to gentlemanly status would have worn a small sword daily.

The blade of a small sword is comparatively short at around 0.6 to 0.85 m, though some reach over 1 m. It usually tapers to a sharp point but may lack a cutting edge. It is typically triangular in cross-section, although some of the early examples still have the rhombic and spindle-shaped cross-sections inherited from older weapons, like the rapier.