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Post by softy on Feb 23, 2021 15:11:55 GMT
Hello all!
Does anyone know where I can purchase or commission a quality reproduction (I’m not looking for antiques) decent high carbon, spring tempered, and generally ready to use spadroon? I have been searching for a quality reproduction of a spadroon. However I can’t seem to find any. I purchased a universal swords version as that it’s the kind I would like. No shell guards, a five ball or saber type hilt.
But when it arrived it turned out to be, frankly, trash. The blade was crooked (not aligned with the guard and shooting of to the left), the handle was loose and rotated slightly around the tang. The edge geometry is poor and even with KOA sharpening service, won’t cut a thing. Now, the only reason I bought the uss-106 was because it was the only one I could find for sale. I’m willing to spend a decent amount of money to get one of these swords. Does anyone know where one is available?
I’d so greatly appreciate the help.
Sincerely softy
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Post by Jayhawk on Feb 23, 2021 15:15:10 GMT
Windlass USM1840 NCO is cheap and a great spadroon! It's available at KOA: www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=USS186This is a very late spadroon, but a great cut and thrust sword with a robust blade. Hard to go wrong with it! My historical fencing son adores my original 1864 Ames M1840 NCO sword...he claims it is spadroony goodness. :-)
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Post by Lord Newport on Feb 23, 2021 15:15:36 GMT
That type of reproduction is seldom used to actually cut with and not a high demand type that the market would demand ever increasing levels of quality in by manufacturers. I suspect a custom spadroon is your only option.
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Post by softy on Feb 23, 2021 15:23:33 GMT
Thank you Jayhawk. I’m sure that the model you linked is quite good, but it’s not exactly what I’m looking for. I’m looking for one without shell grards. With the simple stirrup hilt, the same (or similar) hilt construction as this-> kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=USS106And Thank you lord Newport I’m starting to suspect you may be right.
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Post by Jayhawk on Feb 23, 2021 15:27:47 GMT
Ah, sorry about missing the fact you wanted a five ball spadroon. There are actual originals of those, or ones similar, floating around in eBay. Things like this: That's mine, though, and definitely not for sale. Obviously not new, but I'm not aware of any really good repros of these out there.
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Post by Lord Newport on Feb 23, 2021 15:35:38 GMT
Thank you Jayhawk. I’m sure that the model you linked is quite good, but it’s not exactly what I’m looking for. I’m looking for one without shell grards. With the simple D knucklebow, the same (or similar) hilt construction as this-> kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=USS106And Thank you lord Newport I’m starting to suspect you may be right. I am a fan of the Horatio Hornblower and Jack Aubrey series books depicting the Royal Navy and have one of Universal's Admiral Nelsons 5 ball spaldroon. It compares well with the US Naval Officers sword I bought from the Navy Exchange when I was serving and best man at a military wedding. I am told that the low end Pakistani swords, like the low end chinese swords are very hit/miss on build quality. Neither design is well suited for actually cutting...more a stabbing weapon I suspect. The cutting weapon onboard ship was the Naval cutlass.
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Post by Jayhawk on Feb 23, 2021 15:39:06 GMT
Both great series! I'm a fan as well. Good luck on your hunt and let us know if you find one!
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Feb 23, 2021 16:06:55 GMT
Since you are not interested in a shell guard and are aware of Universal’s spadroons I won’t go there. Within recent years CS had a spadroon that has been since discontinued and appeared to be what you might want. You might try posting a wanted to buy ad in our classified section. Maybe someone has one they are willing to part with. A musicians version of the US M1840 NCO sword will also serve. I say that FYI as I know of no repros. Also if you can find one a repro of the US M1808 Rose NCO should fill the bill. I say M1808 only because that is how it is advertised. It’s actually a M1813. sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/62726/1808-rose-sword
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Post by softy on Feb 23, 2021 16:30:35 GMT
Thank you all so much for the help! I’ll post on the classifieds about the cs spadroon. As I saw the cold steel version and having bought multiple cold steel swords in the past, and I was impressed by them, especially for the price. They were of course overbuilt and slightly heavy and much American stuff is, but I like that. So if I can find the cold steel, I’ll get it right quick.
If you guys and gals ever do run across a reproduction spadroon in the style I’m looking for I’d appreciate if you mention it!
Once again I thank you all so much! You’re all great!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2021 17:03:18 GMT
Some realities. All but the British p1796 and US m1840 have synthetic grips. How tough that material might be is an unknown. Five ball hilts are inherently weak and I would not buy one for cutting, as both those stresses and the plastic grips may become pieces. Even the period items suffer from the flaws of hollow grips for many and the floating pommels themselves. A couple I can suggest for commission (not cheap) would be www.arms-n-armor.com/and www.macdonaldarms.com/armoury/A note on terminology Stirrup hilts D guards P guards Some P guards, as above may seem easily regarded as a stirrup and some will list the Ds as stirrups as well. While we aren't curing most disease in the specifics, one can save the entire alphabet and not raise any eyebrows. There is this fellow in Canada listing spadroons. sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/63317/historical-twist-swordsThese may be back later this year and I continue to be pleasantly surprised. sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/61598/rose-1808-reproduction-indiaIf going the commission route, I would suggest looking at backstrap types and consider them a lot stronger in the blow. Cheers GC
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Post by softy on Feb 23, 2021 18:51:14 GMT
Edilwiess
thank you for the help with terminology! I’ll be able to muscle more effectively communicate my messages now! Also narrow my search better! Thanks!
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Post by softy on Feb 23, 2021 20:14:44 GMT
Aaaand... Matt Easton posts a video on “the cult of the spadroon” immediately after I say I’m looking for one. What poor timing for me. Lol
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2021 20:41:11 GMT
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Post by Lord Newport on Feb 23, 2021 21:00:39 GMT
The cult of Matt Easton. There is the Nick Thomas Spadooners facebook group. There are occasionally real bargains on the antique front. The counterpart to the US m1840 NCO swords are the musician swords that don't have the counterguards. They frequently turn up at less than $200. Shorter bladed but very handy. I suppose it more depends on what one wants one for. Ready to use could imply most anything. Sure, they'll cut bottles and I have chopped up pumpkins with with my 240 yr old cutie that came to me at the $350 mark. Cheers GC That curved blade looks very nice. What's the history on it??
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Post by Jayhawk on Feb 23, 2021 21:08:53 GMT
Here's a pic of the musicians M1840 NCO sword Glen mentioned: Nice little swords (28" blade if I recall correctly...too lazy to go measure it).
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2021 21:16:57 GMT
The sabre is of the same period (1780s) and I ended up winning both from the same seller. The counterguard had been broken off. You can see it in comparison in another concurrent thread with some other swords just below a larger and older cavalry sword on our right. It is a fairly typical infantry hanger of the American Revolution period and the years following. Infantry sabres ranging from the 25" to 29", many around 27" of blade. Also with some other sabres here Cheers GC
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Post by softy on Feb 24, 2021 2:42:55 GMT
Thank you all so so much! Everyone is so polite with each other when everyone else has a sword lol! I managed to snag a left handed cold steel spadroon. Let’s hope it’s the real deal. I’m in contact with the company and hope that this isn’t a scam. If it is a scam it has a very narrow net it’s casting out in attempts to catch some easy money. A scam for a sword that is pretty obscure to the average person, and at first glance isn’t popular? Seems like a bad choice for a scam. Bad planning if you ask me.
But again, I thank you so so much and hopefully this is legit. Though I don’t have high hopes. So if you find anything is still appreciate you sending it over!
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Feb 24, 2021 2:58:54 GMT
Aaaand... Matt Easton posts a video on “the cult of the spadroon” immediately after I say I’m looking for one. What poor timing for me. Lol Matt Easton has several spadroon videos. I don’t know which one you watched. In the three that I saw he goes from bad mouthing them to gradually warming up and liking and justifying the P1796. In the first video the P1796 was the subject. These were made in varying degrees of quality depending on the manufacturer. The general consensus is the P1796 was a poor weapon. Although some good ones did exist. Many base their opinion of spardoons on the P1796, unfortunately. If you are expecting a cutter best look elsewhere. A spadroon will cut but it’s not one of a their virtues. It’s best at sticking.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2021 3:32:36 GMT
The video appeared literally as we wrote. From other minds and counts. "“Thou doth protest too much”. We need to put this in context! 7 years ago, it was; “What is a spadroon?” and “Not all spadroons are bad.” 5 years ago, it was; “Not all spadroons were bad - French 1882 compared to British 1796” 3 years ago, it was; “When spadroons are awesome.” 2 years ago, it was; “Spadroons: How to Make a Bad Sword Design Better.” and “Spadroons - Actually The Best Sword? Context”. And in the last year; “Maybe spadroons were perfect swords in their time.” Matt Easton – Admit it, Come out of the closet – you are really a Spadroonista!" "Breaking News: International Radical Religious Terrorist Mett Euston threatens Church of Spadroon with violence. Church officials release wanted posters of an artist's rendering of Euston and a call to arms for all rational Church members to prepare for defensive Holy War against this impending attack." "This cult is a serious threat to the sword world."
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2021 19:21:36 GMT
Aaaand... Matt Easton posts a video on “the cult of the spadroon” immediately after I say I’m looking for one. What poor timing for me. Lol Matt Easton has several spadroon videos. I don’t know which one you watched. In the three that I saw he goes from bad mouthing them to gradually warming up and liking and justifying the P1796. In the first video the P1796 was the subject. These were made in varying degrees of quality depending on the manufacturer. The general consensus is the P1796 was a poor weapon. Although some good ones did exist. Many base their opinion of spardoons on the P1796, unfortunately. If you are expecting a cutter best look elsewhere. A spadroon will cut but it’s not one of a their virtues. It’s best at sticking. One thing I find modern people over emphasize is how effective a sword is at brutally murdering someone. You would think these same people would absolutely love the katana for this reason. One hypothesis I've had forever is not all swords or methods of dueling were about murdering the other guy. I believe it was more about beating the guy in the contest of skill, and being humane about it was a big part of it all. Like a sport with a slice of danger added to it, to test both skill and bravery Even in battles, the goal wasn't about murdering the other guys. Certain battles were noted for being gruesome because they were the exception to the norm. It was all about defeating the other guy, taking his resources and potentially his army. If everyone was making murder the goal, they would have a difficult time maintaining an army I would think With this in mind, the spadroon makes sense. They wanted to incapacitate their foe, not murder them, while in Japan, their goal was actually to kill the guy, so it's why a katana is much more brutal than the average spadroon
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