[Mike Harris]

Thanks for giving me the heads-up Jonathan.

It has been, or at least seems like, quite a while since I wrote that review. The bit about the strong of the blade being commonly unsharpened was gleaned from the first Cold Steel video on the saber, with Lynn Thompson and Anthony DeLonghis. I can't recall the exact wording, but it led me to that conclusion. So, historical information it is certainly not. Just my blathering.

Regarding the durability of this particular sword, it is still just about as sound and tight as when I reviewed it. And the guard is definitely very solid and durable steel, based on some "brass knuckle-like" melee testing of close range punching. But I must confess that it hasn't seen a lot of strenuous use since then. I don't particularly care for its handling, much preferring a saber that's less blade-heavy. Since the review it has only been used for a little bottle cutting, one outing on tatami mats, and some testing on a fresh cow carcass where it startled me with its ability to make deep slicing cuts with practically no effort.

[Jonathan Hopkins]

Thanks, Mike.

Here is a quote on th e1796's cutting ability as cited in one of the articles I linked in my first post:

[Matthew G.M. Korenkiewicz]

[Jonathan Hopkins]

After completing that custom, then you really must get a Hungarian cavalry estoc.

Those are great pics of some very striking swords, Matthew--thanks for posting!

Jonathan

[Matthew G.M. Korenkiewicz]

... or maybe a Palash ??? B-)

[Thomas Watt]

This blade had always been on my "want list" and when it appeared on Ryan's new items list over at KoA I couldn't resist.
Mine has the metal scabbard, and handle made of "something" which could either be a leather wrap over wood (it certainly mimics the original style well) or some other material. Blade is wicked gorgeous. Guard fittings are a little above so-so, but are really fine for the price range. I do notice the pin that was discussed earlier in this thread. And the pommel is finished out with a button that might be threaded or might be peened (I would bet threaded)... although if it loosens and is threaded, I expect that some of that thread lock gunk from the automotive store would cure that permanently.
I have an 1880 Imperial German NCO sword on the way which will make a nice match beside this, since its blade is somewhat between the 1796 and a U.S. cavalry saber.
It's time to get serious about a wall display!
Hanging this stuff by the scabbard from shelving is getting to be iffy.

[Matthew G.M. Korenkiewicz]

[Thomas Watt]

After getting all the axle grease off this thing and finished getting everything all cleaned up, I have to note that the handle is after all a leather-wrapped grip. No question about it. I'm not sure what tanning process was used, as it doen't have the "sweet" smell of leather, but instead has a less-agreeable smell.
Feels really great in the hand.
Looking forward to building an X-type wall display (similar to those found in Scottish castles).

The metal scabbard that accompanies this thing is almost a weapon in its own right. Nice and beefy.

And thanks.
Yes, it's a nice "early" Christmas.

[Matthew G.M. Korenkiewicz]

I had thought I was getting the metal scabbard too, but the leather w/metal is not at all displeasing.
While it might be made of less-historical bits and pieces, with something added for whatever the
reason ( the plastic insert that you can see looking into the mouth of the scabbard ), I have of late
thought about " scabbard care " along with blade care ... And I've come to the conclusion that the
least amount of metal bits and pieces to clean up the better ... But that's just me. B-)

[Tim Harris]

Gentlemen,

Thank you for the excellent information in this thread.
As someone who's made a few 1796s, I only wish that I'd seen it a while ago.

Mine were done as blunts, which adds to the weight a bit, from specs from an original blade with what is probably a lighter variant hilt, if not a later replacement. The technical challenges in forging blades like this were considerable, given the radical distal taper (nearly Icnm accross the back of the blade at the hilt) and the deep concavity of the fuller.
It was an anxious wait for the blades to come back from the heat-treater, as architecture like this leaves plenty of scope for things to go wrong in my experience. Fortunately, there was no warping.

The last one required a scabbard, and I easily spent more hands-on time on that than I did on the sword itself. I am definitely not a scabbard-maker. What surprised me about the pictures posted here is that the scabbards appear a lot less narrow than the ones I've seen - mainly in auction catalogues. I was left wondering how something that looked so slimline accomodated the curvature of the blade and the splayed tip.

I will organise some pics as soon as I can. (Rod Walker, if you see this - I haven't forgotten you!)

Tim
Nonnumquam proctalgia

[Jonathan Hopkins]

Tim,
I will try to get some measurements for the scabbard to my 1796 LC officer's sword. In the meantime, here are some basic measurements for the sword itself:

Blade: 32 ½”
Overall: 37 ¼”
Weight: 1 lb. 12 oz.

Jonathan

[Matthew G.M. Korenkiewicz]

I'd love to see pics of your work, Tim ... and frankly, as I've searched and searched
online for info about sabers I've often felt stumped by the fact that this particular sword
isn't discussed more often ( mind you, I don't traverse dozens of forums regularily, so
I AM kinda' generalizing ). Usually, or maybe it just seems this way to me, one forum
or another will focus on Japanese Style Swords, or European-style Broadswords.

Mind you, this is NOT a negative. Its just that -- unless I'm totally mistaken -- the saber,
as I've looked at so many things online, appears to have a pretty interesting pedigree,
a variety of blade profiles, cross-sections, and a genealogy that shoots all over Europe,
the middle-east, and crosses one ocean or maybe both to the USA ...

[Matthew G.M. Korenkiewicz]

Another interesting website that has a listing of swords, a good many of which
are cavalry swords and several of the 1796 Pattern ...

http://www.joesalter.com/listings.php?f_qryca...thumbs=yes

[Thomas Watt]

Joe is just up the road from me (across the border in NH), and has a nice listing of things...
but I'm not always too sure about his identification, for instance, he identifies a Civil War era Musician's Sword as an NCO Sword, which it clearly is not.
Just a FWIW

[Jonathan Hopkins]

Here are some more measurements as promised:

Sword:
Blade: 32 ½”
Overall: 37 ¼”
Weight: 1 lb. 12 oz.
POB: ~6 1/4"

I do not have equipment to measure distal taper accurately, but it is quite drastic as the blade starts out at 3/8" thick at the shoulder and tapers to what is probably 1/16" or less. It is hard to discern the COP.

Scabbard:
Length: 33 3/4"
Width: 2"
Thickness: 5/8"
Weight: 2 lb. 14 oz.

[Tim Harris]

Right... here at last are a couple of pics of my most recent 1796.

As it now lives in Singapore, I'm afraid I can't provide any more detailed shots, and the only others I have show the scabbard, which I am not entirely happy with - it was a compromise at best.

The tip isn't quite as splayed as some examples, but not as trimmed back as others.

Blade stats are close to original, apart from the blunted edge. The only other interestibg variable is the weight, which I'll have to dig out from scattered notes.

Tim
____________________
Nonnumquam proctalgia

[Matthew G.M. Korenkiewicz]

Thanks for the pics, Tim ... Interesting to say the least ! B-)

[Shahril Dzulkifli]

Matthew, a couple of minutes ago I watched a promo video on the sword you bought being demonstrated by Mike Harris. An awesome sword indeed.

[Matthew G.M. Korenkiewicz]

[Shahril Dzulkifli]

Now Matthew, did you test your new sword? I would like to know that.