Spanish retention of complex hilted military swords
Mar 7, 2017 3:12:56 GMT
Post by Dave Kelly on Mar 7, 2017 3:12:56 GMT
Ohhh, I like those by the looks! Mr. Dave Kelly, I read your comparison of the Spanish 1796 Cav Dragoon with the Windlass Bilbo here:
sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/34963/spanish-carlos-iii-hvy-sword
Would you mind to share some thoughts on how those do handle in comparison to a Swiss 1867 Cavalry Trooper Sabre, for example? How would they fare when having to fight dismounted? In contrast to later pallasche, they seem to allow for "fingering" the quillons (don't know if that was advisable for mounted combat)?
sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/34963/spanish-carlos-iii-hvy-sword
Would you mind to share some thoughts on how those do handle in comparison to a Swiss 1867 Cavalry Trooper Sabre, for example? How would they fare when having to fight dismounted? In contrast to later pallasche, they seem to allow for "fingering" the quillons (don't know if that was advisable for mounted combat)?
Apr 2013 I had the good fortune to pick up a Spanish 1796 Cav Dragoon sword. The price was well below what I had previously seen. I got an education in the history of this late model complex hilted weapon. With the onset of the 1st Empire there was a major transition in sword forms; favoring the curved saber blade and the associated large, straightened hilt. Toledo arsenal got left with a great surplus of 1796 parts. Rther than throw them away, the arsenal decided to finish swords and offer them to the collector public. 1816 into the 1850s these were for sale.
The sword has an imposing blade, 36.75x1.37 inches long. The PoB is 4.25 inches up the blade. The weight of the sword is only 2.5 lbs. The blade is not that heavy. The guard is only 5.16mms and the foible only 1.6 mm. The blade has some flex, but the temper is good and the line of the blade is still straight.
This winter I had the singular good luck to find this 1760 Spanish Dragoon on ebay. The price was about 1/3d of what these usually go for. It was so because the carbon steel surfaces were thickly painted over in flat black. The sword was straight and firm, so I bought it. When it arrived I stripped the paint from the blade and outer guard plates. Sword is in VG+ condition with normal discolor foe a 250 year old saw that saw little environmental control.
This is another private purchase, most likely colonial bought, sword. The 1760 is a bit more spare in design than the 1796, thus a 5 oz savings in weight.
The question asked above, wants to know how does the complex hilted Spanish dragoon differ in handling from the modern cavalry saber.
Spanish 1760, complex hilt, "over the quillons" grip
"handshake grip".
The fundamental difference between complex hilts and straight hilts is the flexibility allowed the wrist in sword plays, and more important the ability to deliver a point attack. Complex hilts, thumb rings and tight grips that force closed handed play are all intended to deliver hard cuts. The new grips allowed more openhanded play and a variety of lines of attack accomplished with the wrist or half armed, from the elbow. More important is that open handed play allowed finger control and straight thrusts with any sword.