For no reason (and I don't know how many HEMAists are still here), I leave this pic of a C15th longsword here

https://collections.royalarmouries.org/object/rac-object-26.html

I'm not in HEMA, but I do collect swords.  And occasionally do some (very bad) backyard cutting. :)

That's a real nice looking sword.  But 2.45 kg, that's a bit too hefty a blade for me.  The longsword is my favorite general style, but I much prefer them under 3.5 lb.

Have you been involved with HEMA long?

You're right, actually-- 2.45 kg is pretty monstrous, really massive !!!

I don't own any swords (I don't think a kukri quite counts) and I don't practice HEMA but I watch a lot of "sword" channels on YouTube and find the history of weapons fascinating (which shouldn't be a surprise considering how active I am on this forum :D).

Maybe it's a sword of office ?

I had one session learning how to fight with the longsword, it was pretty fun.

One day I will have one hanging over the fireplace...

well for a 2 handed weapon an overall weight of 5 an a bit pounds is pretty good.

they tend to be used more as a sharp edged club, than in any actual fancy sword play.

Curious Aardvark wrote on Jan 2^nd, 2020 at 12:39pm:

well for a 2 handed weapon an overall weight of 5 an a bit pounds is pretty good. they tend to be used more as a sharp edged club, than in any actual fancy sword play.

Matt Easton would disagree...

Yes longsword, as we can tell from manuals, is actually fast and subtle, whether in the German or the Italian traditions-- that's one of the things the last 25 years HEMA teaches us: you can do VERY fancy swordplay with them, and even the "common" fencing is pretty good. That was even debated on this forum (there was a man who practised longsword, an Irishman living in Scandinavia I think)

You also have, of course, play with actual clubs, with various parries and moves
https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Paulus_Hector_Mair#Peasant_Stick
[modified: click on "peasant stick", Bauerstannge, tab]

"Medieval Swords are neither unwieldably heavy nor all alike - the average weight of any one of normal size is between 2.5 lb. and 3.5 lbs. Even the big hand-and-a-half 'war' swords rarely weigh more than 4.5 lbs. Such weights, to men who were trained to use the sword from the age of seven (and who had to be tough specimens to survive that age) , were by no means too great to be practical."
~Ewart Oakeshott, Sword in Hand

I would also argue that even a heavy sword doesn't make a particularly good blunt force weapon.  Even with a heavy blade, most of the weight is near the handle.  If something is being used like a club, you're much better off to use a club, a mace, an ax, or other types of polearm weapons.  These would also be much more affordable than a sword.

joe_meadmaker wrote on Jan 2^nd, 2020 at 9:17pm:

Even with a heavy blade, most of the weight is near the handle.

This is key. Holding a hammer by the handle is very different to holding it by the head. It's why (well one of the potential reasons why) swords have pommels (for the most part), to act as a counterbalance.