Association for Renaissance Martial Arts. ARMA - the Association for Renaissance Martial Arts. 'The Weighty Issue of Two-Handed Greatswords'. A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration, and Use of Arms and Armour. 'Medieval & Renaissance Sword Forms and Companion Implements'. The Complete Encyclopedia of Arms & Weapons: The Most Comprehensive Reference Work Ever Published on Arms and Armor from Prehistoric Times to the Present - with Over 1,200 Illustrations. ^ a b Tarassuk, Leonid Blair, Claude (1982).These weapons quickly became widely popular all over Europe, and examples can be found in numerous illustrations and descriptions of the time. An early image of these 'boar-spear swords' shows Emperor Maximilian I in a triumphal procession after a successful boar-hunt, the riders proudly carrying their spear-pointed swords upright. To allow the blade to fit into a scabbard, these were typically simple removable pegs of wood or bone, but some examples have spring-loaded shafts that automatically deploy when the blade is drawn. To prevent the blade from over-penetrating, most were fitted with a cross-shaft above the blade. Around 1500 AD, a solution was reached by replacing the thin point of the estoc with a standard leaf-shaped boar-spear head, in essence creating a one-handed short spear. It was also very easy to over-penetrate, bringing the wielder into danger from the animal's claws and teeth.

This thin point had little immediate terminal wounding effect on a wild boar or bear, unless a vital organ was hit, requiring a second man to stand by with a spear to finish the wounded animal off. However, it also had a very thin, sharp point, designed for penetrating chain mail. The estoc was useful for this purpose, being a long sword with a strong blade, able to take the shock of meeting with an animal without breaking, while also giving the necessary reach to attack from horseback.

Although hunting with a sword is less ideal than using a lance or spear, the added element of danger added to the thrill of the hunt, since using a sword brought the hunter in closer proximity to dangerous animals, as well as bringing more glory. It was also widely employed as a hunting sword in the late 15th century, usually for hunting wild boar, bear, and stag typically from horseback. In addition to being popular for use as a cavalry weapon, the estoc was frequently used during dismounted hand-to-hand combat at tournaments, its lack of a sharp edge reducing the risk of unintentional injury. Дuring the English Civil Wars, General George Monck recommended that foot soldiers carry 'a good stiff tuck, not very long' because they often broke regular swords by using them to chop firewood. While there is nothing to stop an estoc from being one-handed, most are two-handed, being used half-sword or two hands on the grip. The French word estoc translates to thrust. Long tapered swords could also be used as lances once an actual lance had splintered. Thrusting weapons that could split the rings of mail, or find the joints and crevices of plate armour, were also employed. It was quickly realized that cutting weapons were losing their effectiveness, so crushing weapons such as maces and axes were utilized. History ДЄs armour improved, so did the methods of attacking it. Some other forms provided finger rings, curved quillons, or other varieties of compound hilts. ДЄs on the zweihГ¤nder, this extended grip gives the wielder the advantage of extra leverage with which more accurately and powerfully to thrust the long weapon. Most varieties of estoc provide a long grip like that of a greatsword, though others mimic the zweihГ¤nder in providing a long ricasso with a secondary guard of parrierhaken. As the weapon developed, however, infantrymen began to wear it in a scabbard. Д®arly on, the estoc was hung from the saddle when on horseback and simply hung from the belt when a soldier took to the ground. This geometry leaves hardly any cutting capability as a sharpened edge could simply not be ground, but allowed the weapon to be lengthy, stiff, and very acutely pointed. Д«lade cross-sections can be triangular, square, rhomboid or flat hexagonal.

Such swords average about four pounds (2В kg) with no specimen weighing more than six pounds. Examples from Poland are more than 1.57 metres (62В in) long, with a blade of 1.32 metres (52В in) however, others show a more manageable 1.17 metres (46В in), with a 0.91 metres (36В in) blade. It was long, straight and stiff with no cutting edge, just a point. The estoc was a variation of the longsword designed for fighting against mail armour or plate armour.

French tuck