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Post by althesmith on Oct 19, 2016 19:21:50 GMT
Decided to make a softwood (poplar) lining for my antique 1796 HC sword. Does the job very well- doesn't make the sword hard to draw although it is slightly more snug, not altogether a bad thing, and no more scraping every time it goes in or out. Still thinking of selling this in the future but like having the old trooper around for awhile. All ready for the Zombie Apocalypse. Grip is still solid as a rock and leather is all there. Woolley made good swords. Attachments:
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Post by Dave Kelly on Oct 19, 2016 21:20:03 GMT
Decided to make a softwood (poplar) lining for my antique 1796 HC sword. Does the job very well- doesn't make the sword hard to draw although it is slightly more snug, not altogether a bad thing, and no more scraping every time it goes in or out. Still thinking of selling this in the future but like having the old trooper around for awhile. All ready for the Zombie Apocalypse. Grip is still solid as a rock and leather is all there. Woolley made good swords. While I would discourage the thought of letting such a thing go, you know you won't have to look very far for a buyer. (hint,hint,hint.) :)
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Post by althesmith on Oct 19, 2016 23:09:40 GMT
I may be putting it up through West Street Antiques or Oldswords.com if the GBP ever gains ground.Be interesting to find some regimental marks but if there were any on the bow they were etched, not stamped and etching is often gone after a few cleanings. The spear point mod screams "Waterloo" to me, and the guard looks like post-1815 service with the cutdown left side but who can tell? Also, any marks on one side of the guard disappeared of course with the mod. Attachments:
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Uhlan
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Posts: 3,121
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Post by Uhlan on Oct 20, 2016 4:42:47 GMT
That is one fine looking sabre. Could you explain to us how you did the new lining? Always eager to learn about the ways others do these jobs. Also a review of the sabre would be nice if it has not been reviewed yet. You know, with meassurements and stuff. I cannot remember it was posted already, but my brain is goo at the moment. Much thanks in advance.
Cheers.
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Post by althesmith on Oct 20, 2016 8:54:28 GMT
That is one fine looking sabre. Could you explain to us how you did the new lining? Always eager to learn about the ways others do these jobs. Also a review of the sabre would be nice if it has not been reviewed yet. You know, with meassurements and stuff. I cannot remember it was posted already, but my brain is goo at the moment. Much thanks in advance. Cheers. I had a chunk of poplar milled down to 1/4" thickness and cut it into 2 2"wide by 3 foot slats, next using a milling bit I hollowed out each piece to take the blade, then glued overnight with white glue. Then I started removing material to let it fit, but even shaving it down very close it was a bit too tight a fit- the originals used simple unformed slats iirc- so some "breakthrough" was unavoidable. Still managed to protect the edge for the most part and protects the sides from metal-metal contact completely. Next, I cut it down at the throat sufficiently to allow the throat/spring fitting to slide in. Not a too bad ending, now there's no rattle and the blade is snug, but not hard to draw. I thought I posted it earlier, but here goes: Weight w/scabbard 2.035 kg or 4.49 lbs. Weight sword alone 1.093 kg or 2.41 lbs (2 lbs 6.5 oz.) Blade length (spear point mod)- 34.5 ". (There is a small chip at the tip- without the chip I estimate it would've been 34.625") Overall (unsheathed)- 39.5". Inner grip length about 4.25". (This includes the iron ferrule at the guard-w/o it's 3.75".) Thickness at guard- 8.35 mm or 0.329" "" PoB- 5.1mm or 0.200" "" midpoint- 4.25 mm or 0.167" "" end of fuller (about 6.5" from tip) - 2.1 mm or 0.083" Width at guard- 39.5 mm or 1.55" "" at midpoint of blade- 35 mm or 1.38" "" at end of fuller- 35 mm. Everything is solid and tight. The blade has staining but no serious pitting, if I wasn't planning on selling I could remove most of that easily with 600 and 1000 grit paper and take it all up to a like-new shine. Even as it is, I would have no compunction using it tomorrow (after a bit of sharpening- blade is fairly dull from scabbard or intentional hard to tell.) The blade still springs back to true after considerable flexing, not bad for a 200+ year old trooper (Woolley and Deakin marked swords are pre-1806 iirc). The sword handles much better than any repros I've seen, and is significantly lighter in the hand- nearly half a pound by my reckoning. The balance point is well forward- about 6.25 inches- so it's a bit slow in recovery compared to some but as a tool for doing damage it's very good- blade is flexible but not "wobbly" and as accounts from Waterloo testified it would do horrific damage in a cut and was far from useless for thrusting either.
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Uhlan
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Post by Uhlan on Oct 20, 2016 14:09:50 GMT
Thanks for the numbers and the explanation.
Yes, all liners I have seen were just very thin wooden slats. The only liner that made a thin, closed ,, scabbard '' within the steel scabbard was from a Navy Gunto. The two sides were glued together with rice glue I think. The liner came appart easy once it was removed from the steel scabbard. That was done to make it simple to clean the blade channel. I hope the white glue you used was acid free. I once made the mistake to glue together the parts of a wooden scabbard with wood glue without knowing it to be acid free or not. The newly polished blade started to rust instandly and keeps on rusting at the edges whatever I do prevent that. I tried layers of vaseline, oil baths, the works, but no, that wood glue with acid in it just keeps on being active.
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Post by bluetrain on Oct 20, 2016 14:29:04 GMT
If I might ask, do you imagine the hilt on your sword was browned at one time? It looks too nice to have rusted to that shade. I believe muskets were routinely browned (for which the armorer was paid extra).
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Post by althesmith on Oct 20, 2016 16:44:57 GMT
I don't think it was browned, but I could be mistaken. IIRC most trooper's hilts would've been left as finished from the shop. The camera actually makes it look "browner" than it is- it's mostly a dark grey/black with the exception initially of a couple of small patches of surface rust, now gone (I hate active rust with a passion.)
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Post by althesmith on Oct 20, 2016 16:54:06 GMT
Thanks for the numbers and the explanation. Yes, all liners I have seen were just very thin wooden slats. The only liner that made a thin, closed ,, scabbard '' within the steel scabbard was from a Navy Gunto. The two sides were glued together with rice glue I think. The liner came appart easy once it was removed from the steel scabbard. That was done to make it simple to clean the blade channel. I hope the white glue you used was acid free. I once made the mistake to glue together the parts of a wooden scabbard with wood glue without knowing it to be acid free or not. The newly polished blade started to rust instandly and keeps on rusting at the edges whatever I do prevent that. I tried layers of vaseline, oil baths, the works, but no, that wood glue with acid in it just keeps on being active. Never really had that issue. I don't use very much glue but I use it for wood and leather, I do give it a long drying time before anything goes in it, and I also use it sparingly on the sheaths- the glue mainly holds it together until the leather is stitched or a leather or fabric covering goes over the wood. Been making sheaths with it for twenty years now so obviously I've been doing something right, I guess.
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Post by bluetrain on Oct 20, 2016 17:08:54 GMT
Concerning scabbards, if you've ever seen the scabbard for a Patton sword (M1913) that was in poor shape, meaning with the canvas covering coming off, you can see that it was probably the most complicated scabbard ever made for a service weapon. It was made of wood covered with skin of some sort and that was covered with canvas and with metal ends. I don't think I've ever seen another sword made like that (which invariably will mean there was one).
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