Giant 15th century sword

[Richard338]

Written down after hundreds of years after the fact doesn't necessarily mean made up. As easily as historical tales can be exaggerated, they can also be dismissed or minimized (which seems to be the trend nowadays).

Zweihander and gassenhauer swords that size were used in the time and location of Grutte Pier, it's not a myth. I've read that some weighed as little as 6 or 7 pounds.

Bending a thin gold or silver coin between your fingers is easy for me to believe. Same with picking up a plow one-handed: old plows were mostly wood, with a blade that wasn't all that big.

Would anyone believe there was once a man who would pick up a 250 lb anvil with his nipples just to show off? Surely it's a tall tale, ridiculous to believe.

You've got to let them know about the nipple challenge if they film another season of The Strongest Man in History... Eddie Hall will thank you.

 

[954Ink]

The coin bending seems easy. I started training to roll frying pans up years back as well as hammering nails bare handed (rag wrapped around the hand). There a plenty of tales of 160 pound guys doing crazy stuff. My step dad dead lifted 600 plus pounds at 147 pounds and set the Virginia state class record in the 60s. In high school I watched a 6'4" guy (10th grader) squat 670 and a 14 year old bench 350. Some guys are just beasts. Interesting is that even years later these massive swords create the same lore and skepticism that I imagine they did back then.

 

[Richard338]

The coin bending seems easy. I started training to roll frying pans up years back as well as hammering nails bare handed (rag wrapped around the hand). There a plenty of tales of 160 pound guys doing crazy stuff. My step dad dead lifted 600 plus pounds at 147 pounds and set the Virginia state class record in the 60s. In high school I watched a 6'4" guy (10th grader) squat 670 and a 14 year old bench 350. Some guys are just beasts. Interesting is that even years later these massive swords create the same lore and skepticism that I imagine they did back then.

That's cool, your step dad's quadruple bodyweight deadlift is great. I lifted in the 220 lbs class in the late 80s, through the 90s. Good times, but some lingering injuries...

 

[954Ink]

My PR's
Deadlift 435 lbs 5 reps
Squat 385 lbs 5 reps
Bench 240 Lbs 6 reps

Then man makes giant foot prints to follow. Luckily he instilled a lot the determination and strong man stunts in me from a young age. Like the classic 10 pound sledge hammer nose kiss.

 

[Mecha]

There were never any zweihanders as large as the one pictured, this sword in particular weighs 6.6kg or 14.5lbs
Check the above link for more info

I think the most likely thing would be that Grutte Pier used the giant ceremonial sword because he could.

Believe, Kailash Blades. Believe.

 

[NihontoEd]

*mic drop*

SouthernComfort can you explain to these unbelievers that the giant is real?

Doubtful

 

[Richard338]

I think the most likely thing would be that Grutte Pier used the giant ceremonial sword because he could.

Believe, Kailash Blades. Believe.

(just as when Santa Claus was questioned in 1897)

VIRGINIA (Mecha), your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds...
Yes, VIRGINIA (Mecha), there is a Santa Claus (Giant).

 

[Mecha]

(just as when Santa Claus was questioned in 1897)

VIRGINIA (Mecha), your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds...
Yes, VIRGINIA (Mecha), there is a Santa Claus (Giant).

I don't think Grutte Pier was a "giant" in the way we think of the term today. I think he was "gigantic" in the opinion of his contemporaries, and was likely in the league of the huge athletes I posted earlier in the thread.

I asked a friend of mine who's in Europe about the subject, since he has a lot of information in German about zweihanders and such. He took these photos below.

These swords are up to and around 65" in total length, with a blade of 50". They were around a tall as the average man of the time, as it's said. To someone like those big athletes I posted, one of these would be a normal-to-smallish sword. They are all battle swords from the 14-1500s.

The flamberge are also battle swords, not parade/display swords.

These huge blades were used by normally-sized people, and weigh 6-8 lbs.

One way the question of Grutte Pier's sword could be answered: is the blade hardened, or was it at least sharpened? Did he sharpen and use a giant medieval "full-tang wall hanger" for intimidation or to make a statement of sorts? In an age where warriors wore flamboyant pimp hats and enormous codpieces, it doesn't seem far-fetched to me. My friend, who is steeped in a lifetime of being around and studying these things, agrees.

 

[not2sharp]

I don't think Grutte Pier was a "giant" in the way we think of the term today. I think he was "gigantic" in the opinion of his contemporaries, and was likely in the league of the huge athletes I posted earlier in the thread.

I asked a friend of mine who's in Europe about the subject, since he has a lot of information in German about zweihanders and such. He took these photos below.

These swords are up to and around 65" in total length, with a blade of 50". They were around a tall as the average man of the time, as it's said. To someone like those big athletes I posted, one of these would be a normal-to-smallish sword. They are all battle swords from the 14-1500s.

The flamberge are also battle swords, not parade/display swords.

These huge blades were used by normally-sized people, and weigh 6-8 lbs.

One way the question of Grutte Pier's sword could be answered: is the blade hardened, or was it at least sharpened? Did he sharpen and use a giant medieval "full-tang wall hanger" for intimidation or to make a statement of sorts? In an age where warriors wore flamboyant pimp hats and enormous codpieces, it doesn't seem far-fetched to me. My friend, who is steeped in a lifetime of being around and studying these things, agrees.

All of these swords may be big, but they have normal (if longer) grips. If a sword were truely built for a “giant” then the grip would have been made for a hand that could encapsulate a basketball as most of us do a softball.

N2s

 

[Mecha]

All of these swords may be big, but they have normal (if longer) grips. If a sword were truely built for a “giant” then the grip would have been made for a hand that could encapsulate a basketball as most of us do a softball.

N2s

Well, the Grutte Pier sword sort of matches your description, if thought of as a one-hander. Still though, when somebody in the 1600s says, "Pier was a giant!" it just means he was exceptionally big.