New Cold Steel Sabres

[Keith P. Myers]

Kult of Athena shows some promising looking new Sabre models from Cold Steel as pre-order items:

http://www.kultofathena.com/pre-orders.asp

I was just wondering what the rest of you thought of the potential of these pieces. I am particularly interested in the Prussian Sabre. Thanks!

Keith

[admin]

It's hard to say without seeing one in the flesh to be honest. All of Cold Steel's sabres in the past have been a bit overweight and lacking the proper distal taper (so too thin at the forte and too thick at the foible). This also has tended to make them more sluggish and floppy than they should be.

Then we have to consider what these sabres are for. Presumably test-cutting? If you want to wave one around and do solo forms then you may as well invest in an antique at that price (you can get originals of those models at that price). For fencing you want something that won't kill your partner, so better to use a specially made fencing sabre. You could blunt these and use them for drilling, but then they are all cavalry sabres and I am assuming most people practicing sabre on foot would be better equipped with infantry officer's sabres (which are generally lighter, shorter and with a POB closer to the hilt).

So for me personally I wouldn't even consider buying one. But I can see that for some people who want a sabre for cutting with, or perhaps for drilling, then these may fill a niche.

[John H]

Cold Steel has a reputation for ‘combat ready’ meaning overly sharp blades; I have found they also push the point of balance out too far to encourage a hefty cut. This helps in ‘backyard cutting’ as all you need to do is let the blade drop on its own and you have a clean cut. If you wish to train with them, I consider them ‘off limits.’

I have a 1796 of theirs that we dulled down and attempted to use in practice. The point of balance was moved back to 8 inches, but it is still too ‘heavy’ in the cut for me to hit anyone with (I currently use it for ‘weight training.’) I do feel I will break a bone or dent your helm if I put one third my ‘force’ on the cut. As a demonstration, I can hold the blade one inch over your shoulder and ‘let it drop’ you will feel a relatively sizable hit with no force from my arm, as opposed to a real sabre (no real edge on it) we have that weighs 1 ounce less but has a point of balance at six inches. Letting that blade drop from 1 inch is nothing to worry about.

[Gerald]

Cold Steel has a reputation for ‘combat ready’ meaning overly sharp blades; I have found they also push the point of balance out too far to encourage a hefty cut. This helps in ‘backyard cutting’ as all you need to do is let the blade drop on its own and you have a clean cut. If you wish to train with them, I consider them ‘off limits.’

I have a 1796 of theirs that we dulled down and attempted to use in practice. The point of balance was moved back to 8 inches, but it is still too ‘heavy’ in the cut for me to hit anyone with (I currently use it for ‘weight training.’) I do feel I will break a bone or dent your helm if I put one third my ‘force’ on the cut. As a demonstration, I can hold the blade one inch over your shoulder and ‘let it drop’ you will feel a relatively sizable hit with no force from my arm, as opposed to a real sabre (no real edge on it) we have that weighs 1 ounce less but has a point of balance at six inches. Letting that blade drop from 1 inch is nothing to worry about.

6 inches for a 96 cavalry sabre is about right My 1796s are as follows:

Maker JH Reddell & Co, Birm (Trooper)
Weight - 2lbs 1.25oz
Pob - 6 ins from hilt

Maker D Egg - Haymarket London (Officer model)
Weight - 1lb 15.25oz
Pob - 7 ins from hilt


1788s are lighter and longer but with a pob of around 7-8 inches


Refering to what Matt said about infantry sabres:

1803s

Weight 1lb 12.5oz
Pob 4.5 ins from hilt
and
Weight - 1lb 8oz
Pob - 4 ins from hilt

Other infantry

1lb 7.5oz
4.75 ins from hilt

1lb 6.5oz
5.5 ins from hilt

1lb 5oz
5.5 ins from hilt

Full details here if interested
http://www.sites.google.com/site/george ... 60-18/home

[John H]

Just to clarify the CS 1796 was moved from 8.5-9 inches back to 8 inches, moving it any more back towards 6 would have been problematic. The PoB that far out makes the blade behave like an axe and is about as safe to spar with as a blunt axe.