Cutlass

A cutlass is a short, thick saber or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket-shaped guard.

=Background=

Etymology
The word cutlass, recorded in English since 1594, is probably derived from the Italian coltellaccio (pejorative form of coltello, 'knife'), the name of a short, broad-bladed sabre popular in Italy during the 16th century, via the French coutelas, or coutelace, a form of coutel, modern couteau, a knife, from Latin cultellus, diminutive of culter, a ploughshare, or cutting instrument. A soldier armed with it can be called coutillier.

Two variations appear in English: curtelace, where the r represents probably the l of the original Latin word, or is a further variant of the second variation; and curtelaxe, often spelled as two words, curtal axe, where the prefix curtal is confused with various English words derived from the Latin curtus such as curtan, curtal and curtail, which all mean shortened; the word thus wrongly derived was supposed to refer to some non-existent form of battle-axe. In every case the weapon to which these various forms apply is a broad cutting or slashing sword.

History and use
Best known as the sailor's weapon of choice, the naval side arm, likely because it was also robust enough to hack through heavy ropes, canvas, and wood. It was also short enough to use in relatively close quarters, such as during boarding actions, in the rigging, or below decks. Another advantage to the cutlass was its simplicity of use. The cutlass required less training than the rapier or small sword, and was more effective as a combat weapon than the full-sized sword. The cutlasses portrayed in films about pirates are usually historically incorrect, often 19th-century weapons that substitute for the backsword and falchion that were actually available to pirates in prior centuries.

It was also used on land, particularly by cavalrymen such as the Mamelukes, since its curved blade made it useful for slashing combat. In time of peace the Ottoman state supplied no arms, and the janissaries on service in the capital were armed only with clubs; they were forbidden to carry any arm save a cutlass, the only exception being at the frontier-posts.

A cutlass is as often an agricultural implement and tool, as a weapon (cf. machete, to which the same comment applies), being used commonly in rain forest and sugar cane areas, such as the Caribbean and Central America. Woodsmen and soldiers in the 17th and 18th centuries used a similar short and broad backsword called hanger.

According to pirate myth, the cutlass was invented by the Caribbean buccaneers, and was originally a long knife made for cutting meat. As a historical fact, however, this remains dubious. It has been noted that the hey-day of corsairs and pirates was well over before the widespread use of the cutlass.

The last use of a cutlass in a boarding action by the British Royal Navy is recorded as being as late as 1941.

The cutlass remained an official weapon in the U.S. Navy stores until 1949, though seldom used in training after the early 1930s. The last new model of cutlass adopted by the U.S.Navy was the Model 1917. A cutlass is still carried by the RCPO of recruit divisions at U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command.

= Cutlass in Castlevania = The Cutlass is a basic horizontal slicing sword in both Symphony of the Night and Dawn of Sorrow.

Appearance in Symphony of the Night
The Cutlass is a slightly stronger basic horizontal slashing sword than the Scimitar and not quite as strong as a Saber. You will be rewarded with one after you defeat the Hyppoglyph at the top of a tower at the very end the Royal Chapel. This would likely be replacing the Gladius or Scimitar, depending on if you travelled to the Underground Caverns first or not. It is also possible to get this weapon earlier though, since it is a drop item of the Sword Lord (in the Outer Wall) and the Corner Guard (in the Royal Chapel). If you are really skilled and lucky, you could fight the Owl Night at the entrance as soon as Death steals your Alucard Sword and have it before you even obtain a Short Sword. Obtaining this sword is pointless if you have already purchased a Saber or an enemy drops one.

Appearance in Dawn of Sorrow
While Symphony of the Night has a Naval Cutlass, Dawn of Sorrow contains a Cavalry Cutlass. This version of the Cutlass is essentially a stronger Short Sword, with the same small reach. It is possible to combine the Short Sword you start out with and the Armor Knight soul you start with to upgrade to a Cutlass as soon as you lead Yoko to her shop. You could also buy one at Hammer's Shop eventually when you can afford one. You can only obtain this weapon from one of the two shops. If you want a longer sword, you can evolve the Cutlass to a Long Sword once you have a Corpseweed soul.