Editing Rapier (section)

=== Blade ===
Various rapier masters divided the blade into two, three, four, five or even nine parts. The [[Forte (fencing)|forte]], strong, is that part of the blade closest to the hilt; in cases where a master divides the blade into an even number of parts, this is the first half of the blade. The [[wikt:debile|debole]], weak, is the part of the blade which includes the point and is the second half of the blade when the sword is divided into an even number of parts. However, some rapier masters divided the blade into three parts (or even a multiple of three), in which case the central third of the blade, between the forte and the debole, was often called the medio, mezzo or the terzo. Others used four divisions (Fabris) or even 12 (Thibault).

The [[ricasso]] is the rear portion of the blade, usually unsharpened. It extends forward from the [[crossguard|crosspiece]] or quillion and then gradually integrates into the thinner and sharper portion of the blade.