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Post by Bogus on Mar 27, 2011 5:25:46 GMT
Ah, always love to hear about 19th century blades from the resident expert.  How would you say these various blades handle on foot vs. on horseback, when you've got a lot of inertia in your favor? I have a soft spot for sabers, but the mechanics are generally not in my favor due to the whole not having a horse thing. |
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Mar 28, 2011 11:57:43 GMT
Dave:
What a wonderful, and wonderfully informed, post. The wealth of "supporting information" and the careful organization of the pictures provide a very nice complement to the text. You've even included a chart! And goodness gracious! The 1822 was 10mm at the grip? Two fifths of an inch? Now that's some distal taper!
Well thought out, well presented, well photographed: well done, sir, well done.
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Post by chuckinohio on Mar 29, 2011 15:07:23 GMT
Once again Mr. Kelly, you do not fail to impress with your knowledgeable and informative discourse.
Well presented and very interesting.
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Post by paulrward on May 12, 2011 15:28:15 GMT
Dear Mr. Kelly;
First, let me thank you for the excellent posting, especially the photos, which show the sabers very well. I did note what may be an interesting fact: It appears that, after 1860, sabers began getting straighter and straighter, losing what I always call the 'light cavalry curve', and becoming more like heavy cavalry sabers. This continued until the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, culminating in the Swedish 1893, the Spanish M1907, the British 1908/1912, and the U.S. M1913, all of which were dead straight, and were designed for thrusting in a cavalry charge rather than cutting in a melee. It seems strange to me that swords became optimized for the mass cavalry charge just when the machine gun made that charge obsolete, but there you have it.
Respectfully;
Paul R. Ward
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Post by D'artagnan on Jan 31, 2012 22:23:51 GMT
You're quite right Dave, the Lady Vivamus is far too heavy for a wizened old Sabre Expert as yourself, you should let a strapping lad like me take it off your hands  A great post, and a very informative read, thanks a lot. |
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Post by D'artagnan on Feb 2, 2012 0:06:36 GMT
So...142 in line to the throne hey? Hmm. Perhaps a political marriage needs to be arranged to work my way up that ladder. Any takers?
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Post by D'artagnan on Feb 2, 2012 18:09:45 GMT
To own such a blade that once graced your fantastic collection sir? I believe those ambitions are very honorable indeed. Tell me, how you ever thought about writing a book at all? You seem to have a plethora of knowledge on the topic of sabers.
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Post by D'artagnan on Feb 2, 2012 23:10:56 GMT
I'm sure if you looked hard enough you would be able to find something. Have you ever considered just writing a paper? Or perhaps trying to get it through online as a blog or e-book?
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LeMal
Member
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Post by LeMal on Feb 2, 2012 23:43:48 GMT
Nevertheless, the Vivamus is a beauty, no doubt.
(It's looks make me wonder what someone might construct out of a hybrid of Hanwei offerings: say a Dark Sentinel's blade with cut-down tang and a Pecoraro sabre's guard. I won't do it, as I don't have the patience for hilting nicely w/ rayskin and wire etc., but I bet someone with the skill and patience could make something that looks a lot like the Vivamus with very quick handling.)
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Feb 3, 2012 0:35:31 GMT
Dave:
We're glad. I am very glad. I have profited from your knowledge and your willingness to share it, and look forward to your posts. You're a class act, and I, for one, am glad you post here.
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Feb 3, 2012 3:53:43 GMT
The show must go on!
Wrenching us back on topic, do you know when the more elaborate, hand-protective three bar guards were introduced? The 1803 French saber seems to have maintained the "knuckle duster" style associated, on the replica market, with the Windlass American Revolutionary War saber and/or (in modified form) the British 1796 light. (This single bar style seems to go back to at least 17th century Polish and Hungarian sabers.)
Also, it seems that the three bar guard didn't last long, and was fairly quickly replaced with the bowl guard. (I am quite sure my terminology is suspect.)
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2012 1:47:40 GMT
What he said +1000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU SIR!!!!! If I may ask, are these Ebay purchase swords or from a dealer (in Europe?)  |
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Post by Sir Thorfinn on Sept 14, 2012 0:18:52 GMT
Hi Dave,
I'm not sure if this has been posted elsewhere, but looking at available modern reproductions if the classic sabers, who has the best relatively inexpensive sabers? I've been in love with the Vivamus for years, and I'm jealous of anyone who has one...only because I can't afford one.
Having said that, it appeared your favorite foot or mounted saber was the Swiss: M1860.
So if you were to give a recommendation of a modern reproduction of a 'best of both worlds' slash and thrust saber, what would you recommend?
I've been scouring the forums for a long time, and information has probably only confused me more...
Thanks,
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Post by Freebooter on Mar 1, 2013 20:13:16 GMT
Ilove the pics, info, etc Mr. Kelly!! A fine collection and a fine bit of knowledge you have imparted to us. I know that the U.S.'s Civil War era sabers were basically patterned after those 1822 French Sabres. But looking at it, I wonder how many have been mis-identified and mislabled as U.S. 1860 Lt Cav Sabres instead of the 1822 French sabre that they are?
Again, thanks for a great post.
Freebooter
Alabama
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Post by Freebooter on Mar 1, 2013 21:15:00 GMT
Yes, I own a repro 1860 Lt. cav Sabre from MRL. It is nice and fairly well balanced. But I have also owned and held several originals; no comparison!! I have a friend that has a U.S. 1860 Lt Cav Sabre that his ancestor toted in the War for Southern Independence that is evidently a contract sabre because it has "H. Boker, Solingen, Germany" on the blade. it is the most well balanced and "good in the hand" feeling sabre I have ever held! I would imagine it is quite valuable not only due to it being a War relic from the Civil War, but even more so because it was made by Boker in Germany, of Boker Knives fame today. Btw, I have written them two letters about that sabre and they did not have the common courtesy to even acknowledge receipt of my letter, let alone answer it. Tells me a lot about the folks running Boker today!
Another thing, do you by any chance live in Alabama? I would love to see your collection in peroson, and possbily be able to hold a couple!
Freebooter,
Alabama
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Post by Freebooter on Mar 2, 2013 1:08:18 GMT
Good ol' Petersburg!! I love the Civil War and one of my gr gr grandfathers, Co. "K", Palmetto SharpShooters, recieved a mortal wound in an effort to retake Ft. Harrison during the siege of Petersburg.
FB
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Post by Dave Kelly on Mar 2, 2013 4:11:54 GMT
Fort Harrison is still pretty much there. It's actually part of the Richmond city defenses. Better luck than Forts Sedgewick and Mahone which were overtaken by urbanization. www.pbase.com/kelly1863/root&page=allChronicles of my visits when I first moved back to Virginia. Visited a lot of CW sites in 40 years... :mrgreen: |
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Post by Freebooter on Mar 2, 2013 8:49:18 GMT
Neat pics! I want to go there one day. It is sad, out of five brothers, only one made it home from the war. three died in 1862, and the fourth, my ancestory, died in Oct of 1864. God I can imagine the anguish of their parents losing three sons in one year, then a fourth a couple of years later.
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Post by StevenJ on Oct 4, 2013 3:44:01 GMT
Speaking of Lady Vivamus, Elon Musk apparently owns one. He also does a good job of demonstrating that even rich 'smart' people can use weapons rather foolishly and hap-haphazardly. Money doesn't make you intelligent in all regards.
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Luka
Senior Forumite
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Post by Luka on Oct 4, 2013 10:57:23 GMT
I don't know who Elon Musk is, but he is obviously a fool...
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