Ricasso
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2009) |
A ricasso is a part of sword and knife blades. It is the section just above the guard or handle. It is sometimes unsharpened and unbevelled.
The first unsharpened ricassos were found on Middle Bronze Age swords. In use, this allowed the swordsman to "choke up" (shorten his grip, also known as half-swording), enabling better control and manipulation of the blade and allowing the weapon to be more effective in thrusting against both armoured and unarmoured opponents. Later longswords, claymores, rapiers and other large blades often had this feature. Many modern knives also include an unbeveled section either for increased strength or as an area that can be gripped to provide greater control for precise cutting.
Ricassos in two-handed swords sometimes terminate with flukes, which protect the hand when gripping the sword by the ricasso.
 |
This article related to weaponry is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
