I like that one very much Luka!

Did you make the hilt yourself? Bending that width of bar on a stake would be really difficult. Guess youd remove as much as possible when flat and then bend, heat and shape on an anvil. I may have a go at making the bars on one I've marked out a bit wider. Wish me luck.

Either way I think the swords I like most are these little beautys from the Royal Armouries. EJs' are brilliant repros of these generic types.

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Thanks Stephen but I didn't make it. It's by Alojz Krišto, my countryman.

My baby! :)

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Hello Nathan,

No, it's a John Allan (Jr perhaps or Sr, I'm not sure) circa 1740. Let's not open up that can of Jr or Sr worms! :D

-Todd

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Please forgive me for posting this sword again in this thread, but I got a new camera. Naturally, fresh sword pics are necessary, so...

That asymmetricality is interesting. Most(?) baskethilts look the same on each side.

Good photos.

That appears to be a horseman's basket hilt. The large oval opening in the basket is for reins to pass through.

Thanks, Nathan. Not up to your standard (you set the bar very high!), but definitely the best indoor shots I've ever had.

Here is an old thread on the sword for those that are interested: Mazansky Type G16.

My early beaknosed ribbonhilt by Alojz Krišto on a Windlass Sword of Granson blade:

Very nice, Luka. It looks so mean :-) How long is the crossguard and how wide is the opening of the hilt?

Cheers,
Henrik

Thanks! It is a beast! The crossguard is 10.5cm, blade is 6cm at the crossguard and the tang is 2cm at the shoulders, so the hole for the tang is 2cm, but there is a shallow recess for the shoulders. Btw, the whole sword is 97cm, 83.5cm blade length.

My 1798 Highland Infantry pattern
Blade a bit earlier, 1750s or there abouts
Bought at Bonhams Knightsbridge sale a couple of years ago

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Here is my 1798 - I thought it would be interesting to post alongside of Mr. Critchley's. There are subtle differences in all of them and you can spot many small differences between the two hilts.

Nice example Thom, they are hard to find now days.

Ste, Yes the hilt is quite heavy but then the sword is overall so it still feels balanced. weights below.

Blade length - 34 ins
Weight - 3lbs 2.5oz
Point of balance- 3.5 ins from hilt



David

Many thanks for that, David and Thom. Being used to the freedom of a simple Late Roman - Early Medieval cross I'm quite curious now about the effect of a basket on wrist manoeuvrability and effective 'width' - I'm used to winding up very close to my own helmet. Obviously that's a far smaller POB than I'm used to, compensating for the much greater weight, much handier if you've got the stamina.

Blunt Migration era Behmer Type I with wooden hilt: 1lb 7.5oz, POB 8 5/8"
Sharp Migration era Behmer Type I with wooden hilt: 1lb 10oz, POB 8"

These slightly less built up baskets looks quite attractive to me, such as the 1788 heavy cavalry pattern and those S-hilt dragoon (though I don't like the slots by the blade) - the plainer mortuary hilts also have grace, but these are undeniably Highland pattern.

Thanks again.

Ste

Hello
Vladimir Cervenka, just sent me some pics of my completed, Sinclaire Hilt( I guess you`d call it a dussage?)I just had to share my glee :-)

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This is an old basket I picked up and mounted on a blade I made.
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