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Post by tsmspace on Feb 22, 2021 6:50:55 GMT
So, I've had my windlass 1840 nco sword for a good while now, I bought it unsharpened, sharpened it to a blunt edge that's only a short sitdown from sharp, and basically left it like that and only used it to play along with the occasional drill youtube video. (academy of historical fencing has some neat stuff)
I don't have a video yet, but today since i had a fresh file, and have been cutting with file sharp (not stone finished) swords from Universal swords and balaur arms (the munitions grade stuff), and since the nco sword is so thin and has a reputation for being not a power cutter, I sharpened up a portion towards the tip, and tested it out on a soda bottle,,,, and it cut actually very well.
my form is improving, I basically used rapier form, (which didn't work for the saber I tried,,, but it might be the wrong form, or it might be a poor temper on the sword, or a combination of both), but I felt zero resistance, the sword cut very nicely, and I was pleasantly surprised. I know that it's not reputed to be a backyard cutter sword, but it's really striking me as a nice sword. Of course I worried about it right from the start, , is it thick enough at the base of the blade? it has virtually no taper , it SHOULD hold an edge but there's very little mass, it's not TERRIBLY floppy but it is a little floppy, and the grip is so thin, the tang must be virtually a wire.
but, it cut really nice, the edge looked unharmed by the plastic, and I feel pretty good that I'll be able to use it for all of my favorite cuts. I may try to record some bottles tomorrow, but I may be busy, but I'm furloughed for a week, and a week a week after that, so I'm home with time and I'm sure I'll need to stretch my legs by swinging a sword around the lawn...... I wouldn't have expected to want the sword at any point, being more interested in short fat swords, and a bunch of huge swords,, but when I move it around it feels really good, it feels really fast, and apparently it's cutting adequately, so it might be the star of my collection several days at a time.
I have the windlass naval cutlass also, I think I should get a proper saber. actually I DID accidentally buy the duelling saber, which is very thin, but blunt,,, which feels very quick and light, but now I'm considering sharpening it, I wonder if the temper is proper for holding an edge?? being as thin as it is, and being that it's expected to spar, I'm inclined to think it's either good to go, or the wrong steel, but it honestly looks the same. I wouldn't need to put a point on it to cut bottles, but I wish someone knew whether or not it's the right temper.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Feb 22, 2021 17:55:50 GMT
I’ve been waiting to hear your impression of the M1840 NCO sword. I love mine. I hope that you make your video and attach to this thread soon.
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Post by tsmspace on Feb 22, 2021 23:05:14 GMT
I’ve been waiting to hear your impression of the M1840 NCO sword. I love mine. I hope that you make your video and attach to this thread soon. It's a casual video but I try to get to the point. I am actually quite pleased with the sword. I didn't expect to like it as much as I do, because it's just plain and small, but it's really a good and modern sword. after being so happy, and being rather dissappointed with my universal swords lcs,, I was eyeballing the windlass 1860 union light cavalry saber,,, it's honestly looking pretty good. I could spring for the heavier versions, but I am really thinking the right decision is the lcs.
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Post by tsmspace on Feb 27, 2021 5:04:51 GMT
So I was on the internet,, looking at ebay hoping to see more detailed pictures of original swords, specifically I was looking to see what the union 1860 light cavalry sword looked like, specifically hoping to see the taper, and also if I could feel like i understood what was going on with the steel quality. I couldn't help but feel like I was looking at a bunch of fakes,, but THEN I looked up for the 1840 nco sword , and the first link I went to showed the thickness at the hilt, AND looked real. In other words,, it looked like a proper artifact, not a fake. I'm not saying all of the listings for 1860 sabers were fakes, I don't know, but they didn't allow me to feel confident, and actually looking at the pictures I definitely worried,,, meanwhile the 1840 nco sword looked 100% legit, no questions asked,,, but also it looked quite good. It was a bit more beefy than my windlass, and also ,,, I get the impression I would be at least as capable of cutting with it as I am the windlass. My guess is that, because the saber is just more popular, you are more likely to end up with a fake,, while because the nco sword is (and always has been) the sword type that you SHOULD have but would never want first, it's just not as popular so there just won't be as many fakes. anyway here's the link,, I would love to know if anyone thinks the sword looks legit. I'm trying to find more pictures of actual artifacts to see the distal taper, it's not easy, most swords just show the side view of the sword. www.ebay.com/itm/174506498815?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=174506498815&targetid=1068323852150&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9032812&poi=&campaignid=11755692906&mkgroupid=117768892241&rlsatarget=aud-622524042958:pla-1068323852150&abcId=9300462&merchantid=6296724&gclid=CjwKCAiA1eKBBhBZEiwAX3gqlyYDJGxhh6y2yRdLBqYLYoRpemLkUtEALRlqe92FJFMx-2SbuZ2ohhoCNuMQAvD_BwE
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Post by vmivol on Feb 27, 2021 14:33:15 GMT
That is way too pricey for an 1840NCO. A fair price is more in the $400-600 range. Make an offer in that range. Also, Rafael over at Shiloh relics has one right now in that range with scan hard. Go there first.
Oh, and BTW, you are a spadrooner now. Welcome and cheers.
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Post by tsmspace on Feb 27, 2021 16:33:51 GMT
That is way too pricey for an 1840NCO. A fair price is more in the $400-600 range. Make an offer in that range. Also, Rafael over at Shiloh relics has one right now in that range with scan hard. Go there first. Oh, and BTW, you are a spadrooner now. Welcome and cheers. well, I'm not going to buy the sword right now, I'm just looking at it. I like the low-stress of a cheap replica, and I have to pay taxes..... it's an interesting story that I'm sure everyone has, but I didn't ever want a spadroon, it's not the "sword of your dreams" if you will, , I would have basically had medieval swords , gladius's, and sabers. but, once playing with them, a lot of swords don't have what the spadroon has, it's a little bit like a lightsaber. it's not heavy but its' light enough that you can "work the blade",, in other words, a lot of cutting that takes control and specific motion is available, even though axe-chopping is not. I feel like with a bit of time I could use the sword like a pocketknife. (from 3 feet away). I don't need an original, i would want one, but I don't like the idea of having to be responsible for the care of a relic over the years. With the swords I have, if I abandon them to rust, it mostly doesn't even matter. None of them are of real value beyond the fact that some of the blades are decent quality. If I had a proper original production sword, I would be worried, because one day it will belong in a museum. No matter how many of them are in circulation, the population will exponentially grow, and having the real artifact will be crucial for people's development. We like to think that swords and guns are just weapons, but they're really not. Even guns are only really useful for crime, and killing the innocent. If you were going to war, they're already no good. THey're hardly weapons. But what they ARE , are unique ways to experience the simple machines. A sword is a lot of machines in one, and like using a good hammer is a critical growth experience, ultimately so is using a good sword and a good gun. Our engines do combustion, but it's too fast. With a gun, you can hold in your hand a single combustion. With a sword, you can interact with material as in a knife, but on a grander scale, and with the use of inertia and leverage. A real sword made for real use, and one that was really made during the time it was useful, will be a critical experience for future people also, and I don't really feel equipped. Many of the original swords of history were probably lost to someone who just wasn't ready to care for them,,, and now today people find one of these artifacts, and if it's old enough it's worth entire teams of specialists to dedicate their lives to caring for it. I know that sacrificing such a sword to the right user can make them into a valuable contribution to the infrastructure, but it would really be wasted on me. I can get everything from replicas, and a good replica would be the best thing for me.
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Post by howler on Feb 27, 2021 21:13:34 GMT
I’ve been waiting to hear your impression of the M1840 NCO sword. I love mine. I hope that you make your video and attach to this thread soon. It's a casual video but I try to get to the point. I am actually quite pleased with the sword. I didn't expect to like it as much as I do, because it's just plain and small, but it's really a good and modern sword. after being so happy, and being rather dissappointed with my universal swords lcs,, I was eyeballing the windlass 1860 union light cavalry saber,,, it's honestly looking pretty good. I could spring for the heavier versions, but I am really thinking the right decision is the lcs. You're rocking the pirate look there, Tsmspace. With sword in hand you look right out of a swashbuckler movie cast.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Feb 28, 2021 21:59:49 GMT
Ya, since you mentioned it.
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Post by tsmspace on Mar 1, 2021 7:04:06 GMT
It's a casual video but I try to get to the point. I am actually quite pleased with the sword. I didn't expect to like it as much as I do, because it's just plain and small, but it's really a good and modern sword. after being so happy, and being rather dissappointed with my universal swords lcs,, I was eyeballing the windlass 1860 union light cavalry saber,,, it's honestly looking pretty good. I could spring for the heavier versions, but I am really thinking the right decision is the lcs. You're rocking the pirate look there, Tsmspace. With sword in hand you look right out of a swashbuckler movie cast. I should get a costume. ,,,,,, but I would be more inclined towards maybe , custom selecting my actual attire to be a particular blend of historical utility traditions and modern utility. So, pirates are the appropriate era, but I would mix it up with the time and need it to be suitable for daily wear at work, in a warehouse. (historical clothing might answer the question of where to keep a phone, for example, and what to do with some other tools, extra batteries, things of the like. )
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Post by howler on Mar 1, 2021 7:12:34 GMT
You're rocking the pirate look there, Tsmspace. With sword in hand you look right out of a swashbuckler movie cast. I should get a costume. ,,,,,, but I would be more inclined towards maybe , custom selecting my actual attire to be a particular blend of historical utility traditions and modern utility. So, pirates are the appropriate era, but I would mix it up with the time and need it to be suitable for daily wear at work, in a warehouse. (historical clothing might answer the question of where to keep a phone, for example, and what to do with some other tools, extra batteries, things of the like. ) Yeah, a fake wooden leg, eye patch, and parrot on the shoulder would get pretty old on the work site after a couple minutes.
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Post by treeslicer on Mar 19, 2021 4:58:33 GMT
I should get a costume. ,,,,,, but I would be more inclined towards maybe , custom selecting my actual attire to be a particular blend of historical utility traditions and modern utility. So, pirates are the appropriate era, but I would mix it up with the time and need it to be suitable for daily wear at work, in a warehouse. (historical clothing might answer the question of where to keep a phone, for example, and what to do with some other tools, extra batteries, things of the like. ) Yeah, a fake wooden leg, eye patch, and parrot on the shoulder would get pretty old on the work site after a couple minutes. The parrot could be especially tiresome if he works for Keebler, Nabisco, etc.
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Post by howler on Mar 19, 2021 20:52:23 GMT
Yeah, a fake wooden leg, eye patch, and parrot on the shoulder would get pretty old on the work site after a couple minutes. The parrot could be especially tiresome if he works for Keebler, Nabisco, etc. On the other hand, the bird could be a spokesman for your favorite liquor brands and that it's nearing cocktail hour. Burp.
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Mar 19, 2021 20:59:18 GMT
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Post by howler on Mar 19, 2021 21:10:23 GMT
Keep drinking. Ya got a good deal. She's quiet, doesn't dirty the cage, and more money will go to beer instead of bird seed.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Apr 3, 2021 16:43:50 GMT
I suppose I owe you a bit of thanks for the new lease on life you’ve given my Universal P1796 Sergeants Sword. It’s been a bit of a thorn in my side and I’ve viewed it with mixed emotions. I have every reason to believe it’s out of specs even for Universal. The blade is oversize making the sword weigh about a kilo, remember this is a spadroon, and will not fit the sheath. There are other reasons. I consider it my most beautiful sword and have spent much time admiring it. It reminds me of some women I’ve known, beautiful but otherwise lacking. I rarely cut with it or even dry handle it. I’ve also known for some time that different targets require different edges, some with teeth, others with a more acute grind, etc. With you giving your M1840 teeth due to the file you got me thinking and with too much time on my hands over the holiday I resharpened the P1796. But cheated a little, rather than fastening it down and taking a file to it I made a few passes through my belt sander using a course belt. Of course an immediate test drive was required and it went through the usual backyard targets a little easier than I remembered. Maybe my technique had improved? That putting me in a good mood I sat down to meditate over the morning’s events. Then I dawned on me, that sword looks like a spadroon but a spadroon it ain’t, regardless of what Universal was trying to do. It’s a backsword. Then all of the pieces began to fall into place. Being a backsword it should cut better than a spadroon so I gave it a test with a gallon jug, something several of my swords won’t cut including spadroons and M1902. It went through like a piece of cake. I’m not sure at this point how much the new edge played vs my misuse of the sword in the past. But I doubt with the old edge it would have cleaved that jug. At any rate I now have a new backsword and will stop using the P1796 as a spadroon. It's too soon to be sure but I believe that it does cut better with that edge and will in time apply it to others and see how it goes.
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