[Peter Jensen]

Now, believe me, I've read the wonderful information on this site regarding hilts, but I still have a few questions.

Cross-hilt - easy enough, it's like a medieval long sword. This may only include big solid medieval hilts or it could include simple, thin, quillons-only hilts I see in Renaissance hardware.

Cup-hilt - like a classic rapier, but I'm not sure if it has to be solid or if it can be perforated. This might mean the protection is only frontal (i.e. thumb and index finger) and not "cutlassy" (meaning a really fat knuckle-bow that curves forward to surround the blade)

Basket-hilt - I thought this had to be solid, but I see a lot of examples of baskets that look like they are woven from strips of metal - beautiful! But then I wonder how this type differs from....

Cage-hilt - Like a mortuary sword's?

How would you distinguish the solid, "can't stab through it with a rapier", cutlass-type hilt from the complex, "woven" or perforated designs? (At least, I associate these with a naval cutlass from maybe 1690.)