusader sword would be a long straight guard. If you were to stand the sword upright with the tip to the ground the sword will resemble a cross; hence the term “cross-guard”. Today the term quillons is often used when referring to later period rapier styled swords but is also correct when referring to the crossguard other period swords.
Defensive Guard
The purpose of the guard was to protect the wielders hand. When blocking a sword strike it is very common for the opponents swords to continue sliding down your blade. The guard creates a solid stopping point saving the wielders hands and fingers from injury or amputation. In some swords the bottom guard will extend sweeping back towards the pommel and closing over the fist for further protection as well as being useful for striking.
Shocking Thunder Stroke
There are also some sword techniques that would use the guard for the offensive. The wielder would invert the sword gripping the blade with both hands striking the opponent with the guard and pommel, using it like a hammer or an axe. This strike is documented in the German “combat manual” Fechtbuch. It is know under several names Mordhau, alternatively Mordstreich or Mordschlag translating to "murder stroke" or "murder strike" or "murder blow". This technique has also been referred to as the "thunder stroke". This was a unique strike that was normally used during full armored combat and if you catch your opponent by surprise you could knock him off his feet or even knock him out.
Guard Photos
These are some photo's of several different Guard found on the European swords that we offer.
The details on the cross guard of the Anduril Sword.
See more of the The Anduril Sword
This meticulously detailed sword, with an overall length of 42", features a solid metal guard and pommel with an antique steel finish and a genuine leather wrapped grip.
See more of the Sword Of Faramir
It has a 30 3/8", 1060 carbon steel blade with a satin finish, which extends from a cast 2Cr13 stainless steel handguard.
See more of the Honshu Single Handed Broadsword
The subtly shaped crossguard curves towards the blade, tapering and then swelling at the terminals, and the distinctive pommel has very particular angles and facets.
See more of the 14th Century Arming Sword
Featuring a fish-tail pommel, straight guard with swollen terminals, and double-edged blade having a flattened-diamond cross-section.
See more of the 15th Century Two Handed Sword
This type of sword was used in one or two hands, depending on circumstance, and in armored combat the blade could also be gripped in halfswording, to better drive the point into the gaps of an armored opponent, and also to use the crossguard and pommel for wrestling and striking.
See more of the 15th Century Longsword
The cross guard and pommel are made of solid brass, then highly polished.
See more of the Excalibur - The Sword of Power
Taikyu Katana Guard
See more of the Taikyu Katana
Guards (Tsuba) - Traditional blackened iron, Raptor motif.
See more of the Raptor Wakizashi
The fluting in the pommel extends seamlessly into the wood grip, and the guard is expertly spiral twisted and terminates in half-spheres.
See more of the Landsknecht Katzbalger Sword
Carried by all Landsknecht troops, including the pikemen and arquebusiers, this sword had an ornate "closed s" shaped guard and an extra long, fluted pommel.
See more of the Landsknecht Katzbalger Sword
The blade is distal tapered (.160" at the guard and .1315" at the tip) which helps keep the sword's weight to only 2.4 lbs.
See more of the Landsknecht Katzbalger Sword