Talk:Estoc

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I think it is worth mentioning, that the estoc was mostly used as a backup for the lance. Once the lance has been shattered and another charge was in order, the estoc came to play. That's why it was so long - it had no use as a regular thrusting weapon. Once a close combat armor-piercing weapon was needed, a pick was usually used.

I really have to disagree with the author regarding the german translation. I am from Austria and I am training in a martial arts school of medieval fencing. The term "Panzerstecher" does not describe an Estoc but rather a special form of a dagger. It is called "Scheibendolch" in German and is a short dagger with a triangular oder diamond shaped thrusting bald with no cutting edge. It was the aim of most fights between fully armored opponent to topple the opponent and kill him with the dagger through the gaps and weaknesses of the armor (e.g. the slit in the visor). So the translation should be removed from the otherwise good article.

[edit] Geometry

"...nearly an equilateral triangle or square, with relatively obtuse angles (~60+ degrees)." An equilateral triangle's angles are 60 degrees, period. If they're not all 60 degrees, it's not an equilateral triangle. Also, there are three types of angle, acute- less than 90 degrees, right- exactly 90 degrees, and obtuse, any angle greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees, which isn't an angle at all. Squares or rectangles have all four angles at 90 degrees. If all four sides are the same length but the angles aren't 90 degrees, it's a rhombus or rhomboid. If opposing pairs of sides are the same lengths but the angles aren't all 90 degrees, it's a parallelogram. If one pair of sides are the same length but the other pair are different, it's a trapezoid. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Bizzybody (talk • contribs) 06:13, 11 June 2008 (UTC)