Curved Swords

Curved Swords: The Cutting Edge of Every Culture

Where straight blades thrust, the curved sword slices. A curved edge meets its target at an angle and keeps cutting as it draws through, which is why nearly every riding and seafaring culture arrived at the same answer: the Middle Eastern scimitar, the cavalry sabre, the pirate's cutlass, and medieval Europe's own single-edged answer, the falchion.

How the Curved Families Differ

The scimitar family, shamshir and kilij among them, carries a deep, elegant curve built for sweeping draw cuts from horseback. The sabre straightens that curve slightly for point work as well as the cut. The cutlass shortens and thickens the blade for brutal close work on a crowded deck. The falchion pairs a single wide cutting edge with the cruciform hilt of a knightly sword. Our Damascus and 1095 high carbon steel blades in this collection are hand forged with full tangs and ship sharp.

Choosing a Curved Sword

Pick by the cut you want to make: long sweeping slices favor the scimitar and sabre, close chopping power favors the cutlass and falchion. For the wider story of how these families relate, see the types of swords guide, or step back to the full sword collection.