British Regimental Broadswords -- myArmoury.com

Ralph Grinly · Posted: Sat 21 Oct, 2017 1:06 pm Post subject: British Regimental Broadswords

I have a question for our knowledgeable members. With regard to 19 c British Regimental broadswords ( aka Scottish Claymores) I notice the majority of them were fitted with linings in the baskets and often "fluffy bits" around the pommels. Did these adornments serve any USEFUL / PRACTICAL purposes or were they purely bits of Victorian decorative tat ? I'd have thought that such linings..if left on swords in typical British weather would have quickly gotten wet and sodden, contributing greatly to increased corrosion on the inside of the basket hilts ?

Mark Moore · Posted: Sun 22 Oct, 2017 12:34 pm Post subject:

As far as I know, the basket liner was 'supposed to' prevent the basket's interior from chafing the hand. The pommel tassel...pure decoration in my eye. I have a Scottish basket-hilted broadsword that came with both. I removed them, and can tell no difference, aside from looking less 'gaudy'. Maybe it's just me, but I prefer an open basket. Wink

....McM

Mark Moore · Posted: Sun 22 Oct, 2017 3:16 pm Post subject:

This is the way I roll....Scotty-style. Wink

.....McM

Lin Robinson · Posted: Mon 23 Oct, 2017 6:21 am Post subject:

As Mark said, the liner was supposed to help protect the hand. They were usually made of leather and covered in red cloth. Tartan was never used to line basket hilts although at Highland Games you are likely to see many people carrying swords with tartan liners. I suspect the cloth and leather liners were treated to help preserve them in a damp climate. The insides of the basket hilt were, at least initially, coated with tar or a similar substance to help guard against corrosion.

Full basket hilt liners were rare in pre-Culloden basket hilts and most of the antique swords you see with them were equipped with one at some later time. The tassels, remnants of which have been found on the older swords, apparently were decorative. Hard to see any real use for it.

Dan D'Silva · Posted: Mon 23 Oct, 2017 8:12 am Post subject:

Lin Robinson · Posted: Mon 23 Oct, 2017 11:13 am Post subject:

Dan...

I am referring to basket hilts with liners covering the entire inside of the basket. Sorry, I now see that my comment was unclear.

The liner was usually a partial one, of course, and sometimes nothing more than a leather pad at the front of the where the tang entered the basket.