Budget Cutlass Expectation Revealed
Apr 16, 2009 0:34:27 GMT
Post by hotspur on Apr 16, 2009 0:34:27 GMT
Budget Cutlass Expectation Revealed
I will tidy this up a bit on mentioning some first impressions of exactly what I expected. I had been pondering this muse for a couple of years now. I had to wonder how much of a cutlass one might find for less than $60. What had really struck me about this reproduction was the startling likeness they (had) created . Below are some thoughts I mentioned elsewhere while waiting arrival from an Ebay seller. I will hopefully follow up with a little more exact information with some measurements and stuff like that. I'm toying around with a static device that may measure weights at piots in relation to each other. That said, this is a handful, no doubt. The spine is 3/16" or about 5mm from the basket to clip (yarrrr a swedged clip). The edge is quite thick and blunt at a shade more than 2mm. The basket is a killer and dangerous in its own right and I will either scroll that very pointy part, or just round it a bit. There are burrs on the edge of that basket, so be extra carefurl in initial handling. The point, while as bliunt edged as the rest, is substantial and pokable as is If and when I sharpen this ( I may just put it on the table next fall at cost), it needs a gradual taper probably best done with a belt grinder but us by handy guys will get it done. As mentioned in my painting version, they nailed it in looks to a known book example. I have no doubt some may appear as falsely old but part of my excersise regard this one is to warn the newcomers to antiques. The tang at the shoulder is 14mm-15mm as it exits the basket. There is no roll to the grip and even not tempted to grind the peen, I may dismount it to look further. It is stout, the blade is sharpenable hard with very little flex whatsoever. It may have an air cooled steel, or other but my hunch is they ground it, oil quenched it and may have tempered it oily, as the patina looks like that to me, not unlike burnt cam or crankshaft journals. I honestly don't know.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Somehow I always get itchy in the early spring. I had seen these over the past few years and had wondered about them because it is a fair looking representation of a book noted example. Those with Neumann's Swords Of The American Revolution may recognize it,
These still appear at a few sites but had been lost on the KOA pages. In shopping around, Tim of Grendel's still carries them.
These had been listed with a Swashbuckler name and the best descriptions appear to have come through Denix. However, the build appeared to be so different from others, these may have been from another source point and may well prove functional. I will take a closer look once in hand and maybe grind the peen off to look at the tang first. Even then, at the $60 retail point, these look pretty good even if just for costuming or decorations. An original of something like this would be at least in the high hundreds and maybe some more.
Anyway, one of a few reproductions that have made me curious. There will likely be an essay to share about this and decorative swords coming along in the future. Others will include budget LOTR swords that have been blown out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At any rate, I would not dismiss this thing as a candidate for all kinds of fun. From backyarding sharpeners to nutz like me that still buys occasionally cheap swords. As mentioned, it is a ringer in looks and a reenactore might just adore this thing. I will promise to offer up the Neumann page once I get settled in the next few days. I haven't moved physically but it had been a really difficult two semesters of my life and am just once again going forth.
One thing I willl reference later is How Much Is Inside?, just like the cockeyed site. It seems these inventious packers use a cellulose packing that actually makes volume dissapear and packed goods feel enormously lighter. That is a picture I will share in the packing carton. No worse feeling really than a thick machete and I think if sharpened for cutting, a heck of a good time. I cannot confirm these were batched and sold through Denix but that is whre my lead went. It seems to me just one model that was unpopular that has been overlooked. The packing is gooey cosmoline and it's first step was to the kitchen sink (a batchelor's freedom). The wood handle is beautiful.
Overall? To me it seems stellar and an even better bargain than what the Patton reproductions used to come in at $129.
Don't miss these if there is interest. I saw only a few vendors still listing them and I have a hunch that when they go, they're gone for good. Grendel's (Tim) lists them daily.
More another day.
Cheers
Hotspur; spending kitty funds though and the true prizes will now have less available
I will tidy this up a bit on mentioning some first impressions of exactly what I expected. I had been pondering this muse for a couple of years now. I had to wonder how much of a cutlass one might find for less than $60. What had really struck me about this reproduction was the startling likeness they (had) created . Below are some thoughts I mentioned elsewhere while waiting arrival from an Ebay seller. I will hopefully follow up with a little more exact information with some measurements and stuff like that. I'm toying around with a static device that may measure weights at piots in relation to each other. That said, this is a handful, no doubt. The spine is 3/16" or about 5mm from the basket to clip (yarrrr a swedged clip). The edge is quite thick and blunt at a shade more than 2mm. The basket is a killer and dangerous in its own right and I will either scroll that very pointy part, or just round it a bit. There are burrs on the edge of that basket, so be extra carefurl in initial handling. The point, while as bliunt edged as the rest, is substantial and pokable as is If and when I sharpen this ( I may just put it on the table next fall at cost), it needs a gradual taper probably best done with a belt grinder but us by handy guys will get it done. As mentioned in my painting version, they nailed it in looks to a known book example. I have no doubt some may appear as falsely old but part of my excersise regard this one is to warn the newcomers to antiques. The tang at the shoulder is 14mm-15mm as it exits the basket. There is no roll to the grip and even not tempted to grind the peen, I may dismount it to look further. It is stout, the blade is sharpenable hard with very little flex whatsoever. It may have an air cooled steel, or other but my hunch is they ground it, oil quenched it and may have tempered it oily, as the patina looks like that to me, not unlike burnt cam or crankshaft journals. I honestly don't know.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Somehow I always get itchy in the early spring. I had seen these over the past few years and had wondered about them because it is a fair looking representation of a book noted example. Those with Neumann's Swords Of The American Revolution may recognize it,
These still appear at a few sites but had been lost on the KOA pages. In shopping around, Tim of Grendel's still carries them.
These had been listed with a Swashbuckler name and the best descriptions appear to have come through Denix. However, the build appeared to be so different from others, these may have been from another source point and may well prove functional. I will take a closer look once in hand and maybe grind the peen off to look at the tang first. Even then, at the $60 retail point, these look pretty good even if just for costuming or decorations. An original of something like this would be at least in the high hundreds and maybe some more.
Anyway, one of a few reproductions that have made me curious. There will likely be an essay to share about this and decorative swords coming along in the future. Others will include budget LOTR swords that have been blown out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At any rate, I would not dismiss this thing as a candidate for all kinds of fun. From backyarding sharpeners to nutz like me that still buys occasionally cheap swords. As mentioned, it is a ringer in looks and a reenactore might just adore this thing. I will promise to offer up the Neumann page once I get settled in the next few days. I haven't moved physically but it had been a really difficult two semesters of my life and am just once again going forth.
One thing I willl reference later is How Much Is Inside?, just like the cockeyed site. It seems these inventious packers use a cellulose packing that actually makes volume dissapear and packed goods feel enormously lighter. That is a picture I will share in the packing carton. No worse feeling really than a thick machete and I think if sharpened for cutting, a heck of a good time. I cannot confirm these were batched and sold through Denix but that is whre my lead went. It seems to me just one model that was unpopular that has been overlooked. The packing is gooey cosmoline and it's first step was to the kitchen sink (a batchelor's freedom). The wood handle is beautiful.
Overall? To me it seems stellar and an even better bargain than what the Patton reproductions used to come in at $129.
Don't miss these if there is interest. I saw only a few vendors still listing them and I have a hunch that when they go, they're gone for good. Grendel's (Tim) lists them daily.
More another day.
Cheers
Hotspur; spending kitty funds though and the true prizes will now have less available