Spanish Carlos III Hvy Cav Sword
Apr 7, 2013 13:27:13 GMT
Post by Dave Kelly on Apr 7, 2013 13:27:13 GMT
Spanish Heavy Cavalry Sword "1796"
INTRO
This is a sword I have wanted since first seeing it three years ago. Just love the looks of it. Can't seem to find any decent material on Spanish Swordmaking. Pretty much dependent on one book; Spanish Military Weapons in Colonial America 1700-1821, Brinkerhoff and Chamberlain, Stackpole Press, 1972. Prior to two weeks ago the ones I'd come across were just too expensive for me. Jose Aznar, who sells antiques on ebay adjunct to his business in Zaragosa Spain put up this Carlos III sword at the best price I've seen. I inquired as to why the lowball and was told that he got a good deal on the weapon and had the luxury of turning it at this price. I just bought another high end antique in Stockholm and told Sr Aznar that while I was very interested I didn't have the on hand capital and would have to wait till the end date of the auction. Aznar answered back that I should order go ahead and buy if I was serious; my ebay credentials were excellant and he could wait for the payoff. It was meant to be. Sword arrived 5 Apr.
Past tense I did a review of the Windlass Bilbo that went back into production in 2010. It didn't last long. There was a production gaff on the bell guards: the two mounting holes that screwed into the rest of the hilt were misaligned. Sword didn't sell and was pulled. So I've put the Windlass up with the historic
HISTORICAL
Weapon standardization is a mandate of powerful nation states. Synonimous with the idea of regimentation. Popular culture looks down on this idea as mindless cookie cutter automation. But standardization has a pragmatic logistical aspect; ensuring quality and ease of maintenence for an end item manufactured in tens of thousands by many independent makers. For a number of reasons pre-modern efforts at standardization usually fell short and became guidlines rather than fixed.
That was the case with 18th Century Spanish arms mandates. There were a few standards set for cavalry swords; 1728 established a butterfly cup hilt and broadsword blade for the cavalry. 1768 established a seperate backsword for dragoons. 1796 was the beginning of a period of constant flux as the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars saw rapid changes and increased specialization of swords.
The so called 1796 policy adopted the bell guarded hilt as the new cavalry standard. The hilt had been in use in conjunction with the 1728 since the 1770s.
CHARACTERISTICS AND PERFORMANCE
s747.photobucket.com/user/kelly1863/library/Spanish%20Cavalry%20Sword%201796%20Carlos%20III?sort=4&page=1
Currently photos are tagged to a field that has a vertical bias. Pics that are longer than shorter are getting halved. This will take you to my photobucket library as an option for viewing. Depending on which internet provider system you use you might be able to right click on the pic and get it to show complete in a seperate tab.
The Historic Carlos III Heavy Cav Sabre
When I first saw this sword I thought that it had to be a 3 lb weapon. The 2.5 lb weight was a shock. That's too light for the mass. Something had to be sacrificed to get that weight down. Look at the taper data on the blade and the PoB and it's pretty obvious that the sword is severely sheared. Thrusting or cutting the wrong surface will threaten to end or shatter this blade. ( The point was bent and reset at some point in it's useful lifespan. )
Bell guarded rapiers were nothing new to the Spanish. This guard innovated for cavalry use. The mass of the guard is biased to the backhand of the holder. A branch extends off the bell adjoining the knuckle guard of the hilt. The depth of the bell is parralel to the quillons on the strong side and 1/4 inch shorter on the inside line. This provides optimum protection for the backhand and minimal interference with maneuvering the broadsword.
The ricasso is a reduced tang that allows a comfortable over the quillon placement of 1 or 2 fingers.
To efficiently manage this sword you MUST reach over the quillon to control the motion of the sword. Try to hold it under the quillon and it feels like crap.
This is a good sword. But it is a handicapped cut and thrust type with some serious limitations you have to be very mindful of if you intend to use it.
The red scabbard didn't come with the weapon. Had it made by KoA for my Dresden Cav Broadsword. Fits nicely. Will eventually find this sword a nicer wood cored leather scabbard.
The Windlass Bilbo
This sword is currently out of production. A glitch in punching out holes on the guard to attach the cup to the hilt resulted in the blade pressing against the cup and tink-tink-tinking with every move of the blade. Sissy sound for a death dealing broadsword. I plugged the guard blades oversized opening with a leather bung. Stopped the noise.
The sword sports a 33 inch diamond blade. There were historic applications for a shortened blade being used in this style, for infantry and sailors, but the diamond shape is not period,
The Guard is not asymetric. In fact, the strong side of the bell is slightly shallower than the inside. Also the bell is deeper than the quillons on both sides. This intefers with grasping the sword and with cutting maneuvers.
The ricasso is as wide as the blade. Another handling weakness.
These faux pas are discouraging, particularly because with a little correct engineering this could easily be a very lively cutter. The blade is excellent and allows for a very good balance.
No surprise that in 1799 the Spanish finally stopped using the complex hilts in their service swords.
INTRO
This is a sword I have wanted since first seeing it three years ago. Just love the looks of it. Can't seem to find any decent material on Spanish Swordmaking. Pretty much dependent on one book; Spanish Military Weapons in Colonial America 1700-1821, Brinkerhoff and Chamberlain, Stackpole Press, 1972. Prior to two weeks ago the ones I'd come across were just too expensive for me. Jose Aznar, who sells antiques on ebay adjunct to his business in Zaragosa Spain put up this Carlos III sword at the best price I've seen. I inquired as to why the lowball and was told that he got a good deal on the weapon and had the luxury of turning it at this price. I just bought another high end antique in Stockholm and told Sr Aznar that while I was very interested I didn't have the on hand capital and would have to wait till the end date of the auction. Aznar answered back that I should order go ahead and buy if I was serious; my ebay credentials were excellant and he could wait for the payoff. It was meant to be. Sword arrived 5 Apr.
Past tense I did a review of the Windlass Bilbo that went back into production in 2010. It didn't last long. There was a production gaff on the bell guards: the two mounting holes that screwed into the rest of the hilt were misaligned. Sword didn't sell and was pulled. So I've put the Windlass up with the historic
HISTORICAL
Weapon standardization is a mandate of powerful nation states. Synonimous with the idea of regimentation. Popular culture looks down on this idea as mindless cookie cutter automation. But standardization has a pragmatic logistical aspect; ensuring quality and ease of maintenence for an end item manufactured in tens of thousands by many independent makers. For a number of reasons pre-modern efforts at standardization usually fell short and became guidlines rather than fixed.
That was the case with 18th Century Spanish arms mandates. There were a few standards set for cavalry swords; 1728 established a butterfly cup hilt and broadsword blade for the cavalry. 1768 established a seperate backsword for dragoons. 1796 was the beginning of a period of constant flux as the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars saw rapid changes and increased specialization of swords.
The so called 1796 policy adopted the bell guarded hilt as the new cavalry standard. The hilt had been in use in conjunction with the 1728 since the 1770s.
CHARACTERISTICS AND PERFORMANCE
s747.photobucket.com/user/kelly1863/library/Spanish%20Cavalry%20Sword%201796%20Carlos%20III?sort=4&page=1
Currently photos are tagged to a field that has a vertical bias. Pics that are longer than shorter are getting halved. This will take you to my photobucket library as an option for viewing. Depending on which internet provider system you use you might be able to right click on the pic and get it to show complete in a seperate tab.
The Historic Carlos III Heavy Cav Sabre
When I first saw this sword I thought that it had to be a 3 lb weapon. The 2.5 lb weight was a shock. That's too light for the mass. Something had to be sacrificed to get that weight down. Look at the taper data on the blade and the PoB and it's pretty obvious that the sword is severely sheared. Thrusting or cutting the wrong surface will threaten to end or shatter this blade. ( The point was bent and reset at some point in it's useful lifespan. )
Bell guarded rapiers were nothing new to the Spanish. This guard innovated for cavalry use. The mass of the guard is biased to the backhand of the holder. A branch extends off the bell adjoining the knuckle guard of the hilt. The depth of the bell is parralel to the quillons on the strong side and 1/4 inch shorter on the inside line. This provides optimum protection for the backhand and minimal interference with maneuvering the broadsword.
The ricasso is a reduced tang that allows a comfortable over the quillon placement of 1 or 2 fingers.
To efficiently manage this sword you MUST reach over the quillon to control the motion of the sword. Try to hold it under the quillon and it feels like crap.
This is a good sword. But it is a handicapped cut and thrust type with some serious limitations you have to be very mindful of if you intend to use it.
The red scabbard didn't come with the weapon. Had it made by KoA for my Dresden Cav Broadsword. Fits nicely. Will eventually find this sword a nicer wood cored leather scabbard.
The Windlass Bilbo
This sword is currently out of production. A glitch in punching out holes on the guard to attach the cup to the hilt resulted in the blade pressing against the cup and tink-tink-tinking with every move of the blade. Sissy sound for a death dealing broadsword. I plugged the guard blades oversized opening with a leather bung. Stopped the noise.
The sword sports a 33 inch diamond blade. There were historic applications for a shortened blade being used in this style, for infantry and sailors, but the diamond shape is not period,
The Guard is not asymetric. In fact, the strong side of the bell is slightly shallower than the inside. Also the bell is deeper than the quillons on both sides. This intefers with grasping the sword and with cutting maneuvers.
The ricasso is as wide as the blade. Another handling weakness.
These faux pas are discouraging, particularly because with a little correct engineering this could easily be a very lively cutter. The blade is excellent and allows for a very good balance.
No surprise that in 1799 the Spanish finally stopped using the complex hilts in their service swords.
