Overview
The espada ropera (lit. "dress sword") was the forerunner of, and in Spain a contemporary of, the rapier. The French term espee rapiere is a derivative of espada ropera. The espada ropera distinguishes itself from the rapier in that its blade, though thin, could be used to make effective cuts. Modern tests have shown it capable of cutting cleanly through a pig. These swords were manufactured in Toledo.
It is a sword that stands between a Baroque period rapier and a late medieval arming sword and it is also considered to be the starting point of the light-blade lineage. The espada ropera has a cross-guard and despite the fact that the sword is narrowed it maintains an effective cutting edge.
Read more about this topic: Espada Ropera