Post by Jordan Williams on Aug 16, 2017 23:19:02 GMT
Here's a write up, or review maybe of a sword that seems to be consistently disliked and pooh pooh'd by most sword communities, and by myself until I read a reply by one of our beloved Foo brothers. I've re-collected my thoughts on the sword, and made my own theories to it's reason for being the way it is.
So without further ado, the Spanish M1895 Mounted troops sabre.
The M1895, as far as I've seen came in three standard flavors. The Officers, and two trooper variants, one with a painted black grip and a gold flake painted scabbard, and another with plain walnut grips and a polished steel scabbard, and a chrome plated blade. All three have two grip slabs, the troopers with one screw and the officers with two.
I've never handled the Officers variant, (but I #%!*$ want one!) And there's no difference other than cosmetic between the two troopers.
The sabre being discussed here is a plain Jane trooper, of the chrome blade/walnut handle/plain steel scabbard variety
~☆ THE BLADE ☆~
The blade is 32 inches long, and has a rather long false edge going from the tip (doi) and running about a third down the back of the blade, enabling nasty easy thrusts and attacks of the wrists with the back edge.
It has an amazing temper (as most M1895 and the officer's swords of the era, as least in Spain do) and can flex to 90° and return to true reliably. It's not nearly as stiff as it's predecessor, the M1860/late variant or it's American counterpart in this time period (1895 - 1907/18, as the Spanish M1907 didn't begin official production until 1918) the M1860, however it can still stab through most targets.
The blade is curved, but not so much to dissuade thrusting and not too little to make it senseless. It's an elegant and nice looking curve, and when utilized correctly, like most military sabre can really do quite some hurt with a draw cut.
In testing it and other swords, the spear point + false edge make up for a lack of stiffness going into cloth stacked on jugs and oil tubs, however I would not feel comfortable using the sabre in the thrust against opponents wearing more than thin coats or robes.
It's very light compared to earlier cavalry patterns (and indeed comes close in balance to some infantry officer sabres, such as the British P1845 or American M1850) but still has enough heft in the blade to feel confident in parrying actions against swords of the same era that it would have gone against (Nimcha, Machete, and Filipino weapons). I would however not feel so confident against heavier percussive swords such as the American M1860 or the Austrian 1904. The blade is also flat ground from the spine, resulting in a very acute but possibly quite fragile edge. I think it may be more susceptible to damage than other more robust swords such as the afore mentioned swords, or indeed the ealier and much more competent Spanish M1860.
As far as cutting, it's amazing. A very flat, thin blade (around 6mm at the blade base and quickly tapers, it's amazing it's as stiff as it is) that has no interruptions, and a smooth chromed (or if earlier made, mirror) finish? Woosh. Goes through targets like butter!
~☆THE GUARD☆~
The guard is a robust, half bowl with a upturned quillon, however on my example the quillon has been flattened, and I think intentionally. Other than that, there's not much to be said. It balances out the blade and protects the hand from nothing short of a shotgun. It is however thinner and overall less refined than the earlier patterns, being made cheaply and is easily knocked loose through impact.
~☆ THE GRIP ☆~
The grip is a different subject. The grip is a complete 180 from earlier cavalry patterns, and later cavalry patterns. It is a very modern thing, full tang, and I think it is made thisbwau to force troopers to use the thing in a traditional thumb up grip, dictating how far down they hold it.
It's very nice to hold and swing around, however I personally prefer the earlier styles that allow easy transition between thumb up and hammer fist grip.
It is very durable though.
MY THEORIES ON THE SWORD AND IT'S LIGHTNESS
An oft sited example of it being a poor sword (which I think is true, when compared to nearly all other European military sabres) is it's light weight blade.
This is true.
But perhaps it doesn't need them, and after being in turmoil for most of the 19th century the art of the military sword bad dwindled in Spain anyways. In this time Spain was fighting colonial wars and for a short time the United States. The blades the Spanish faced in the Philippines? Light, quick, short things famous for killing. Morocco? The Nimcha and Flyssa swords, both quite quick especially in the hands of angry men. Cuba? Many machetes.
Why not have a light quick sabre with an emphasis on slicing and a secondary on thrusting? Yes it probably can't get through a wool greatcoat, but the Filipino, Moroccans and Cuban natives didn't wear them often.
(Disclaimer - I'm not a studied person in Spanish colonial warfare, so my apologies if this all turns out to be B.S.
I've used mine as a machete to clear black berries, and cut branches off of smaller trees and well as a trail clearing tool. It works wonderfully.
It was also not only issued to the Regular Cavalry, but also all mounted troops so dismounted usage could have definitely been in it's design thought process.
In addition to this, the M1895 is not some anomaly in Spanish sword design. The Model 1880 set the trend for very light swords, and this is also when the heavy cavalry in Spain were ordered to give up the pallasch in favor of the 1880. It is a result of the "evolution" of the military sabre, and for that I think we ought to blame the Italians.
CONCLUSION
Is it a good sword? Errr let's do some hee hawing and look at the context. I don't think using it's short service life as a proof of being inept is fair, as Spain was constantly updating it's cavalry sword patterns. 1803, 1815, 1822, 1825, 1840, 1860, 1880/85, 1895, 1907/18. The 1860 may actually have the longest life here it was used into the 1920s according to J.J. Perez. Besides, even America, who used the same sabre without revision from 1860 - 1906 (and then only changing the material of the hilt, and perhaps quality of the blade) changed to a straight thrusting sword in the face of the era of modern war. There were also versions designed for cavalry and infantry officers, very similar but smaller and with two screws in the grip (Modelo Roberto). Also, it is on record that an unknown number was requested up until 1914 (broken in service?). Production was halted as the sabre was found to be too fragile. And in cases like this, as much as I like the sword, i just defer to history. For an infsntry officers sabre I could not be happier in a world of proto - spadroons and small dueling sabres. For a sabre to use in a cavalry melee and charge? Give me the 1860. Remember it is not only the swinging and striking the sword will have to deal with but also the fact that you are adding your energy from the swing and the horses movement together. I used to ride horseback quite a lot, for work and I can say that I think you do not even need to swing a sword from atop one of those beasts.
AFTERWORD
One more thing. All the M1895 are marked with the Artilleria Fabrica De Toledo. This does not denote an Artillery use sabre. Just that it was made by the Artillery factory in Toledo, as I have read. The typical Toledo steel is indeed very well tempered.
Pictures up now! Sorry about that!
So without further ado, the Spanish M1895 Mounted troops sabre.
The M1895, as far as I've seen came in three standard flavors. The Officers, and two trooper variants, one with a painted black grip and a gold flake painted scabbard, and another with plain walnut grips and a polished steel scabbard, and a chrome plated blade. All three have two grip slabs, the troopers with one screw and the officers with two.
I've never handled the Officers variant, (but I #%!*$ want one!) And there's no difference other than cosmetic between the two troopers.
The sabre being discussed here is a plain Jane trooper, of the chrome blade/walnut handle/plain steel scabbard variety
~☆ THE BLADE ☆~
The blade is 32 inches long, and has a rather long false edge going from the tip (doi) and running about a third down the back of the blade, enabling nasty easy thrusts and attacks of the wrists with the back edge.
It has an amazing temper (as most M1895 and the officer's swords of the era, as least in Spain do) and can flex to 90° and return to true reliably. It's not nearly as stiff as it's predecessor, the M1860/late variant or it's American counterpart in this time period (1895 - 1907/18, as the Spanish M1907 didn't begin official production until 1918) the M1860, however it can still stab through most targets.
The blade is curved, but not so much to dissuade thrusting and not too little to make it senseless. It's an elegant and nice looking curve, and when utilized correctly, like most military sabre can really do quite some hurt with a draw cut.
In testing it and other swords, the spear point + false edge make up for a lack of stiffness going into cloth stacked on jugs and oil tubs, however I would not feel comfortable using the sabre in the thrust against opponents wearing more than thin coats or robes.
It's very light compared to earlier cavalry patterns (and indeed comes close in balance to some infantry officer sabres, such as the British P1845 or American M1850) but still has enough heft in the blade to feel confident in parrying actions against swords of the same era that it would have gone against (Nimcha, Machete, and Filipino weapons). I would however not feel so confident against heavier percussive swords such as the American M1860 or the Austrian 1904. The blade is also flat ground from the spine, resulting in a very acute but possibly quite fragile edge. I think it may be more susceptible to damage than other more robust swords such as the afore mentioned swords, or indeed the ealier and much more competent Spanish M1860.
As far as cutting, it's amazing. A very flat, thin blade (around 6mm at the blade base and quickly tapers, it's amazing it's as stiff as it is) that has no interruptions, and a smooth chromed (or if earlier made, mirror) finish? Woosh. Goes through targets like butter!
~☆THE GUARD☆~
The guard is a robust, half bowl with a upturned quillon, however on my example the quillon has been flattened, and I think intentionally. Other than that, there's not much to be said. It balances out the blade and protects the hand from nothing short of a shotgun. It is however thinner and overall less refined than the earlier patterns, being made cheaply and is easily knocked loose through impact.
~☆ THE GRIP ☆~
The grip is a different subject. The grip is a complete 180 from earlier cavalry patterns, and later cavalry patterns. It is a very modern thing, full tang, and I think it is made thisbwau to force troopers to use the thing in a traditional thumb up grip, dictating how far down they hold it.
It's very nice to hold and swing around, however I personally prefer the earlier styles that allow easy transition between thumb up and hammer fist grip.
It is very durable though.
MY THEORIES ON THE SWORD AND IT'S LIGHTNESS
An oft sited example of it being a poor sword (which I think is true, when compared to nearly all other European military sabres) is it's light weight blade.
This is true.
But perhaps it doesn't need them, and after being in turmoil for most of the 19th century the art of the military sword bad dwindled in Spain anyways. In this time Spain was fighting colonial wars and for a short time the United States. The blades the Spanish faced in the Philippines? Light, quick, short things famous for killing. Morocco? The Nimcha and Flyssa swords, both quite quick especially in the hands of angry men. Cuba? Many machetes.
Why not have a light quick sabre with an emphasis on slicing and a secondary on thrusting? Yes it probably can't get through a wool greatcoat, but the Filipino, Moroccans and Cuban natives didn't wear them often.
(Disclaimer - I'm not a studied person in Spanish colonial warfare, so my apologies if this all turns out to be B.S.
I've used mine as a machete to clear black berries, and cut branches off of smaller trees and well as a trail clearing tool. It works wonderfully.
It was also not only issued to the Regular Cavalry, but also all mounted troops so dismounted usage could have definitely been in it's design thought process.
In addition to this, the M1895 is not some anomaly in Spanish sword design. The Model 1880 set the trend for very light swords, and this is also when the heavy cavalry in Spain were ordered to give up the pallasch in favor of the 1880. It is a result of the "evolution" of the military sabre, and for that I think we ought to blame the Italians.
CONCLUSION
Is it a good sword? Errr let's do some hee hawing and look at the context. I don't think using it's short service life as a proof of being inept is fair, as Spain was constantly updating it's cavalry sword patterns. 1803, 1815, 1822, 1825, 1840, 1860, 1880/85, 1895, 1907/18. The 1860 may actually have the longest life here it was used into the 1920s according to J.J. Perez. Besides, even America, who used the same sabre without revision from 1860 - 1906 (and then only changing the material of the hilt, and perhaps quality of the blade) changed to a straight thrusting sword in the face of the era of modern war. There were also versions designed for cavalry and infantry officers, very similar but smaller and with two screws in the grip (Modelo Roberto). Also, it is on record that an unknown number was requested up until 1914 (broken in service?). Production was halted as the sabre was found to be too fragile. And in cases like this, as much as I like the sword, i just defer to history. For an infsntry officers sabre I could not be happier in a world of proto - spadroons and small dueling sabres. For a sabre to use in a cavalry melee and charge? Give me the 1860. Remember it is not only the swinging and striking the sword will have to deal with but also the fact that you are adding your energy from the swing and the horses movement together. I used to ride horseback quite a lot, for work and I can say that I think you do not even need to swing a sword from atop one of those beasts.
AFTERWORD
One more thing. All the M1895 are marked with the Artilleria Fabrica De Toledo. This does not denote an Artillery use sabre. Just that it was made by the Artillery factory in Toledo, as I have read. The typical Toledo steel is indeed very well tempered.
Pictures up now! Sorry about that!