The thickest area of the sword blade

The thickest area of the blade in original medieval swords.
Lesser known aspect of distal taper measurement, analysis of original measurements and conclusions (introduction).
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The preliminary results of the analysis of blade thickness measurements for original swords from the period 1000-1400.

In the comparative study, I used data of original swords only, from the 11th-14th century:
- the catalogue 'NINTH TO MID-SIXTEENTH CENTURY SWORDS FROM THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN THEIR EUROPEAN CONTEXT', by Jiří Hošek – Jiří Košta – Petr Žákovský, Prague - Brno 2019 (from 430 swords in the catalog, 11th-14th century only).
- 'Selected medieval swords from the collections amassed by the Malbork Castle Museum and the National Museum in Szczecin',  Antoni Romuald Chodyński, Grzegorz Żabiński, 2021. (4 swords)
- 'Early medieval swords from the collection of the National Museum in Szczecin', collective work, Sczecin 2011. (5 swords)
- archaeological documentation, individual examples (29 swords)
- my private data from measurements taken personally (13 swords)
- data provided by museums (24 swords)
- data provided by other researchers (about 20 swords)
- documentation of finds made available online (about 40 swords)

The problem with the data about the thickness is that most often we have just one thickness given, and it is not marked where exactly on the blade it was taken. That is why it is so valuable to know the comparison and location of the measurements, which is crucial for understanding the distal taper, distribution of mass and construction of the sword. It also has an impact on knowing where the blade (as a whole) was, and should be, thickest.

I would like to present to you the conclusions from the extensive study (which I will share soon).

At the very beginning I would like to state the main conclusion that distal taper (gradual thinning of the blade thickness, depending on blade type and cross-sections) in most cases (mostly considering swords with fullers, but not only) begins already on the tang (approximately 70% of the measured swords in study). The maximum thickness of the blade, the area of ​​measurement with the highest value, is most often found in the area located in the first part of the tang, under the hilt cover. This often falls on the area located under 1st-2nd fingers of the leading hand.
(by the way, this 'rule' applies not only to swords from this period, but also later weapons as: sabres, messers, knives, falchions, rapiers, and other bladed weapons)

These measurements and their current interpretation seem to be the cause of much misunderstanding, simply resulting from the lack of access to a broader, reliable database of precise measurements.
The problem seems to stem from the fact that we rarely see pictures of the original hilts from the side (where, even without knowing the measurements, it is easy to see), and even less often do we have precise thickness measurements of the blade tang to compare with the thickness in various parts of the blade. However, once we have a reliable database of these measurements, it turns out that most swords have the thickest part of the blade ABOVE the crossguard, ON THE TANG. It is also thick below the crossguard, but usually it is thinner there than the tang.
Yes, the distal taper starts already on the tang. It was probably used widely as a kind of a natural construction manner in order to better distribute mass and stresses. The actual measurements of original swords show us the truth.

What kind of difference are we talking about? 
It's usually about 1mm difference and that's the most common. 
A few random swords from 430 examles in the 2019 Czech catalog show that relation very well (mostly longswords, common types, 11th-14th, distal taper included):

- p. 69-70, BLADE thickness 5-2mm, TANG thickness 6-4mm.
- p. 88-89, BLADE thickness  5-2mm, TANG thickness 6-4mm.
- p. 92, BLADE thickness  6-2mm, TANG thickness 6-4mm.
- p. 123-124, BLADE thickness 7-3mm, TANG thickness 8-4mm.
- p. 136-137, BLADE thickness 4.2-1.9mm, TANG thickness 5.5mm.
- p. 146-147, BLADE thickness 6-2mm, TANG thickness 7-4mm.
- p. 181-182, BLADE thickness 4-3mm, TANG thickness 5-4mm.
- p. 217, BLADE thickness 5-2mm, TANG thickness 7-4mm.
- p. 231, BLADE thickness 5-2mm, TANG thickness 6-5mm.
- p. 282, BLADE thickness 6-2mm, TANG thickness 8-6mm.
- p. 321-322, BLADE thickness 5-2mm, TANG thickness 5-3mm.
- p. 352, BLADE thickness 6-2mm, TANG thickness 6-5mm.
- p. 353, BLADE thickness 5-2mm, TANG thickness 6-5mm.
- p. 362-363, BLADE thickness 4-1mm, TANG thickness 5-4mm.
- p. 371-372, BLADE thickness 4-1mm, TANG thickness 5-4mm.

Examples from other sources, scientific studies, museum data:
Swords in Szczecin muzeum, Poland
- BLADE thickness 5.0mm, TANG thickness 6.0mm.
- BLADE thickness 5.0mm, TANG thickness 5.1mm.
- BLADE thickness 4.0mm, TANG thickness 6.1mm.
- BLADE thickness 5.2mm, TANG thickness 4.1mm.
- BLADE thickness 5.5mm, TANG thickness 7.0mm.
- BLADE thickness 4.0mm, TANG thickness 6.1mm.
- BLADE thickness 4.3mm, TANG thickness 4.0mm.

Few examples from private visits in museums:
- BLADE thickness 4.3mm, TANG thickness 4.2mm.
- BLADE thickness 4.4mm, TANG thickness 6.9mm.
- BLADE thickness 5.2mm, TANG thickness 6.1mm.
- BLADE thickness 5.0mm, TANG thickness 5.9mm.
- BLADE thickness 5.0mm, TANG thickness 6.7mm.

... and so on, in most cases these values ​​are greater on the tang (about 70%),
in many cases they are equal under and above the crossguard (about 20%)
and in the smallest number of cases the thickness under the crossguard is greater than that on the tang (about 10%).

In the illustrations I also show examples of sword measurements from the museum in Zagreb and examples provided by Dimicator Roland Warzecha (thanks friend!).
The top are only selected random examples to confirm this rule.
In addition, in the gallery you will also see an example of measuring one of my blades, how and where it is measured, before mounting the grip to show that I have been using this principle for many years, all the time in my swords. Although this is more due to the obvious things for a conscious maker, it is worth being aware of the historical realities and measurement place used in the case of sword blades.

I hope this is instructive.

See also: https://artofswordmaking.com/gallery/blade-thicknesses-and-distal-taper

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