Scherpteslagen

Scherpteslagen is a Dutch term that denotes sharp or edged blows, typically cuts delivered with the edge of a bladed weapon rather than by the point or by blunt impact. The word combines scherpte (edge or sharpness) with slagen (blows), and the plural forms are scherpteslagen with a singular scherpteslag. The term appears most often in discussions of historical European martial arts (HEMA), swordsmanship, and fencing literature, where a distinction is made between scherpteslagen (edged cuts) and other contact actions such as thrusts or blunt strikes.

In practice, scherpteslagen cover cuts produced by the edge of swords, sabres, daggers, and similar weapons. Techniques described as scherpteslagen can include various angles and directions—horizontal, diagonal, or descending cuts—dependent on weapon geometry and target position. Their effectiveness is influenced by blade sharpness, edge alignment, body mechanics, and the resilience of the target.

In modern Dutch-language martial arts writing, the term is used descriptively to label edge-based cutting actions and is often accompanied by notes on technique, anatomy, and safety. Outside of martial arts circles, the term may appear in historical descriptions of battlefield actions or in medical or forensic contexts discussing injuries caused by sharp-edged blows, though this usage is less common.

Scherpteslagen remains a specialized term primarily used by practitioners and scholars of bladed combat. It provides a precise label for edge-based cutting techniques within bladed warfare and training.