Crossguards: bottom recess form

Crossguard construction detail: bottom recess
(a small detail that sometimes affects the 'modern rating' of the sword)

The recess for the blade shoulders in the crossguard is an interesting detail of the structure of the sword. It does not matter that much for the entire sword, provides solid suppert for the blade shoulders in a recess, but nowadays it becomes a matter of aesthetics very often. In fact, there are no standards regulating the shape and quality of this detail in the Middle Ages. That is why we usually find slightly wider recesses on original swords, sometimes much wider. They are also shallow, sometimes deep. Sometimes they are also almost perfectly matched to the cross-section of the blade. There are no standards here, it just depended on the style of the craftsman.

So as long as we see something that results from the observation of the original swords, everything is fine.
Below I present a few examples of a close-up of this particular detail of the construction of swords from different eras and different types.
It is worth adding that we rarely have the opportunity to see this 'intimate' detail of the original swords...

Supplement 1

According to some researchers, crossguards and pommels were made in a different workshop than the blades. This would explain making the recesses according to the template in such a way that they fit each blade. That would explain why many of them is too wide. Well, maybe in some cases it was like that. But it certainly cannot be said that every sword was made this way. Rather, I am inclined to the fact that the steel elements were made by the same, one craftsman, while perhaps other craftsmen specialized in working in wood and leather.

Supplement 2

Nowadays, the aesthetics of workmanship has become closely related to the quality of a given item. These are the consequences of mass production and getting us used to repetitive and perfectly matched elements. When buying a sword, we sometimes check details that in the old days were of no importance (and certainly in terms of aesthetics). However, standardization is not indicated here. Personally, I do not see anything wrong with it, but the more and more carefully we look at the original swords in museums, the more understanding we can show for the old approach to the aesthetics of finishing and fitting the elements.