My new Ames Sword Co. 1862 Lt Cav Sabre!
Apr 6, 2007 0:43:51 GMT
Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2007 0:43:51 GMT
Hello all,
As I was saying on another post, I worked 12 hours today. When I got home my Ames Sword Co. Box was waiting on me! What a pleasant surprise! But I will tell about it in a moment.
I read y'all's posts and I got my MRL sabres out. The "Windless; Made in India" on mine, as I said, is right under the "...Chiccopee, Mass" thing, in very small letters. I had thought that it was engraved but upon closer inspection just now it is not, only some sort of black lettering. I ran my fingernail across it to feel for any engraving and could feel none. So maybe that will come off.
Now for my Ames Review: (See below) Actually there need not be one because the review Kriegschwert did on his MRL 1860 Cav Sabre does the job because they are indenticle, or at first glance. What I mean is that there is none to very, very little difference in the Ames Sabre and the MRL one. I thought that there would be small differences in the blade measurements, guard, grip, etc.. I can tell absolutely no difference in the guards, their thicknesses, or in anything on the grip or handles. The grip, even their shape, the wire wrapping, are all identicle. They are the same. Even the peened tang visible at the pommel is identicle and identicle to the one in Krieg's pic in his post.
The Confederate model is exactly the same as them other than the fact that C.S.A. is engraved on the blade and it has no secondary fuller. One aggrevating thing is that on the Confederate one it has "India" engraved right above "C.S.A." and engraved in the same way. I don't like that but I can live with it because it is such a beautiful sabre!!
DIFFERENCES IN AMES AND MRL U.S. LT. CAV. SABRES:
The MRL sabres came sealed and wrapped in plastic and cardboard. the Ames came with the scabbard in plastic as was the blade, etc.. But Ames sent a nice cloth sword sock for it with a nice tie strap so as to tie the end flap off. The end is wider and roomier to make room for the handle/guard, etc..
Anyway, there are only two small differences in them that enable me to tell them apart. The difference in the length and positioning of the secondary fullers and the one from MRL has the India thing on it. That is the ONLY way I can tell them apart. I will leave it there for that reason, to tell them apart. I laid them on my bed side by side outside of their scabbards and almost got the scabbards and sabres all mixed up. I could not tell either from the other! It was that "Made in India" thing that let me tell them apart. Other than that if I was not mistaken I would think that the company that made them was one and the same. But I will leave that "Made in India" there because that is the only way I can tell the difference between the Ames and the Windless (MRL) at a glance. I am afraid I will forget which one has the longer secondary fuller.
But here are what things I can remark on or measure:
HANDLES:
Identicle to one another. Even the butt cap and peened tang are indenticle. If by chance it is actually a screw ground down and smoothed out I can't tell. It, or the tang rivet or whatever you want to call it, looks identicle to the one in the pic in Krieg's post.
BLADES:
Lengths: Same, both 34". Perhaps 1/16th's difference.
Widths: Same; Both blades are about 1 1/8" at spot in front of guard where it says Chickopee, Mass, etc..
Points: Shaped absolutely identicle!
Fullers: Main fuller; Identicle. Secondary fullers: Ames' is a slight, just a fraction or a hair wider. And the MRL secondary fuller is about an inch shorter on either end than the one from Ames.
Also, the Ames and the Cold Steel Sabres came with fitted leather cussions or pads so that the scabbard does not slam and clang into the guard. The MRL sabres came with felt cussions instead of leather.
But by Jove they are both two fine, beautiful sabres!! The MRL Confederate one is a fine sabre too and identicle to them other than the fact it has no secondary fuller.
SCABBARDS:
U.S. Models: Identicle.
C.S. Model: Identicle to them other than the fact that the sabre-strap rings, throat, drag, and ring mounts which circle the scabbard are solid brass.
All three sabres and their scabbards are very well made, very solid, very light and very well balanced. If I had four arms I would dance in the moonlight with a sabre (inluding my Cold Steel sabre) in each hand! The scabbards are very well made and solid.
I have no complaints with either three of them and am absolutely happy and satisfied with all three of them.
The Cold Steel Hvy Sabre I have is equally well made (and sharp) but it is obvious it is more or less a copy of the 1840 Heavy Cav Sabre. Not to say I am not happy with it. I love that model too. It is only a tad (a tiny bit actually) heavier than the three Light Cav Sabres, and equally well balanced!
Here in the very near future I will take them to compare them to an original 1860 Lt cav sabre a buddy has that was toted in the War for Southern Independence by his great grandfather in the Prattville Dragoons, a company from my home town. They became Co. "H", 3rd Ala. Cavalry, Wheeler's Cav Corps, Army of Tennessee, C.S.A.. I am anxious to see the differences, if any.
Well for now I am off to a buddy's house to show him my new toys! Was it Thomas Jefferson who said "The only difference between men and boys was the price of their toys!"
Until later,
Freebbooter
Millbrook, Al.
As I was saying on another post, I worked 12 hours today. When I got home my Ames Sword Co. Box was waiting on me! What a pleasant surprise! But I will tell about it in a moment.
I read y'all's posts and I got my MRL sabres out. The "Windless; Made in India" on mine, as I said, is right under the "...Chiccopee, Mass" thing, in very small letters. I had thought that it was engraved but upon closer inspection just now it is not, only some sort of black lettering. I ran my fingernail across it to feel for any engraving and could feel none. So maybe that will come off.
Now for my Ames Review: (See below) Actually there need not be one because the review Kriegschwert did on his MRL 1860 Cav Sabre does the job because they are indenticle, or at first glance. What I mean is that there is none to very, very little difference in the Ames Sabre and the MRL one. I thought that there would be small differences in the blade measurements, guard, grip, etc.. I can tell absolutely no difference in the guards, their thicknesses, or in anything on the grip or handles. The grip, even their shape, the wire wrapping, are all identicle. They are the same. Even the peened tang visible at the pommel is identicle and identicle to the one in Krieg's pic in his post.
The Confederate model is exactly the same as them other than the fact that C.S.A. is engraved on the blade and it has no secondary fuller. One aggrevating thing is that on the Confederate one it has "India" engraved right above "C.S.A." and engraved in the same way. I don't like that but I can live with it because it is such a beautiful sabre!!
DIFFERENCES IN AMES AND MRL U.S. LT. CAV. SABRES:
The MRL sabres came sealed and wrapped in plastic and cardboard. the Ames came with the scabbard in plastic as was the blade, etc.. But Ames sent a nice cloth sword sock for it with a nice tie strap so as to tie the end flap off. The end is wider and roomier to make room for the handle/guard, etc..
Anyway, there are only two small differences in them that enable me to tell them apart. The difference in the length and positioning of the secondary fullers and the one from MRL has the India thing on it. That is the ONLY way I can tell them apart. I will leave it there for that reason, to tell them apart. I laid them on my bed side by side outside of their scabbards and almost got the scabbards and sabres all mixed up. I could not tell either from the other! It was that "Made in India" thing that let me tell them apart. Other than that if I was not mistaken I would think that the company that made them was one and the same. But I will leave that "Made in India" there because that is the only way I can tell the difference between the Ames and the Windless (MRL) at a glance. I am afraid I will forget which one has the longer secondary fuller.
But here are what things I can remark on or measure:
HANDLES:
Identicle to one another. Even the butt cap and peened tang are indenticle. If by chance it is actually a screw ground down and smoothed out I can't tell. It, or the tang rivet or whatever you want to call it, looks identicle to the one in the pic in Krieg's post.
BLADES:
Lengths: Same, both 34". Perhaps 1/16th's difference.
Widths: Same; Both blades are about 1 1/8" at spot in front of guard where it says Chickopee, Mass, etc..
Points: Shaped absolutely identicle!
Fullers: Main fuller; Identicle. Secondary fullers: Ames' is a slight, just a fraction or a hair wider. And the MRL secondary fuller is about an inch shorter on either end than the one from Ames.
Also, the Ames and the Cold Steel Sabres came with fitted leather cussions or pads so that the scabbard does not slam and clang into the guard. The MRL sabres came with felt cussions instead of leather.
But by Jove they are both two fine, beautiful sabres!! The MRL Confederate one is a fine sabre too and identicle to them other than the fact it has no secondary fuller.
SCABBARDS:
U.S. Models: Identicle.
C.S. Model: Identicle to them other than the fact that the sabre-strap rings, throat, drag, and ring mounts which circle the scabbard are solid brass.
All three sabres and their scabbards are very well made, very solid, very light and very well balanced. If I had four arms I would dance in the moonlight with a sabre (inluding my Cold Steel sabre) in each hand! The scabbards are very well made and solid.
I have no complaints with either three of them and am absolutely happy and satisfied with all three of them.
The Cold Steel Hvy Sabre I have is equally well made (and sharp) but it is obvious it is more or less a copy of the 1840 Heavy Cav Sabre. Not to say I am not happy with it. I love that model too. It is only a tad (a tiny bit actually) heavier than the three Light Cav Sabres, and equally well balanced!
Here in the very near future I will take them to compare them to an original 1860 Lt cav sabre a buddy has that was toted in the War for Southern Independence by his great grandfather in the Prattville Dragoons, a company from my home town. They became Co. "H", 3rd Ala. Cavalry, Wheeler's Cav Corps, Army of Tennessee, C.S.A.. I am anxious to see the differences, if any.
Well for now I am off to a buddy's house to show him my new toys! Was it Thomas Jefferson who said "The only difference between men and boys was the price of their toys!"
Until later,
Freebbooter
Millbrook, Al.