Pirate swords and weapons

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by David

I have always assumed these cloths were meant to bind the sword to the wrist of the wielder so that they cannot lose hold of it in the heat of battle.

Thank you David, that does make sense and I wondered as well if these wrapped would offer more secure grip if hilt slippery.I guess often with ethnographic forms pragmatic purposes are often overlooked by westerners seeking more esoteric notions. I think Christopher Spring mentioned that in "African Arms and Armor" noting attempts at trying to explain the wild shapes of blades on throwing knives.