How do you carry weapons - sheaths, ties, tucks, in hand?

[Quasqueton]

How do you carry a greatsword? Is it kept in a sheath, like a longsword?

How about any of the axes (greataxe, battle axe, war axe)? Do they have some kind of holster?

What weapons are automatically consider "unsheathable"? The various pole arms? How about longbows?

How are maces, hammers, picks, etc. carried?

My paladin has a greatsword. I've figured he carries it in a sheath across his back. I kind of picture it is more broad than long. But back in older editions of the game, I (and everyone else I played with) assumed two-handed swords were never sheathed, but were carried always "out". The town/city guards frowned on carrying such a weapon.

Quasqueton

 

[Hand of Evil]

I did have one player that had a special sheath for one and used it as a walking staff.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

As I understand it, greatswords were generally carried unsheathed or (possibly) carried in a sheath hung from a baldric.

 

[Wolv0rine]

As I understand it, greatswords were generally carried unsheathed or (possibly) carried in a sheath hung from a baldric.

*Nods* To the best of my knowledge, greatswords were either carried bare, carried on a mount, or shealthed on the back. Check out this picture for an example of such a shealth.

And this is a picture of an axe holder.

 

[Dogbrain]

Very large weapons weren't carried unless one were immediately on the way to the battlefield. One certainly did not just wander around with them.

 

[Dogbrain]

*Nods* To the best of my knowledge, greatswords were either carried bare, carried on a mount, or shealthed on the back. Check out this picture for an example of such a shealth.

And this is a picture of an axe holder.

And the documentation that these aren't just some fantasy crap designed to impress Renfaire bunnies?

 

[handforged]

And the documentation that I can do a random amount of damage against your abstract concept of lifeforce by pointing my finger and shouting "Magic Missile"?

 

[Dogbrain]

Your abject surrender is accepted.

 

[Desdichado]

The only way a greatsword would be carried bare is if it were completely dull-edged. Which would make it particularly useless as a sword.

Then again, I'm not sure the fantasy greatsword concept really matches well to too many real weapons, for that matter. Maybe a claymore?

 

[CalrinAlshaw]

Most greatsword sized swords were NOT sharp. They were blunted swords used for their sheer weight while still allowing a sword-like fighting style.

Bastard swords were not always just used as swords, they were commonly used to chop wood and other simple things.

Polearms can possibly be used as gigantic walking sticks I guess...many weapons were strapped to horses and stowed away and strapped on a backpack. The most common weapons of war tended to be short-swords, spears, and pikes.

Calrin Alshaw