[Jared Smith]

I am wondering if there are examples of historical swords that are suspected to have older period hilt furniture fitted to newer blade forms. Having dabbled in forging and knife making a little bit, I would personally value the furniture (hilt and pommel pieces) as having roughly similar value to a blade. I believe that high quality examples of furniture should have been less prone to breakage than the blade, and would have been good candidates for fitting to newer blades if the "re-fitting" theory were valid.

Are there any archeological examples that might confirm this?

[Nathan Beal]

I believe it's generally held that the refitting would have been done the other way around, a good blade (lots of work to make) may well have been updated by fitting it to newer (more fashionable) mounts (Records of the Medieval Sword has an example).

Of course should a blade break there is a chance that it will be refitted to existing fittings (especially after the medieval period where screw-threaded components would make that trivial), but as there was a clear fashion for fittings i doubt you would see very old fittings re-used on a new blade (unless there is some reason to retain the old fittings like in the case of a relic).

2d
N.

[Glen A Cleeton]

Here are a couple of my collection that come to mind.

The cut down 18th century smallsword blade may well be an entirely recent compilation, as the pommel has machining marks and the tang had a threaded section scarfed and brazed on to secure things. The grip cast and hollow, although may have been from the 19th century. The guard, another I can't really place in time exactly.

The other, a cast steel blade possibly of Pettibone's American patents from the early 19th century, while the guard and pommel as early as the mid 18th century. This one was done well and of apparently blade period work. While it may also have been originally assembled like this from parts, the join of blade shoulder and guard don't quite jive as being the original intent.

We also see other military efforts when the mixes may reflect a family blade refitted from generation to generation. This is also seen with Japanese blades, some centuries old being refitted time and again.

Cheers

GC

[Jared Smith]

[Kjell Magnusson]

There's a rapier in the Army museum in Stockholm which has a hilt estimated to be ca 1620, while the blade is dated 1652. Maybe more of a working life repair or so though, given the (relatively) short timespan between the two.

I'm attaching a picture of it, and you can also see it at http://www.sfhm.se/templates/pages/ArmeObject...anguage=EN

[Jared Smith]

[Hadrian Coffin]

Hello,
I am sure there are examples of re-fit hilts... as almost everything was recycled. However I would not expect this to be particularly common, due to few issues.
We must remember that in the medieval period materials where expensive, labour was cheap. Even if hilts and blades were equally difficult to make... a blade uses more material and thus is more valuable.
Secondly, during most of the period blades and hilts were not made by the same person. Generally one would bring a finished blade to a cutler to have fittings made. Or in some periods a cutler would simply buy blades fit them and re-sell them as finished swords.
Thirdly, the expertise needed to forge, grind, and heat treat sword blades is highly specialized. Pretty much any jeweler or metalworker would have the capacity to fabricate hilt components.
In conclusion, my belief is that a hilt would be so much cheaper than a blade (for the above reasons) that it wouldn't make sense to go through the trouble of having a blade made to fit an old hilt. If a blade was broken it would end up being re-made into something else (shears, knives, etc...)... and so the hilt most likely was as well; I just don't see it being re-used as a hilt (you would need a blade specially made to fit the hilt). In the Viking period we have examples of few damaged swords being converted into weaving swords, thus retaining their hilts.
Cheers,
Hadrian

[Jared Smith]

[Michael B.]

From the Wallace Collection:

Peter Knecht (born 1796)
Solingen, Germany
1530 - 1770
c. 1530 (hilt)
c. 1770 (blade)
A520