The French estoc or English "tuck" was a variation of the
longsword focused intensely on fighting against
chain mail or
plate armour. It was long, straight and stiff, with a diamond or triangular cross-section. An estoc had no cutting edge, just a point. Examples from
Poland are more than 1.57 m (62 inches) long, with a blade of 1.32 m (52 in.); however, others showed a more manageable 1.17 m (46 in.), with a 0.91 m blade (36 in.). The size seems to have been made-to-order. The blade's cross-section was nearly an
equilateral triangle or square, with relatively obtuse angles (~60+ degrees). This geometry left hardly any cutting capability as a sharpened edge could simply not be ground, but allowed the weapon to become lengthy, stiff, and very acutely pointed. Early on, the estoc was hung from the saddle when on horseback and simply hung from the belt when the soldier took to the ground. As the weapon developed, however, infantrymen using it began to wear it in a scabbard. Most varieties of estoc provided a long grip like that of a great sword, though others mimicked the
bihänder in providing a long ricasso with a secondary guard of parrierhaken. As on the two-hander, this extended grip gave the wielder the advantage of extra leverage with which to more accurately and powerfully thrust the long weapon. Some other forms provided finger rings, curved quillions, or other forms of a compound hilt. Few, however, developed anything close to a full baskethilt.
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