Aikidoka
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Monstrous monk in training...
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Post by Aikidoka on Jun 12, 2017 2:10:57 GMT
Last week, I bought my first antique sword! It is a Bavarian model 1813 Hussar saber. This was the first cutting session where I used the saber grip (thumb on backstrap) while performing the cuts. I believe that this saber's hilt was designed for this type of grip. I'll discuss this in more detail when I review this saber, but the grip has a ribbed ring at the top of the grip that is not conducive to cutting with a hammer grip.
I slowed down the video of the first cut viewed from the side because I noticed that I was moving my thumb during the quick rotation after the cut and then placing it back on the thumbstrap before the next cut. Not only was this not intentional, I didn't realize I had done it until I viewed the footage. This was the first time that I have cut with a saber while using this style of grip.
Forum member Uhlan had asked for feedback on how this grip felt. My impression from this first cutting session is that the sword felt comfortable and under control while cutting. And clearly this type of blade cuts very well.
I polished the cutting edge before cutting these mats. I was careful not to affect the patina on the rest of the blade. The 150 year old grip was solid before and after the cutting. You can hear it ring during the cuts.
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Post by Lancelot Chan on Jun 12, 2017 5:35:01 GMT
Nice to see antique swords in action again. Now you can add to its history as "1 battle, several kills, + 1 tatami in like two hundred years more later." :D
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Post by Croccifixio on Jun 12, 2017 7:30:51 GMT
I wish I could cut with my sabres. I only have one that I'd be comfortable cutting with (1873 Prussian artillery) but I'm a bit scared to take it to bamboo (only bottles and bamboo for me, no tatami).
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Post by Lukas MG (chenessfan) on Jun 12, 2017 17:00:15 GMT
Cool to cut with antiques, isn't it! I enjoy it, too. Though I have found my favorite sabre, the 1845, doesn't quite make it through a full mat. No such problem with the 1822... Yours seems to be an excellent cutter as well.
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Post by Jordan Williams on Feb 7, 2018 1:07:50 GMT
I can't believe I missed this when it was posted! Really awesome, very nice cutting. I had a chance to cut tatami with my antiques and it was pretty cool to see how they faired. Cool to cut with antiques, isn't it! I enjoy it, too. Though I have found my favorite sabre, the 1845, doesn't quite make it through a full mat. No such problem with the 1822... Yours seems to be an excellent cutter as well. I had an 1845 pass through my hands, I'm assuming the French model? I had suspected that the thick blade would have trouble cutting but never tried it. Huge fan of the 1822 though.
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Post by elbrittania39 on Apr 2, 2018 4:12:41 GMT
Gorgeous saber. The simple D guard is really elegant. I'd love to get one of these someday.
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Post by legacyofthesword on Apr 10, 2018 4:25:49 GMT
Do you notice if curved blades (like this one) tend to cut better than straight ones? Are they perhaps easier to make good cuts with? Or is a good cutting sword defined more by the individual construction rather than by curved vs straight?
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Elrikk
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Post by Elrikk on Apr 10, 2018 16:02:21 GMT
Love your videos!, but what would be cool is a close up of the weapon before you star cutting...
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Post by Jordan Williams on Apr 11, 2018 4:13:37 GMT
Do you notice if curved blades (like this one) tend to cut better than straight ones? Are they perhaps easier to make good cuts with? Or is a good cutting sword defined more by the individual construction rather than by curved vs straight? I'm not Aikidoka, but in cutting with my own collection (and relevant here - my Austrian M1861 Vs My now - sold US M1840 NCO) I noticed a dramatic difference between the two, despite the cutting portions of the blade being nearly the same width. The 1861 is able to cut through the tougher smart water bottles easily, while the M1840 was fairly poor at cutting using the same sabre technique, but this could also be in part due to the 1861 having a proper cutting foible, anfd the 1840 having the fuller continue throughout nearly the length of the blade.
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Post by legacyofthesword on Apr 11, 2018 15:49:04 GMT
Do you notice if curved blades (like this one) tend to cut better than straight ones? Are they perhaps easier to make good cuts with? Or is a good cutting sword defined more by the individual construction rather than by curved vs straight? I'm not Aikidoka, but in cutting with my own collection (and relevant here - my Austrian M1861 Vs My now - sold US M1840 NCO) I noticed a dramatic difference between the two, despite the cutting portions of the blade being nearly the same width. The 1861 is able to cut through the tougher smart water bottles easily, while the M1840 was fairly poor at cutting using the same sabre technique, but this could also be in part due to the 1861 having a proper cutting foible, anfd the 1840 having the fuller continue throughout nearly the length of the blade. Thanks Jordan. Also, interesting... the Austrian M1861 isn't even dramatically curved (compared to many cavalry sabers). What is the POB on both of them? Does the M1840 NCO perhaps have more distal taper to the blade? I'm curious... It could be weight distribution that makes the NCO cut poorly.
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Post by Jordan Williams on Apr 11, 2018 15:57:19 GMT
I'm not Aikidoka, but in cutting with my own collection (and relevant here - my Austrian M1861 Vs My now - sold US M1840 NCO) I noticed a dramatic difference between the two, despite the cutting portions of the blade being nearly the same width. The 1861 is able to cut through the tougher smart water bottles easily, while the M1840 was fairly poor at cutting using the same sabre technique, but this could also be in part due to the 1861 having a proper cutting foible, anfd the 1840 having the fuller continue throughout nearly the length of the blade. Thanks Jordan. Also, interesting... the Austrian M1861 isn't even dramatically curved (compared to many cavalry sabers). What is the POB on both of them? Does the M1840 NCO perhaps have more distal taper to the blade? I'm curious... It could be weight distribution that makes the NCO cut poorly. I can't remember the PoB of the NCO, but if I remember I'll get the 1861 when I get home. They both felt similar though, but the NCO had a meatier blade throughout, not too dissimilar to the Prussian 1873 in terms of relative fatness of the cutting edge. (And the edge i put on the NCO with a file was very shallow, much better than the edge on my 1873 which is a steeper bevel)
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Aikidoka
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Monstrous monk in training...
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Post by Aikidoka on Apr 11, 2018 17:32:02 GMT
Do you notice if curved blades (like this one) tend to cut better than straight ones? Are they perhaps easier to make good cuts with? Or is a good cutting sword defined more by the individual construction rather than by curved vs straight? For ease of cutting, no I haven't experienced a real difference when cutting with a straight blade versus a curved one. The geometry of the blade has a bigger impact. A wide thin falchion or Chinese broadsword blade (for example) will be much easier to cut with than a narrower, thicker blade. If one saber is cutting notably better than another, I would first look at the edge geometry.
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Post by legacyofthesword on Apr 11, 2018 18:22:32 GMT
Thanks Jordan. Also, interesting... the Austrian M1861 isn't even dramatically curved (compared to many cavalry sabers). What is the POB on both of them? Does the M1840 NCO perhaps have more distal taper to the blade? I'm curious... It could be weight distribution that makes the NCO cut poorly. I can't remember the PoB of the NCO, but if I remember I'll get the 1861 when I get home. They both felt similar though, but the NCO had a meatier blade throughout, not too dissimilar to the Prussian 1873 in terms of relative fatness of the cutting edge. (And the edge i put on the NCO with a file was very shallow, much better than the edge on my 1873 which is a steeper bevel) Hmm... Well, do you think the curve of the blade had anything to do with the superior cutting ability of the M1861? Or was it something else? Do you notice if curved blades (like this one) tend to cut better than straight ones? Are they perhaps easier to make good cuts with? Or is a good cutting sword defined more by the individual construction rather than by curved vs straight? For ease of cutting, no I haven't experienced a real difference when cutting with a straight blade versus a curved one. The geometry of the blade has a bigger impact. A wide thin falchion or Chinese broadsword blade (for example) will be much easier to cut with than a narrower, thicker blade. If one saber is cutting notably better than another, I would first look at the edge geometry. Makes sense. Though it does beg the question: why make a sword curved in the first place? I know it's easier to forge, but is that it?
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Post by Jordan Williams on Apr 11, 2018 22:25:12 GMT
I can't remember the PoB of the NCO, but if I remember I'll get the 1861 when I get home. They both felt similar though, but the NCO had a meatier blade throughout, not too dissimilar to the Prussian 1873 in terms of relative fatness of the cutting edge. (And the edge i put on the NCO with a file was very shallow, much better than the edge on my 1873 which is a steeper bevel) Hmm... Well, do you think the curve of the blade had anything to do with the superior cutting ability of the M1861? Or was it something else? For ease of cutting, no I haven't experienced a real difference when cutting with a straight blade versus a curved one. The geometry of the blade has a bigger impact. A wide thin falchion or Chinese broadsword blade (for example) will be much easier to cut with than a narrower, thicker blade. If one saber is cutting notably better than another, I would first look at the edge geometry. Makes sense. Though it does beg the question: why make a sword curved in the first place? I know it's easier to forge, but is that it? I think it was the curve, technique and blade profile all combined. I do think that the curve affected it to some extent but I think that edge profile and technique do have more affect. Although when I think of straight sword I think more of a dead straight blade with a more or less straight edge.
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Aikidoka
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Post by Aikidoka on May 3, 2018 19:32:17 GMT
For anyone interested, this saber is now for sale in the classified section.
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