The History of the Pirate Sword

With the rise in popularity of pirates in popular culture today, interest in pirate sword collecting has also grown. Movies like Pirates of the Caribbean featuring the swashbuckling Captain Jack Sparrow, played by Hollywood idol Johnny Depp, have brought a renewed interest in pirate lore and paraphernalia.

Pirates and pirating have existed as long as sea trade has. Looting ships stocked with valuables was very lucrative, and for some social outcasts their way of life and only means of making a living. During the 17th and 18th centuries, many of the European governments even sanctioned piracy against enemy ships coming from other countries. Many of these Privateers went on to pillage any ship, not just ones from enemy countries. The image of the swashbuckling hero is definitely a romanticized one. However, pirate swords do make for fascinating and beautiful collectors items.

The Pirate Sword of Choice: The Cutlass

The cutlass was the most popular pirate sword. One end featured a vicious blade, and on the other end was an impressive basket hilt. The curved blade was still short enough to be effective fighting in close quarters and was also a useful tool for cutting rope and masts as well as with other deck chores. The basket style hilt provided great protection for the hand. The cutlass was normally about half a meter long.

The hangar sword, which got its name due to how it is worn in the waist belt, was normally longer than the cutlass at approximately one meter long. These pirate swords often had elaborate hilts made of bone, wood, clan iron shells and horn grips. These swords had a very sharp cutting edge.

The smallsword became a popular sword during the late Renaissance. It was the successor to the thin epee and was heavier and longer. It had a long blade and was used strictly for thrusting.