Half-swording - Why grabbing a sharp blade in a sword fight is not crazy

This is a technique from the historical fencing manuals that may seem very odd at first. Many people say “why would you grab a sharp blade with bare hands, you’re gonna cut yourself!“ But with a firm grip it is indeed possible. There were good reasons for doing this in medieval / renaissance times of plate armor that was impervious to sword cuts. Half-swording allows gives the user more precise control over the point, which can then be driven into the gaps of the armor. Alternatively the blade can be grasp