Diff 'tween A.C.'s US Hvy and Lt Cav Sabres:

A lot of collectors are quite happy with just calling them a heavy or a light. As mentioned in a few of the ad, both are the result of the trials favoring the French mle 1822. In these last offerings shown, both recreations are off enough in looks that folk are not going to easily take them a period swords. Unless the swords coming to Legendary Arms have gone with these later versions, the older pictures are much better looking recreations of the heavy. This can be seen at that site, as well as a good many of the Civil War sutler sites such as www.blockaderunner.com

www.blockaderunner.com/Catalog/catpg8.htm

You'll note that they and many other re-enactor suppliers offer both cheap and next tier of offerings. At the higher price for the Windlass heavy, I would much more be interested if the other sources continue the better version as pictured. The Windlass hilt for the heavy is pretty weird looking.

Then there are the swords Stromlo is bringing in.

www.stromloswords.com/british_swords.html

www.stromloswords.com/images/main/swords/15b.jpg
www.stromloswords.com/images/main/swords/15.jpg

That listing as a light has much more the look of the heavy wirh a straighter grip with more winding and a flat back shorter ricasso. At fifty dollars more than the other heavys, it is more in line with the Cold Steel sword. Is it worth the gamble? I just dunno.

Big Mick on Ebay has some good quality sabres as well. These are older batches that really did have a better look.

stores.ebay.com/BIGMICK45-MILITARIA-AND-TREASURES

A good guy, I recently had a book purchase from him and the service and timeliness was second to none (as well as a good price on a brand new book). He had ten bare blades sitting around for a good long time. Somone loved them at $110 for the lot of them.

Cheers

Hotspur; Stromlo is shipping sharps now as well

Hi Wambo, they are all original recreations but not antiques being sold. There are occasional exceptions to that via Big Mick but for the most part, not greatly different in the way all reproductions will differ from period swords one way or another. In looking at Big Mick's site today, some look like older stock than the more recent stuff. However, comparing his heavy cavalry sword with the Windlass offeringas pictured now, they look very much the same except for the added marking for Ames (which should not be confused as period swords). There are some exceptions there though. For instance the medical officer sword he lists is in fact a newly made sword from the Ames Sword company. He also has some left overs for scabbards which are old and true from the BAnnerman surplus days. Also on his lists you will see two price tiers for the light cavalry. I would be repeating myself in a previous post to remind that there will be a diffrence in quality, if only visual.

In the end, if completely accurate reproductions are expected, there may be some regret in purchasing one. I bought exactly one reproduction sabre and the decision was based on length and basic form. I did this without the expectation of expecting it it be anything more than someting I could play with and not worry about over using a period sword (of which I now have a few).

A great many are going to be good enough in looks and durable enough that the price per satisfaction is going to be extremely subjective. If you don't have a period example in hand to compare with, one probably would not miss much in buying a reproduction to play with.

Cheers

Hotspur; a ready user delivered sharp is where most will probably gravitate

I don't understand buying these swords from Atlanta Cultry, when you could buy the same swords from KOA for less. The swords are made by Windlass. Am I missing something?

Thanks Paladin, I thought I was missing something.