Confused Medieval duelist

Why is he doing that with bare hands lol? You're supposed to at least have some leather gloves on.

I vaguely recall there can be reasons to flip the sword around in combat, but without any protective gear...?

That's what I was thinking too; maybe it's not sharpened, idk.

https://imgflip.com/i/6ebv8g?nerp=1651260536#com18660192

Maybe he has brütal calluses from his side-hustle as a carpenter, wheelwright, blacksmith, cooper, and/or stonemason