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Scott Bubar
Location: New England Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Posts: 120
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 Posted: Sat 13 Dec, 2003 7:18 am Post subject: Sharpening of Naval Swords/Cutlasses |
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The question as to whether these are sharpened or not has come up elsewhere.
I've never handled any originals, so I'd appreciate any feedback from those of you who have, both with regard to the sharpened/unsharpened question and edge wear, whether sharpened or not.
I'd also appreciate any documentation on the matter (such as accounts of ship's cutlasses being edge prior to battle, and so forth).
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Bill Grandy
myArmoury Team
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| Posted: Sat 13 Dec, 2003 8:18 am Post subject: |
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I have a 19th century Dutch Klewang that's sharp. It's also knicked to hell. However, I have no idea if those knicks are authentic or if they're the result of this sword being passed down to a ten year old who used it to cut fire wood.
I'm curious why it's a question as to whether or not these would have been sharpened?
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Scott Bubar
Location: New England Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Posts: 120
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| Posted: Sat 13 Dec, 2003 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Bill Grandy wrote: | I have a 19th century Dutch Klewang that's sharp. It's also knicked to hell. However, I have no idea if those knicks are authentic or if they're the result of this sword being passed down to a ten year old who used it to cut fire wood.
I'm curious why it's a question as to whether or not these would have been sharpened? |
Thanks for your reply, Bill. That's precisely the sort of information I'm looking for. In fact, the Dutch Klewang was on my mind. The only thing is, my impression is that they were widely used by land-based troops and may not, strictly speaking, have been "naval".
As to why it's a question: The question came up on another board when a member spoke of wanting to sharpen his replica cutlass. Another member, who has been collecting and selling naval swords for several decades maintains that naval swords and cutlass were unsharpened, even when used in battle. I realized that I really have no first-hand information on the matter. The question often comes up with regard to Civil War sabers. There seems to be a widespread belief that they were unsharpened, even among collectors, and I have even seen the claim made that it was a court-martial offense. Yet, I am aware of first-hand, documented evidence to the contrary.
My impression is that naval swords, at least when talking of the British and Americans, were little-used after the Napoleonic war. In general, military swords during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries seem to have been left unsharpened except during active hostilities, at which time they were sharpened "on the eve of battle", sometimes literally. And they were often re-blunted per regulation once the hostilies ended. I have no idea if the same applies to naval swords and cutlasses. But in general, I would expect to find naval swords generally unsharpened if I had to speculate. I would expect to find cutlasses sharpened more frequently. Going back to the Napoleonic era, I would expect to find "fighting swords" and cutlasses showing signs of having been sharpened, but not dress or presentation swords.
The collector I mentioned above states he has and has had swords of known providence and use in battle that show edge damage in spite of being unsharpened, some of them quite valuable. BTW, I have no reason to doubt him. But he's a bit "touchy", if you know what I mean. So I'm trying to plug some of the holes in my knowledge of these edged weapons--I have sources with specs, but none of them touch on the sharpening question.
Now, if only Ron Luciano would drop by and tell us about that c.1700 "Salem" cutlass of his!
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Glen A Cleeton
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| Posted: Sat 13 Dec, 2003 4:00 pm Post subject: Midshipman Hornblower? |
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I'm not sure if that was the title.
I'm thinking it was a scene the eve of Trafalgar and they are being instructed; "Save the edge for kindling boys, use the point!"
In a recent History vs Hollywood regarding 19th naval century arms, the blunt theory was promoted as well. I don't really buy it. I've only seen one antique Dutch piece up close and it had a good sword edge that was just as dark as the rest of the blade, certainly original. I'm of the same thought that bladed weapons may have been issued blunt and sharpened when or wanted.
Cheers
GC
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