Lecküchner's langes messer guards

Описание: A description of Lecküchner's guards for the langes messer
(Lecküchner 33r, 33v, 34r)

Although messers can vary a lot in design, hand protection is typically limited to quillons and a Nagel (nail). This provides some protection, but still leaves your weapon hand and arm quite exposed and therefore most guards and positions keep the hand back and often on the same side as the rear foot. Lecküchner will often give detailed instructions regarding the orientation of the messer. Most of the time it seems to boil down to making sure the Nagel is positioned to protect you.

A messer is a rather choppy weapon, so your non-dominant arm should not be exposed unnecessarily. When not in use, for things like wrestling, half-swording or disarms, the non-dominant arm stays behind your back or across your chest. Almost all of the illustrations show the non-dominant arm behind the back, while the text also mentions the option of placing the arm across the chest in order to be better prepared for wrestling.

Bastei - Bastion, correponding to Alber in longsword.
Hilt held low with the point down. Short edge facing up. Only described with the dominant foot forward, but the position does not change very much with the other foot forward.

Eber - Boar, corresponding to Pflug in longsword.
Hilt held low and point toward the opponen't face.
Right side: Short edge up.
Left side: Lecküchner instructs us to keep the long edge up. This is a bit awkward for the wrist. Either just turn your wrist slightly up or switch to a thumb grip.

Stier - Steer, corresponding to Ochs in longsword.
Hilt held high and point toward the opponent's face.
Right side: Short edge toward you.

Luginsland - Watchtower, corresponding to Vom Tag in longsword.
Messer held high with a straight arm, angled slightly forward. The position does not change very much if you switch which foot is forward.

Lecküchner's secondary messer positions:
   • Lecküchner's secondary langes messer posit...