Windlass 1840 NCO Sword?

The spine is very thick making the blade very stiff (ideal for thrusting).

The nco hilt should be a single casting, as are originals. There were swords of the period that were built up of sveral components but not the 1840 nco.

FWIW, there are a lot of original foot officer and nco swords that sell for less than $300. it's really a matter of what one seriously expects to do with it.

Link of the moment www.gundersonmilitaria.com

For those interested in the basics of American military swords (really, swords in general), i can't suggest books enough. A good primer for American military swords is the Harold Peterson title that has been around since the 1950s.

The American Sword 1775-1945

The paperback costs less than a couple of pizzas and the book is widely available in hardcover as used. It is a great start and would answer a lot of questions for anyone intreested in what the swords were and what they are like.

My Armoury has a terrific bibliography and book review section.

Another author/compiler of great merit is George C. Neumann but Peterson's title is the best place to start for the basics.

Information is really only keystrokes away as well. Be creative with your searches and assemble reference site links. Always check their links lists. I was a little dissapointed with the Peterson title at first because so much of the book is referenced online. It has proven to be invaluble though and I don't know how I ever managed without a copy at arms reach.

I can't suggest the A&M room of SFI enough. Many topics and swords have been covered over the years. It isn't even really a matter of having to own original swords. more a matter of learning about these objects of history and doing so through ad copy and reproductions really pales to any serious study about objects and their histories.

Cheers

Hotspur; I hope that doesn't sound to much like a sermon ;D

Amen, Pastor Glen! ;D I didn't realize originals were cast as one piece. Thanks for that bit of info.

This is not a wholly true maxim. The sword was certainly designed and issued as a functional weapon. With contracts from several makers in the tens of thousands during the American Civil War, it was hardly considered mere embellishment.

While ACW sword and bayonet casualty numbers are far less than artillery, sickness and small arms fire, the swords were issued as weapons. There is more a case in stating that the musician swords saw little or no use but they too were distributed as weapons, not decoration.

It is not like the economy on either side in that war could really afford superfluous expense for mere parade use.

Cheers

Hotspur; then again, we could all be making up what we say as we go along ;D

Indeed. I will be checking in there more frequently myself from now on. I finally went back in and updated some personal info (email changes and whatnot), so I guess it's time to jump back in after my long hiatus. See you there, Hotspur and Jonathan.

Btw, I just popped in at the A&M section and managed to find an 1840 NCO hilt pic, and it definitely does look to be a single casting. Thanks again, Glen.

This sword can apparently do some nice little cuts :

Is anybody know the precise weight of this sword ?

This is a nifty little sword, my only problem is that it is peened, not threaded like it is advertised, and it came terribly loose from just swinging it. But I stuck the little piece of the pommel in a vice and squeezed it as hard as I could and it isn't loose any more. Then I sharpened it up with an Accusharp and now It kills milk jugs very easily. I hope this helps. Oh by the way, that is me in the video.

Sorry I cant tell you the weight, my scale is a digital one and stuff needs to be over five pounds for it to read. The hilt is actually TWO parts. The grip/pommel is one part, and the guard is one part. If yours gets loose heres what you do: you take the little part were it is peened in to a vice grip and squeeze as hard as you can get it and when it comes off, it should be as tight as it possibly can. Oh another thing, the rings an the scabbard are key-rings.

Thanks Themaster ! I have seen your other video with the windlass sword cane, and it's very pleasant to see that a small thrusting sword can also do some dangerous cuts.
+1 for you !