HEMA Federschwert Longsword Hankow von der Nüwenstadt

HEMA Federschwert Longsword Hankow von der Nüwenstadt, Club Sport

History and Tactical Purpose of the Sword

The design of this training sword is directly inspired by historical museum antiques from the 15th to 16th century. During this late medieval and Renaissance era, public fencing schools known as Fechtschulen flourished throughout Central Europe. As full plate armour retreated from civilian life, martial artists required a specialized training weapon that permitted full-speed practice of unarmoured fencing without inflicting lethal injuries.

This led to the creation of the Federschwert (also known as a Fechtschwert or simply Feder)—a practice weapon defined by a distinct geometry. A key feature is the widened blade base just above the crossguard, called the Schilt (thumb guard/shield). The schilt protects the fencer's gloved hands and facilitates thumb placement along the blade during winding techniques. The narrow blade tapers significantly towards the point, rendering the final third flexible enough to bend safely upon impact during a thrust.

Technical Specifications

Note: Due to the manual finishing processes involved in production, these specifications are approximate and minor variations between individual swords may occur.

Historical Legacy: Hankow von der Nüwenstadt

This feder is proudly named in honor of Hankow von der Nüwenstadt, a 15th-century German fencing master within the tradition of Johannes Liechtenauer. His written treatise provided valuable insights into advanced longsword combat. This product is manufactured as a lasting tribute to his martial heritage.

Care and Safety Guidelines

To keep your training weapon performing reliably in every sparring session, please follow these care instructions:

• Blade Maintenance: Always wipe the blade dry after practice and apply a light coat of mineral oil or gun oil to protect the steel against corrosion caused by sweat and humidity.
• Filing Burrs: Repeated steel-on-steel contact creates small nicks along the edges. Regularly file down these sharp burrs with a fine metal file to prevent damage to sparring gloves and reduce injury risks.
• Protective Gear: Always wear certified HEMA gear (1600N fencing mask, heavy sparring gauntlets, padded jacket, and joint protectors). The spatulated tip can be fitted with an additional leather or rubber tip cover for maximum thrust absorption.
• Misuse Warning: Do not strike rigid, unyielding targets (such as trees, stone walls, or steel posts). Avoid manually bending the blade beyond natural thrust flexion.

Recommended Accessories

For safe practice of 15th to 16th-century German longsword martial arts, we recommend pairing this feder with:

• Rubber or Leather Tip Cover: Provides extra cushioning for high-intensity thrusting.
• HEMA Fencing Mask with Back-of-Head Guard: Essential head and neck protection.
• Heavy HEMA Sparring Gauntlets: Crucial finger and wrist defense during binding drills.
• Padded HEMA Jacket: Absorbs the force of incoming strikes and thrusts to the torso.

About the Kingston Arms Brand

The Kingston Arms brand is a premium division of the renowned US company CAS Iberia, established in 2016. It specializes exclusively in manufacturing fully functional, historically accurate replicas of European edged weapons—ranging from early medieval swords to intricate Renaissance rapiers and specialized HEMA feders.

• Angus Trim (ATrim) Design: Developed in close collaboration with the legendary sword designer, these weapons feature exceptional harmonic balance, outstanding dynamic flow, and highly authentic handling characteristics.
• High-Quality 9260 Spring Steel: Tempered to approximately 50 HRC, these blades exhibit remarkable elasticity, extreme toughness, and superior resistance to breakage.
• King-Peen System: An innovative construction method that secures the crossguard and pommel to the blade tang via a specialized steel tab, eliminating grip looseness even during heavy usage.
• Wide Versatility: The catalog spans blunt reenactment weapons (the Tourney series), razor-sharp cutting swords, and highly flexible sparring trainers for HEMA practitioners.
• Quality Craftsmanship: Solid wood cores heavily reinforced with cord wrapping guarantee a secure, durable, and slip-resistant grip.

Kingston Arms serves as the perfect bridge between affordable mass production and highly expensive custom forging. For fencers, martial artists, and reenactors alike, it delivers a steadfast guarantee of high performance, uncompromising reliability, and historical fidelity at a very reasonable price point.