The Cocktail Sword is a form of swizzle stick modeled after a 16th century rapier. The cocktail sword has an advantage over the traditional swizzle stick (which resembles a boat oar) in that, like its inspiration, it has a point which can be used to skewer olives, cherries and other cocktail garnishes much like a toothpick. It is especially popular with rum-based and tropical theme drinks given the association of swords and pirates. Most cocktail swords are molded from disposable plastic but resusable varieties made of stainless steel and other metals are available.