Estoc
Literally: thrust
Also known as: tuck
A European variant of the longsword from the 14th to the 17th century with an edgeless blade, only a point, meant to pierce mail or plate armour.
Quick Facts
About the weapon
The estoc, in English tuck, was used from the 14th to the 17th century as a variant of the longsword meant for fighting against mail or plate armour. The French word estoc means thrust. The blade was roughly 91 to 132 cm long, with a triangular, square, diamond or flat hexagonal cross-section, with no edge, only a point. Estocs weigh on average around 2 kg, and no known piece exceeds 2.7 kg. Most were wielded two-handed, either in a half-sword grip with one hand on the blade, or with both hands on the grip. They were also used to hunt boar, bear and deer, usually from the saddle; around 1500 the thin point on some was replaced with a boar-spear point. Emperor Maximilian I is depicted with such weapons after a hunt. General George Monck recommended to soldiers "a good stiff tuck, not too long." The name estoc today also denotes the sword with which the matador kills the bull in the Spanish corrida.
Related weapons
- Variant of: Longsword