[Raab Rashi]

Hello everyone, I've recently acquired a Waffenfabrik Neuhausen blade. After doing some research, I've found that most Waffenfabrik Neuhausen blades were bayonets, but I don't believe this blade is. Here are a couple pictures of the sword: http://picasaweb.google.com/raabrashi/Swords# (apologies for the bad pictures.)

There is a serial number on the blade: 39202 and under that, 13. Could anyone tell me anything about this sword?

[Felix Kunze]

Hi Raab,

this seems to be a 19th. century shortsword or "Faschinenmesser". With the same grip they are also found as double edged shortswords in various european armies of the 19th. century, especially prominent in the French army since revolutionary times, but a similar design was also used in the American army (Modell 1839). This sword was the sidearm for artillery and pioneer troops and used for clearing away brushes and other obstacles on the armies` way and to build makeshift defences.

The russian army also used a very similar, single edged design with a saw on the back of the blade from 1835 to 1880.

Hope I could be of some help.