Estoc

Estoc

The French estoc or English "tuck" was a variation of the longsword focused intensely on fighting against mail or plate armour.Tarassuk, Leonid & Blair, Claude. "The Complete Encyclopedia of Arms & Weapons". Simon and Schuster, 1982. Page 491. ] It was long, straight and stiff, with a diamond or triangular cross-section. An estoc had no cutting edge, just a point. Examples from Poland are more than 1.57 m (62 inches) long, with a blade of 1.32 m (52 in.); however, others showed a more manageable 1.17 m (46 in.), with a 0.91 m blade (36 in.). The size seems to have been made-to-order. The blade's cross-section was nearly an equilateral triangle or square, with relatively obtuse angles (~60+ degrees). This geometry left hardly any cutting capability as a sharpened edge could simply not be ground, but allowed the weapon to become lengthy, stiff, and very acutely pointed.Clements, John. [http://www.thearma.org/terms4.htm "Sword Forms"] ] Early on, the estoc was hung from the saddle when on horseback and simply hung from the belt when the soldier took to the ground. As the weapon developed, however, infantrymen using it began to wear it in a scabbard. Stone, G. C. "A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration, and Use of Arms and Armour". Jack Brussel, 1961. Page 223.] Most varieties of estoc provided a long grip like that of a great sword, though others mimicked the "bihänder" in providing a long ricasso with a secondary guard of "parrierhaken". As on the two-hander, this extended grip gave the wielder the advantage of extra leverage with which to more accurately and powerfully thrust the long weapon. Some other forms provided finger rings, curved quillions, or other forms of a compound hilt. Few, however, developed anything close to a full baskethilt.

History

As armor improved, so did the methods of attacking the armor. It was quickly realized that cutting weapons were losing their effectiveness, so crushing weapons such as maces and axes were utilized. But thrusting weapons that could split the rings of mail, or find the joints and crevices of plate, were employed. Long tapered swords could also be used as a lance once the lance was splintered. Thus was the estoc developed. Estoc is French, meaning thrust or point. Tuck is the English version of the word. Many consider the Tuck a forerunner of the Rapier, but more likely it is a merging of the civilian sword, the Espada Ropera with the effective, and lighter tuck, that produced the rapier.Fact|date=July 2008 But the tuck was an effective weapon. The long, straight blade was very rigid and could be thrust with one hand, or the second hand could be used to grip the blade to deliver an even more powerful thrust.

While there is nothing to stop an Estoc being one-handed most were two-handed, being used half-sword or two hands on the grip.

References

See also

*Oakeshott types XV, XVII


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • estoc — [ ɛstɔk ] n. m. • v. 1176; de l a. v. estochier → estoquer 1 ♦ Vx D ESTOC : avec la pointe de l épée. Loc. Frapper d estoc et de taille : frapper, se battre avec la pointe et le tranchant de l épée (c est à dire par tous les moyens, avec énergie) …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Estoc — et taille Estoc L’estoc et la taille sont des termes anciens désignant respectivement un coup porté par la pointe de l arme et par le tranchant. Estoc est également le nom d une arme blanche destinée uniquement à frapper « d estoc »,… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Estoc — Angaben Waffenart: Schwert Bezeichnungen …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • estoc — Estoc, m. acut. Se prend ores pour le tronc d un arbre tirant de la racine à mont par droict fil, Truncus. Ce qu és herbes est aussi appelé Tige, Caulis. Selon ce au recensement d une consanguinité on dit ligne d estoc, celle qui est de bas en… …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • Estoc — (franz., v. deutschen »Stock«), s. Panzerstecher …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Estoc — (frz.), Stoßdegen …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • estoc — (è stok) s. m. 1°   Terme d eaux et forêts. Souche. Couper un arbre à blanc estoc, le couper au pied sur la souche. Faire une coupe à blanc estoc, la faire sans laisser de baliveaux.    Fig. Être réduit à blanc estoc, être entièrement ruiné.… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • ESTOC — s. m. (On fait sentir le C.) Il se disait autrefois d Une épée longue et étroite qui ne servait qu à percer.  Il se dit encore de La pointe d une épée, d un sabre, dans cette phrase familière, Frapper d estoc et de taille, Frapper de la pointe et …   Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise, 7eme edition (1835)

  • estoc — I. ESTOC. s. m. (l S se prononce.) C estoit autrefois une espée longue & estroite qui ne servoit qu à percer. Estoc, Se prend aussi, pour La pointe d une espée en cette phrase. Frapper d estoc & de taille. Brin d estoc. Long baston ferré par un… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • ESTOC — n. m. épée longue et étroite qui ne servait qu’à percer. Il se dit encore de la Pointe d’une épée, d’un sabre, dans cette phrase familière, Frapper d’estoc et de taille, Frapper de la pointe et du tranchant. En termes d’Eaux et Forêts, il… …   Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise, 8eme edition (1935)

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