Lee S wrote:My present interpretation of the meyer dusack/messer connection is: If one can apply cuts and thrusts while transitioning through meyers dusack guards while understanding how to skillfully apply concepts of measure and time, and understand how to effectively and efficiently generate power, then one is able to effectively fight with a messer.
Kevin Maurer wrote:Its always been interesting to see in Meyer's 1560, the Dussack Chapter, his use of the word Luginslandt, this is a guard he called ten years later, The Watch, or die Wacht. But I think the Messer was intertwined with the understanding of the Dussack. It was the training aid that helped teach all single hand weapons. Which was after all, the crux of the matter in 1570. The rappier.
I have a cool Heussler book, with plates that show mostly Rappier and Dagger, or just rappier, but towards the end there are several that show, Schiavona, Sabers, Long ass Turkish looking Blades, etc. So in 1615, there were many forms of various weapons that we might today call Messer ish, Saber ish, whatever. But I think that was phasing out, with the stabby stab thing taking its' place. Yet, they were still in use, and encountered in Combat. As depicted by a Freifechter who had made War all over Europe in the early 17th century.
To put an exclaimation point on Lee's and Kevin's observations, see the video I found linked on SFI on Russian saber fighting. Note the similarity between the footwork, cuts, thrusts and motions of the Russian saber and Meyer dussack. Also compare Russian saber and Meyer Rappier as far as wrist cuts being used to generate additional power. The best part is the full speed sparring at the 4:04 mark of the video. It makes you wonder if you're looking into the past at what a dussack match 450 years ago might have looked like.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab2atvLjcDo&feature=feedu