The Cold Steel Colichemarde: Initial Impressions and Handling 

They were George Washington's favorite sword design.

Please buy her one. history lesson coming up.This is why, now I will answer the bonus round. if you consider yourself to be an American this will be awesome. George Washington WAS known since 1755 as SIR, George Washington. in other words he was a knight of the king. the VERY last time he was in England the knight known as George Washington, went to the royal armory and ordered not just any Colichemarde, witch by definition is a gentleman's dueling sword one of the finest ever made. That is important later on. He challenged the king with that in hand. that guy the started America. with that sword. I really want to buy what you are testing.

omg I love that you know it was called a fort. you get more comments as we go but bonus round at the end. I love this type of sword for an awesome reason.

super valid point about the seam.

YES you feel like you are cheating as in my sword is better. you have won a point for the bonus round.

correct understanding of the nature of the fort, for the parry. but also the sudden change in the width makes a second guard shelf like the double shell hand guard. so it can be forced into the enemies blade early and repel it.

this style of sword is a war sword. I've had one for several years and enjoy drilling with it. I fence with a dull version, but I can tell you that the style of fighting with this sword is for blood. It's the only period sword I dare take the point out of center for thrust, parry, or slash.

@Michael Rizzo try this with the "pinch grip" (cf. 15:20 ff); put your thumb tip in that little concave spot below the finger rings and keep it straight. When you close your hand down in the more instinctive way, thumb and it's fleshy base on top all the way down the handle, the blade will be laying flat. The knuckle bow will be facing left (for right handers). Once you have that grip secure, rotate your wrist so that the blade is in the usual vertical position, thumb now on the left. Trigger finger can also fit into that concave spot on the other side, but this need not be adhered to (in fact, I cannot keep it there 100% when my forearm is properly aligned). This is the essential difference with smallsword, that the palm is on top, almost as if the rapier is used with the Western grip of Tennis and the smallsword with the Eastern grip. It also explains why the guards seem to shift from rapier to sabre to smallsword. Using the finger ring you can rapier grip the colichemarde and use rapier guards. This is recommended only if you are confident you won't be grappled. With smallsword grip the guarde prime is no longer possible, only the high seconde. Get that grip aligned and practice rotating the wrist and see how the guards are shifted about 45° from the rapier paradigm, clockwise from the swordsman's perspective.

Interesting..most colichemarde not only arent sharp down at the strong but normally are triangular in cross section & hollowed on one side rather than having that strong center ridge on both sides. Makes me want to order one to see how it handles now. I know you've said you prefer a straight sword blade over a saber which is normally my preference as well but i have become very fond of the eastern euro weapon sets of the Khevsur & the Cossack. They use a slightly curved saber as well as carrying a Qame short sword which almost amounts to a gladius. Kind of changed my mind on sabers a bit. Just thought you might find it interesting.

love the thrust box

This is incredible I m also love to make different different types of sword on my channel just like you h can watch all in my playlists

Nice looking blade. I love how your daughter "pirated" your Black Pirate Roberts sword.

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kung fu dads with too many swords and guns are my favorite people

Ive been going back and forth rewatching this video, the cold steel english backsword and the Windlass Black Marauder video. I want more european post 15th century swords in my collection and I cant decide between these three. I have to ask which of the three would you recommend the most?

Have it, & LOVE it! Most versatile sword I’ve found, at least for myself. I am super curious about the black marauder though, (great review btw) & it was the first one I considered of the two. I may still go for it, but I’m more than pleased with the colichemarde, & I definitely do not regret getting it. 🙏🏻

Love your channel Michael, your reviews are the best.

If you know how to sharpen knives you can get anything like that to cut hair like its not attached at all. You just have to learn. The British knives are an example of knives that only work well if you know what your doing. And then if you do, they REALLY can't be beat. They are the best. This reminds me of the profile and i plan on buying one just to collect. If I was back in the day, this is the only knife I would want. Absolutely beautiful. If the wire bothers you too much, you can tamp it down permanently with plastic super glue, like JBweld. Might take some time but you can do it. Wouldn't help resale but this is clearly designed for gloves. Leather gloves.

8:10 I think yours just has the seam on the wrong side, mine has the seam opposite to the hook.

I've been considering a smallsword, this is leading in the running for me personally. Very much appreciate the review

If you have the opportunity to handle an antique smallsword you will be very surprised at it's lightness. Most copies end up a bit too heavy. Practicing smallsword is excellent for several reasons. It will compliment your sabre training. It will enable you to spar for longer (do your normal sparring and when fatigued, continue with the smallsword). And it's tremendously fun fencing! Hutton is very good but you can throw in other styles as well.

Still a great review here Michael, on this unique styled sword and it seems this sword is totally out of stock this year (and for awhile). Glad I bought it back in early 2022 with its parrying dagger too. The sword sheath is the weak part of this set and Cold Steel isn't willing to replace it, if needed though have learned how to sheath it well enough to manage and reenforcing the hot spot.

I have recently purchased one of these for myself. Just a quick note: My hook is on the outside of the scabbard. You may want to return yours and get it replaced with the proper configuration. Overall I am quite impressed with the quality of this sword. Only change I would make is to increase the size of the rings on the hilt for my large fingers just in case.

Gorgeous do you like it?

Yeah, very painful and yet superficial cuts can be made

I've looked at that sword many times. I am really surprised at the weight. I thought it would be heavier.

The discovery of your channel could not have come at a better time! I'm actually looking at all the swords so far that you are demonstrating.

There where more militarized small swords. Nothing wrong with adapting your tecneque to beat larger heavier weapons like when you decide to finger your guard.

Great showing Michael enjoyed it

I also had to take a dremmel tool to trim the wood on the mouth of the scabbard in order to get the sword into it.

I really wish Cold Steel would sell a leather frog with their swords and daggers. That clip you see on the scabbard is not for your belt. It's for a leather frog which attaches to your belt. It fits in my German 1930's bayonet frog fairly ok. The Colichemarde Dagger and Shell Guard Companion Dagger( which can be drawn very quickly) should also have an angled clip to draw with the left hand which is in the small of the back. Both daggers you use in conjunction with the Colichemarde Smallsword and Shell Guard Rapier.

capo ferro? did you also study your agrippa?

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It does have a unique look and it seems to stick good on the thrust. Very interesting sword and with it's blade and name. ⚔️

Looks rather like a spadroon. I'm interested lol

Thanks for the reply.

I prefer axes myself, but swords are dope as fck too, and this one looks fantastic!

have you tried any of lk chen swords? i think you may like them

Tis a beautiful sword. Does it come with a scabbard ?

Definitely doesn't suit my tastes either, but I would be apt to try out any sword. Especially this one after seeing your video. Definitely look forward to more videos.

What is the full rapier you have displayed in this video?

Hello. I plan on purchasing the cold steel colichemarde and dagger real soon. From looking at your video, it looks like you could CUT AND THRUST with it. Would you consider this colichemarde a good cutter and trust sword (like a rapier) based on what I saw you do? Would you say it is like a rapier? Also, is it as lightweight as most smallswords? Please let me know,,,,

I am left-handed thus looking for a left-handed sword. Would you say this smallsword can be used in either hand?

I have always wanted to look in to that type of sword;!now I remember watching DEADLIEST WARRIOR, George Washington vs. Napoleon; Washingtons sword is the one you have in hand and they say the beefy part of the blade was to block heavier swords such as sabers. Cutlass or a Scottish basket hilt broad sword or back sword. If this is true I don’t know.

Hello, I enjoy your channel and I love swords, especially Napoleonic era ones. On the Disney show Hawkeye, a character named Jack Duquesne (the Swordsman), used what appears to be a Napoleonic Calvery saber against the Tracksuit Mafia in the last episode. Around 23:42 you can see the whole sword and you can see the sword grip around 45:22. Can you please tell me what type of sword he used?

Good video. I love my CS Col. Very cool sword for the money.

What are your thoughts on the spadroon sword? Smallish, light, cut and thrust sword. Similar hilt to a small sword but with the added cutting ability.

Just a tip, I use graphite flakes , look up dry lube , not spray it comes in a tube.

Just now subscribed. Have you done anything on the Schiavona. I think it is the best combination cut & thrust sword ever devised and it has both rings and a roomy basket hilt that facilitates a handshake grip. You probably know all that but I just discovered your channel so I don't know if you've handled one or not.

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Nice 👍😀

Great video!!!

@Michael Rizzo I'm glad you tried it. It's becomming my main HEMA work, along with that Italian Dueling Sabre. Please retain it as a PT sword and just jian that baby 😊 Buy your daughter one too LOL 😄 That extra long forte had me working some jian.

that looks sweet to cut with, what kind of targets would you with that, With A sharper profile looks like fun cutter

I heard the colichemarde is a small sword design to parry Calvary sabers

I read that the pommel is threaded and not peened. That got me a bit skeptical. How did it hold up so far?