How do you draw a sword from a back sheath?

[haiiro]

I'm not sure what made me think of this today, but how do you draw a sword from a back sheath?

If its length exceeds the distance between your shoulder and the highest point your hand can reach -- particularly in the case of a greatsword -- how does this work?

 

[Richards]

I've always assumed the scabbard would be attached up by the top of the shoulder and hang loose. For an oversized sword, you'd grab the hilt of the sword and pull it forward (pulling the bottom of the scabbard away from your back at more or less a right angle), then pull the sword forward to get it out of the scabbard. It would be a bit of a problem resheathing it, granted, but that's what hirelings are for.

Johnathan

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

From what I've seen, most back sheaths or baldrics only cover the tip and the bottom foot or so of the blade. Above that, the blade is exposed and lays against a back piece that runs to the shoulder. At the top of the sheath is a pair of hooks that holds the hilt. To draw you pull the sword off the hooks, raise it about 12 inches or so until the tip is out of the sheath part at the bottom and than just swing the blade over your shoulder with a twist to be sure it does not catch on the hilt hooks.

 

[Cor Azer]

From what I've seen, most back sheaths or baldrics only cover the tip and the bottom foot or so of the blade. Above that, the blade is exposed and lays against a back piece that runs to the shoulder. At the top of the sheath is a pair of hooks that holds the hilt. To draw you pull the sword off the hooks, raise it about 12 inches or so until the tip is out of the sheath part at the bottom and than just swing the blade over your shoulder with a twist to be sure it does not catch on the hilt hooks.

Yup... 'bout what I pictured. Rather similar for axes, hammer, and polearms.

 

[Planesdragon]

Historically, you don't. A back sheath was used only for transporting a weapon, and to actually use it in combat the warrior would take off the sheath (and possibly the backpack it was attached to) and then draw the weapon.

Of course, this is fantasy, so there's no reason that it ISN'T possible. You just need to have a method that overcomes the problem--such as a sheath with a 12-18 inch slit on the "top edge", the hooks that Thonir described, or a magical sheath that makes the blade fit in a smaller area.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Also remember that the sheath can be placed diagonally across the back, a 6-foot sword isn't necessarily several feet above one's head.

 

[CombatWombat51]

You slide the sheath off your shoulder, grab the sheath in one hand and the sword in the other. Unsheathe your sword, drop the sheath, and go kill stuff. After the battle, you hope you remember where you dropped your sheath.

Or at least that's what I do... minus the killing part

 

[haiiro]

These responses are clear, easy to visualize and very helpful. Thanks, all!

 

[HellHound]

I can't remember what book it was in... some B-grade fantasy novel I read as a teen, I'm sure... but what I remember most from the novel was that the big fighter guy carried his two-handed sword in a back-sheath.

The scabbard was attached to a loose 'belt' effectively, that ran over his shoulder, across his chest and then up his back again, looped over like a courier bag or similar conveyance. (Or how a longbow is traditionally illustrated as being stowed).

To draw the sword, he would flip the belt over his head, and draw the sword with one hand while pushing the scabbard away with the other (and throwing it to the ground). He'd then go back and collect it after the battle.

 

[Hand of Evil]

I was watching Wild West Tech: Gunslingers on the history channel and it is amazing the different types of holsters there were in use, two that I thought was interesting were the 'clip' which basicly clipped your gun under it and the 'Swivel', which many cell phone hosters are based on, allowing the gun to go in complete circles and slide off.

I can see this same tech being applied to swords.