Rapier parry questions - parry with hand?!?

[slipthejab]

I was just watching this clip and expected that they were going to parry the attack of their opponent with their own rapier.

Perhaps I thought it would have been similar to fencing in that bascially you keep the point of your rapier pretty much in square on the chest/torso and if you parry you use the roll of the wrist either side to parry.

But this guy just used his hand! :eek:

Not knowing much about rapier arts... do they actually parry with the hand or is he simply trying to teach something that leads to another technique? :confused:

Is there more than one particular school of thought on rapier work? :confused:

Historically speaking... would someone have parried with their hand on a live blade? Am I missing something here? :confused:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwrSBj-jcFQ&NR=1

[Langenschwert]

But this guy just used his hand! :eek:

Not knowing much about rapier arts... do they actually parry with the hand or is he simply trying to teach something that leads to another technique? :confused:

Yes, they do. It's not optimal, but you do what you have to do. That's why the off hand is carried in front of the body, either near the face, or in front of the breastbone, fingers kept together. It's also common to "check" (control with pressure) the opponent's blade with one's off hand as well when closing with a thrust of your own.

Is there more than one particular school of thought on rapier work? :confused:

Italian and Spanish, mainly. Meyer has some in his Fechtbuch, too.

Historically speaking... would someone have parried with their hand on a live blade? Am I missing something here? :confused:

Absolutely they would. You're putting aside a thrust, not a cut. Even assuming the rapier has a sharp edge (not all did), taking an incidental laceration is worth it if you strike home with your point in a vitla area. Sometimes you even grab the blade, but it can be twisted out of your hand. Sometimes people would wear arming gloves, which I think are made of leather and maille. With one of those, hand parries become even more potent and safe.

Here are a couple of hand parries:

http://www.salvatorfabris.com/SectionRapier.shtml (first photo)
http://www.martinez-destreza.com/fenp408c.htm

Best regards,

-Mark