How does Dooku hold his lightsaber?

when fighting with ONE hand, does he hold the part that curves out, or the part closest to the blade that lines up with the blade?

 

He holds onto the part of the hilt above the curve - the part closest to the blade.

 

with his hand. (sorry. i couldn't resist lol)

 

thanks onlyonekenobi

that's the way i thought he did

 

How does a curved handle easier for combat? I've heard so many people talk about the great Count Dooku and his "fencing" saber... But I'd find his saber awkward and hard to...(twirl)...(best word I could use to describe it)... uh... yeah

 

I couldn't agree more. I take fencing at my college and I'd absolutely hate to have a curved handle. It be awkwerd and though it would be good for reach its just impractical and cumbersome. Christopher L. can obviously use it very well, so perhaps my rush to judgement is mioptic. You decide! lol!

 

with his hand. (sorry. i couldn't resist lol)

Dang, beat me to it! Hehe!

To answer the question, it is like many different things as far as how a weapon is designed to perform. If I bore you with the following, just skip it.

Let's use regular RW swords for an example and their blade/hilt design. Now a rapier?s design is purely built for speed and more of a thrusting motion. It is light so it is designed to get inside the defenses of a broadsword/claymore, not to block a heavy sword. Claymores were designed to be able to penetrate heavy armor from their weight and other factors. Looking at the hilt/handles on these swords, they are both straight to compensate for fighting style. Either a chopping downward motion (Claymore) or a thrusting motion (both.) Also, the heavier swords of this type always have ?blood leters? on the spine of the blade because the fighting style is to stab forward, between the ribs, when you have an opening.

Now Samurai swords and scimitars are a bit different because the handles do slightly curve, as does the blade (though the curve is stronger on the blade.) These swords are a slashing weapon for side to side or an upwards/downwards angle cut. While they can be used to thrust, their main power comes from a different fighting style to inflict a wound. Hence the handle is slightly curved to help absorb shock and flow with the momentum of performing a slash style cut.

This is not to say you cannot thrust or slash with any of these weapons, just they are designed for a certain type of primary fighting style. Hope I didn't completely put you to sleep.

 

I've fenced with what is known as a "pistol grip". Put simply, imagine a gun, but instead of a barrel, you have a sword blade. This, as Onnie said, helps with thrusting attacks, allowing more force behind the thrust.

Trust me, the guy I usually face in the class prefers the pistol grip. It hurts.

 

Sorry to say, but for all the swashbuckling Christopher Lee has done in his decades of film-making, he DOES have a swordsman double for this movie. He sheepishly admits as much in the behind-the-scenes junk on the DVD.