Author Topic: The use of the [i]bilbo[/i]-style sword in FMA?  (Read 11913 times)

Anonymous

  • Guest
The use of the [i]bilbo[/i]-style sword in FMA?
« on: October 14, 2003, 06:39:18 AM »
During the Seven Years' War, the Brits invaded the Philippines.  One British officer commented on the weaponry used by the Filipino levies in Spanish service--he noted the long, double-edged swords they were issued by the Spanish.  He also commented on the "retro" design of the hilts--they were cup-hilts (keep in mind that this was in the mid-1700s, when such a sword design was not seen elsewhere).

These swords were not the familiar cup-hilt rapiers, but broad-bladed, cut-and-thrust bilbos, which were named after the town of Bilbao (presumably were they were first made).

The Spanish 1796 cavalry sword below is fairly representative of what a bilbo would have looked like:



(Taken from Juan Jose Perez's very interesting Spanish sword site)
http://bermudas.ls.fi.upm.es/~pedro/tropacab_e.htm

FMA books occasionally allude to how Spanish weapons were sometimes employed in the various FMA styles, especially by the mestizos who may have had experience both in the indigenous methods and Spanish esgrima.  Do any such swords survive in Filipino museums?

Thanks,

David/TFS

Spadaccino

  • Power User
  • ***
  • Posts: 87
    • View Profile
Use of bilbo-style sword in FMA?
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2003, 06:42:01 AM »
Damn, forgot to login AGAIN...

During the Seven Years' War, the Brits invaded the Philippines.  One British officer commented on the weaponry used by the Filipino levies in Spanish service--he noted the long, double-edged swords they were issued by the Spanish.  He also commented on the "retro" design of the hilts--they were cup-hilts (keep in mind that this was in the mid-1700s, when such a sword design was not seen elsewhere).

These swords were not the familiar cup-hilt rapiers, but broad-bladed, cut-and-thrust bilbos, which were named after the town of Bilbao (presumably were they were first made).

The Spanish 1796 cavalry sword below is fairly representative of what a bilbo would have looked like:



(Taken from Juan Jose Perez's very interesting Spanish sword site)
http://bermudas.ls.fi.upm.es/~pedro/tropacab_e.htm

FMA books occasionally allude to how Spanish weapons were sometimes employed in the various FMA styles, especially by the mestizos who may have had experience both in the indigenous methods and Spanish esgrima.  Do any such swords survive in Filipino museums?

Thanks,

David/TFS
"And the rapier blades, being so narrow and of so small substance, and made of a very hard temper to fight in private frays... do presently break and so become unprofitable." --Sir John Smythe, 1590

Spadaccino

  • Power User
  • ***
  • Posts: 87
    • View Profile
The use of the [i]bilbo[/i]-style sword in FMA?
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2003, 06:44:07 AM »
OK that's better.

Anyway, this type of weapon would really fit the bill for larga mano work--I'm curious as to how many may still be out there...

(Guro Crafty--feel free to eliminate that first lame attempt at my post)
"And the rapier blades, being so narrow and of so small substance, and made of a very hard temper to fight in private frays... do presently break and so become unprofitable." --Sir John Smythe, 1590