Saber/Rapier

[MagKnightX]

I am looking for a good saber/rapier. Straight blade, preferably with very good balance (as in, balances immediately in front of hilt), sharp and strong are definite plusses, too, though not truly necessary. Also, stainless and/or high-carbon steel are plusses, but not truly necessary. I'm not terribly sure, but I would say that a Spanish style would be my top style choice. I would say my price range is up to $300. Any suggestions?

 

[mete]

There is a big difference between saber and rapier. You also should state what you are going to use it for.

 

[hksw]

Altanta Cutlery has a relatively good selection of military sabers and 'hystorical' rapiers as well as other type swords and, of course, your regular selection of modern knives.

Others to look at also are.
Knife Outlet
Cutlery Shoppe
Smokey Mountain (eKnifeWorks)


(I have no idea of the quality of the swords and steel as I've never ordered on before from any of these dealers. The Kat and Waki replicas certainly are nowhere near the real swords.)

 

[MagKnightX]

Mete: Lightweight, straight-bladed, two-edged, one-handed sword of medium blade length (less than a yard) and with a blade width of one inch plus or minus at the base, with a slight taper until shortly before the point at which it begins to curve to a sharper taper, a hilt made of thick wire in a design that partially encompasses the hand, and with a bar that goes from the hilt to the pommel as a decorative and protective function. Finally, with good aesthetics and at the same time, practicality. It will be a wall-hanger and costume sword (late renaissance to mid-late 1800's clothing, gentlemanly, not peasantry) mainly, but I still want a functional sword. Now, is that a rapier or saber?

hksw: Thanks for the links.

 

[OrvilleYertleson]

Hmm, you are thinking of a rapier, but youre specs are a little off.

Rapiers traditionally have fairly long blades (at leat forty inches).

You might be more interested in a small sword (AKA a court sword).

Paul Chen makes some interesting pieces, but you can probably buy an original small sword off ebay for not much more than a modern reproduction.

 

[Soap]

$300 will pretty much leave you with anything from Hanwei (see the entire line at http://www.casiberia.com ) or something from Windlass (at http://www.museumreplicas.com ). Windlass' quality seems to be hit or miss, but many people seem satisfied. The Hanwei pieces seem good as well. Given the choice, I would rather have a Hanwei over the Windlass/MRL. If it were my money though I would certainly buy something from Arms and Armor at http://www.armor.com or Lutel at http://www.lutel.cz

 

[LawDog]

Hmm. Sounds to me like you're actually looking for a cut-and-thrust sword.

Try an Internet search for schiavona or mortuary hilt sword for examples of the cut-and-thrust style of sword.

LawDog

 

[Dr.Rob]

Well by modern fencing terms the sabre is the lightest of the weapons and can be used to slash...

However by ever other interpration of sabre it's usually a curved blade.

Getting a 'real' sword for under $300 might be tough.

Windlass and museum replicas have a wide selection, but also a wide array of qualities. If you want a wall hanger, go with United Cutlery, you want the real deal, expect $300 to be a starting point at what you might pay.

 

[mete]

Short sword is about what you are looking for. There is a good article on www.swordforum.com abour rapiers and that's a very good place to learn about swords.

 

[Soap]

He is describing a rapier. Many rapiers had blades from 32" or so and upward. Most modern replicas tend to have a blade around a yard long.

 

[Sunray]

"...Lightweight, straight-bladed, two-edged, one-handed sword of medium blade length (less than a yard)..." That's neither a rapier nor a sabre. It's a piece of sporting equipment used in fencing. Less than a yard isn't even that. It's barely a sword. Certainly not of medium length.
You want one of these.
http://store.yahoo.com/greatsword/swelhilrap.html
There are other girly swords on this site too. Prices aren't cheap for wall hangers though.
A sabre is a big heavy usually curved sword that cavalrymen used from horseback. Not really great for carrying on foot. Real historical sabres are readily available for collecting. Some expensive. Some not.

 

[Soap]

...Lightweight, straight-bladed, two-edged, one-handed sword of medium blade length (less than a yard)...

Why isn't that a rapier Sunray?

 

[LawDog]

"...Lightweight, straight-bladed, two-edged, one-handed sword of medium blade length (less than a yard)..." That's neither a rapier nor a sabre. It's a piece of sporting equipment used in fencing.

I tend to disagree. The early versions of the rapier (sometimes referred to as "sword-rapiers") fit that description fairly nicely.

As far as sabres go, the mortuary hilt sword in the picture link I posted earlier in this thread is an example of a English Civil War-era dragoon or cavalry officers sword (sabre) and is both one-handed and has a blade length of 33 inches.

The Puerto-Seguro saber (M1907?) of the Spanish 1900-ish cavalry was straight-bladed, as is the M1913 sabre issued to US cavalry and designed by Lt. George S. Patton.

Neither of which has a blade of over 36 inches in length, if I remember correctly, although I may need to be corrected.

LawDog