The Spanish Modelo 1860 Light Cavalry Troopers Sabre
Mar 25, 2018 4:01:46 GMT
Post by Jordan Williams on Mar 25, 2018 4:01:46 GMT
The Spanish Model 1860 Light Cavalry Troopers Sabre
History
Previous to the M1860, the Spanish cavalry was using French inspired hilts, with nearly all of these patterns having brass 4 bar hilts.
(Pictured – the M1815 LC pattern, which was soon replaced by the 1822, 1825, and 1840 patterns. The latter of these was the longest lasting)
In 1856 a new series of sabres was prototyped for the light cavalry, (heavy cav units used the M1832 Pallasch until the 1880s) largely inspired by German and Prussian patterns. Of note is the Prussian KS52, which seems to have inspired the blade and basic grip theory. The prototype sabres that saw use showed improvements over previous patterns in reliability and robustness, as well as hand and wrist protection. These tests led to the adoption of the M1860 light cavalry troopers sabre, which also introduced a break in the Spanish military sword line. Previous to this you can expect to find very French design theories across the board.
The M1860 has a full bowl guard, with a very slight hilt bias to the right. However, my sword may just have a dent that my eye is mistaking for design, so anyone else with this sword; certainly, feel free to chime in and disagree. The grip is slightly bellied and has a dove heads backstrap, and ears pinning the hilt to the tang, with a shagreen wrap and a single strand of unturned and untwisted brass wire. There is also a very wonderful part of this hilt that makes it currently the favorite sword in my collection – it has a martingale. A martingale of course, being a finger loop that comes down from either the guard near the grip, or the top of the grip. On this sabre it comes down from a large screw in the guard plate. Without the use of this finger loop the sabre really wouldn’t handle as well as it does. This is a very blade heavy sword and using it without the use of a glove and the finger loop you will get a very poor impression of the sword. Using this combo, you’re encouraged to use the open grip, as the martingale can provide a quick recovery from a cut or thrust, and helps you retain your grip on the sword when you swap to different grips or swap your footwork. Really, I can’t say how much I like the function that a martingale provides. The presence alone will massively affect the ease of use of a sword.
The blade measures 860 x 32 MM, and starts out at 8.5 MM. It tapers to about 3/16ths of an inch at 6.25 inches down the blade, and by 23 inches down it has gone down to 2/16ths. Past that it tapers slightly and retains enough material in the foible for confident and strong thrusts, as well as heavy cuts. It has a very soft but somewhat stiff flex, and I wouldn’t hesitate in using it in the thrust. The blade has a false edge down 7.5 edges of the blade before the spine gets too thick to reasonable sharpen it.
The blade width starts at 1 and 3/16th inches at the ricasso, and at the midway mark it has reached 1 and 1/16th inches. When the foible starts it stays at 1 and 1/16th inches, and at 1.5 inches from the tip it comes to .75 inches wide, and then tapers evenly to a point. The blade is very well handling and very competently carries it's weight, retaining a very obvious cutting bias while holding onto the ability to easily move the tip into position for thrusting. The grip also allows for the hand to grip it easily in either hammer or open grips.
The scabbard is a usual steel affair, with a small nubby drag that continues the dimensions of the scabbard body and adds two small fins. It is soldered onto the body and I imagine due to it’s form it is quite robust. The ring mounts are certainly robust, as they are thick steel bars attached to the main body. The rings are strangely thin and are really the only weak part of the sword although I’ve never seen any complaints about them. Then again, I’ve never seen any complaints about the sword anyways.
The throat is an upward curved shape, with one throat screw on the inside of the scabbard. The scabbard also features wooden slats in the body and spring steel tabs in the throat.
The scabbards have unit markings just under the throat on the outside of the scabbard. These markings are also repeated on the guard where the quillon turns up, however my example is quite faded. There is also the usual “TOLEDO” stamped just above the unit stamp.
Conclusion
In my opinion, this is an excellent cavalry sword, and the best Spanish sword I’ve owned so far. I think it would also outdo the Prussian, British, American and French contemporaries of the time, in hand protection due to its fully enclosed and solid bowl hilt, as compared to Steel and Brass bars for the British and French patterns respectively, and the open steel guard of the Prussian. Comparing it to my US M1860 and French 1822, I favor the Spanish due to the again indestructible guard, robust grip, and the martingale that allows for lively and secure handling. The tip is also more suited to thrusting, as it is a spearpoint with a sharp false edge rather than a serpent’s tooth tip. This sabre saw use into the 1920s, and I can tell why. Compared to the patterns after – 1880, 1895, 1908/18 – it is an old school cav weapon, without any flouncy shirted Italian fencing theory that came in in the 1870s.
For a useful source Juan J. Perez has written excellent articles on the Spanish swords of the cavalry troopers. They can be located by searching “Perso Wanadoo Spanish Cavalry Swords”.
Here are some pictures within the spoiler tabs. (Click on them to show)
Comparison of the Spanish M1860 with the Prussian M1873, French 1822, (First pic) Spanish Modelo Roberto C. 1896, Austrian M1861 Infantry Officers Sabre, (Second pic) and finally the it’s American cousin, the U.S. M1860 Cav sword.
History
Previous to the M1860, the Spanish cavalry was using French inspired hilts, with nearly all of these patterns having brass 4 bar hilts.
(Pictured – the M1815 LC pattern, which was soon replaced by the 1822, 1825, and 1840 patterns. The latter of these was the longest lasting)
In 1856 a new series of sabres was prototyped for the light cavalry, (heavy cav units used the M1832 Pallasch until the 1880s) largely inspired by German and Prussian patterns. Of note is the Prussian KS52, which seems to have inspired the blade and basic grip theory. The prototype sabres that saw use showed improvements over previous patterns in reliability and robustness, as well as hand and wrist protection. These tests led to the adoption of the M1860 light cavalry troopers sabre, which also introduced a break in the Spanish military sword line. Previous to this you can expect to find very French design theories across the board.
The M1860 has a full bowl guard, with a very slight hilt bias to the right. However, my sword may just have a dent that my eye is mistaking for design, so anyone else with this sword; certainly, feel free to chime in and disagree. The grip is slightly bellied and has a dove heads backstrap, and ears pinning the hilt to the tang, with a shagreen wrap and a single strand of unturned and untwisted brass wire. There is also a very wonderful part of this hilt that makes it currently the favorite sword in my collection – it has a martingale. A martingale of course, being a finger loop that comes down from either the guard near the grip, or the top of the grip. On this sabre it comes down from a large screw in the guard plate. Without the use of this finger loop the sabre really wouldn’t handle as well as it does. This is a very blade heavy sword and using it without the use of a glove and the finger loop you will get a very poor impression of the sword. Using this combo, you’re encouraged to use the open grip, as the martingale can provide a quick recovery from a cut or thrust, and helps you retain your grip on the sword when you swap to different grips or swap your footwork. Really, I can’t say how much I like the function that a martingale provides. The presence alone will massively affect the ease of use of a sword.
The blade measures 860 x 32 MM, and starts out at 8.5 MM. It tapers to about 3/16ths of an inch at 6.25 inches down the blade, and by 23 inches down it has gone down to 2/16ths. Past that it tapers slightly and retains enough material in the foible for confident and strong thrusts, as well as heavy cuts. It has a very soft but somewhat stiff flex, and I wouldn’t hesitate in using it in the thrust. The blade has a false edge down 7.5 edges of the blade before the spine gets too thick to reasonable sharpen it.
The blade width starts at 1 and 3/16th inches at the ricasso, and at the midway mark it has reached 1 and 1/16th inches. When the foible starts it stays at 1 and 1/16th inches, and at 1.5 inches from the tip it comes to .75 inches wide, and then tapers evenly to a point. The blade is very well handling and very competently carries it's weight, retaining a very obvious cutting bias while holding onto the ability to easily move the tip into position for thrusting. The grip also allows for the hand to grip it easily in either hammer or open grips.
The scabbard is a usual steel affair, with a small nubby drag that continues the dimensions of the scabbard body and adds two small fins. It is soldered onto the body and I imagine due to it’s form it is quite robust. The ring mounts are certainly robust, as they are thick steel bars attached to the main body. The rings are strangely thin and are really the only weak part of the sword although I’ve never seen any complaints about them. Then again, I’ve never seen any complaints about the sword anyways.
The throat is an upward curved shape, with one throat screw on the inside of the scabbard. The scabbard also features wooden slats in the body and spring steel tabs in the throat.
The scabbards have unit markings just under the throat on the outside of the scabbard. These markings are also repeated on the guard where the quillon turns up, however my example is quite faded. There is also the usual “TOLEDO” stamped just above the unit stamp.
Conclusion
In my opinion, this is an excellent cavalry sword, and the best Spanish sword I’ve owned so far. I think it would also outdo the Prussian, British, American and French contemporaries of the time, in hand protection due to its fully enclosed and solid bowl hilt, as compared to Steel and Brass bars for the British and French patterns respectively, and the open steel guard of the Prussian. Comparing it to my US M1860 and French 1822, I favor the Spanish due to the again indestructible guard, robust grip, and the martingale that allows for lively and secure handling. The tip is also more suited to thrusting, as it is a spearpoint with a sharp false edge rather than a serpent’s tooth tip. This sabre saw use into the 1920s, and I can tell why. Compared to the patterns after – 1880, 1895, 1908/18 – it is an old school cav weapon, without any flouncy shirted Italian fencing theory that came in in the 1870s.
For a useful source Juan J. Perez has written excellent articles on the Spanish swords of the cavalry troopers. They can be located by searching “Perso Wanadoo Spanish Cavalry Swords”.
Here are some pictures within the spoiler tabs. (Click on them to show)
Comparison of the Spanish M1860 with the Prussian M1873, French 1822, (First pic) Spanish Modelo Roberto C. 1896, Austrian M1861 Infantry Officers Sabre, (Second pic) and finally the it’s American cousin, the U.S. M1860 Cav sword.
