Cold Steel: A Practical Treatise on the Sabre

William Clowes and Sons, 1889, 245 pages The sabre, with the rapier and epee, has been the third arm of fencing for centuries, and also served as the major cavalry weapon. The art of fencing with the sabre is significantly different to the delicacy of epee or the thrust of rapier, and this book explains why. Hutton begins by looking at the construction of the sabre and how to hold it. This is followed by an explanation of the different strokes and defences, and how to combine attack and defence. He then progresses to the more advanced art of sabre fencing, and how left-handed swordsmen should fight. The treatment is in considerable detail, and is as relevant today for the sabre fencer as when the book was first published, in 1889. Hurtton's treatise on the sabre continues with the ceremonial aspects of the art. He also looks at sabre against bayonet, and the French sword. There are descriptions of assocaited weapons such as the great stick and the constable's truncheon, and the book concludes with a look at the sword-bayonet, short sword and dagger. There are numerous illustrations in the book, with a total of 55 movement drawing diagrams.