[Gabriele Becattini]

Lately i have been bitten by a "Tsarist fever" and imperial russian weaponry has become of great interest for me.

if someone else share this passion probably has seen that there are comparatively few options in the production market,

at the moment i'm not interested in a custom piece, firstly because it is a relatively new interest outside my period and i'm

still gathering information. Anyway, i have already bought a couple of pieces, one is already in my hand, the other is on the

way, both from KoA, i live in italy and for me this items are not a bargain like for an U.S resident, but i'm satisfied with the

service offered,

the first piece is a cold steel 1830 napoleon sabre

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=...leon+Saber

this kind of model was copied from the french model and has remained the regulation sword for all russian cavalry till the 1881, and then sobstituted with the 1881 dragoon shaska pattern.

only two life guards hussars regiments retained the former pattern for parade and undress, in the 1906 the sword where re-introduced also in the two regiments of lancers of the imperial guard, the said model was carried up to the 1914,

also a polish volunteers legion (Pulawsky) was equipped with them in 1915

the russian model was excatly the same as the french pattern and so the cold steel is a good replica, it is true that it has french markings on the back of the blade, but it is a minor issue and practically invisible, the overall quality is very good, it is a detailed and solid sword, the Handling is pretty good, and can compare with some original cavalry sword that i have inspected.,


the other piece that i'm waiting for is a Russian Kindijal

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=...an+Kindjal

in fact it is an exact copy of a 1907 pattern "Bebout" a sidearm that was carried by foot artillery, infantry scouts and machine gunners, and used well into the 1917 revolution and after, i have found good comments on it and i'm looking forward to receive it.

I have planned to buy also the model 1881 dragoon shaska offered by Universal sword,

unfortuntely the cossak shaska offered by cold steeel, windlass and Universal sword are all soviet inspired pattern, if not i would have gladly considered also this one

[Shahril Dzulkifli]

Original Imperial Russian weapons are difficult to find these days. But you can find them at antique shops or eBay.