Reproduction Sword Choice

[Rusk County Avengers]

The other night at an SCV Christmas function, an old reenacting mentor, who alongside my now well-known here mentor growing up Tom who always had a big influence on my CW history education, came to me with a problem. He's long retired, and often finds himself bored, and with bad winter weather already putting him indoors, he needed a project to keep busy. I had already brought him a David Wright art print to frame as I don't have the time, but he has always done admirable CW leather work, me having him copy, many, many holsters over the years, most recently Dragoon and Walker holsters from old period pictures.

He told me he had a ton of buff leather he wanted to use up, and me having a nice buckle out of the original die from S&S Firearms, I got it to him and said, "Well Jimmy I could use a sword belt for commanding squads at these SCV Ceremonial functions."

So, I got a white/buff sword belt with a militia plate coming, and no reproduction sword to put on it!

I've got a couple originals, but I don't care for using them too much, and while I got an idea or two, I figured I'd see what everyone here thinks. Pre-war swords/sabers would probably be preferable given the belt. I know being a big Texan, a M1833 Texas Contract Dragoon sword seems underrepresented and enticing. Especially if I brown the scabbard like the originals.

But I'll let anyone with two cents to add offer suggestions. Lord knows me getting together War of 1812 and Rev. War reenacting gear makes that almost $250 for a M1833 a little hard to let go of for this. Even with the sword belt being free of charge, no matter how much I try to pay this old friend.

 

[Cavalier]

I'm not aware of the differences between the Texas Contract Dragoon and the M1833 U.S Dragoon myself but I think the 1833 U.S Dragoon is very pretty. I wish I had one. I understand there is a repo of the U.S. Dragoon available too. But since you're from Texas...........

John

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

I'm not aware of the differences between the Texas Contract Dragoon and the M1833 U.S Dragoon myself but I think the 1833 U.S Dragoon is very pretty. I wish I had one. I understand there is a repo of the U.S. Dragoon available too. But since you're from Texas...........

John

The only difference is the US one is marked "U.S. Dragoons" on the blade, and the Texas "Texas Dragoons" and historically I think the Republic of Texas only something like 200 of them. I'll have to drag out one of books on the number.

 

[Cavalier]

@Rusk County Avengers Thanks very much. I was hoping it was that simple. Good luck with your decision.

ohn

 

[UCVRelics]

The only difference is the US one is marked "U.S. Dragoons" on the blade, and the Texas "Texas Dragoons" and historically I think the Republic of Texas only something like 200 of them. I'll have to drag out one of books on the number.

In the collecting world the mark Texas Dragoons adds 2 more 0 to the price. Texas contracted with Ames for 280 of them. The last one that sold was $23,000. Atlanta Cutlery has one for less that $250. I would go with that one

Texas Dragoons Saber

This Texas Dragoons Saber has a well tempered 1075 high carbon steel blade with full tang and black leather wrapped and twisted brass wire grip.

www.atlantacutlery.com

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

In the collecting world the mark Texas Dragoons adds 2 more 0 to the price. Texas contracted with Ames for 280 of them. The last one that sold was $23,000. Atlanta Cutlery has one for less that $250. I would go with that one

Texas Dragoons Saber

This Texas Dragoons Saber has a well tempered 1075 high carbon steel blade with full tang and black leather wrapped and twisted brass wire grip.

www.atlantacutlery.com

View attachment 460473View attachment 460475

Oh that one at Atlanta Cutlery is the one I've been debating. So few of the originals were made, combined with Republic of Texas stuff being issued out like candy during the Mexican War, then the CW happening, if anyone claimed to have an original, I wouldn't trust 'em even if it was the authority on them.

Besides, if I were to ever put together a Republic of Texas Cavalry impression for s**ts and giggles, it'd be handy to have one of those reproductions.

 

[UCVRelics]

if anyone claimed to have an original, I wouldn't trust 'em even if it was the authority on them.

Oh there are originals but you need to know what you are looking at for 28K
Merry Christmas.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

For the record, and to build anticipation for after it comes in and Tom and I "defarb" it in the coming weeks, I ordered the Texas Dragoon saber during a Christmas sale this past weekend.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

Okay, it's been near a year, I did get the Texas model, not that I'm allowed to do any CW impressions SCV or otherwise due to disgraceful behavior by many so's and so's. But it was just the other day I finally got around to browning the scabbard of the reproduction. Tom warned my not to do without adult supervision, I got tired of waiting for us to both be free to do it and disobeyed. Results are not great, not terrible.

But down here on a movie set, my vacation of never ending nightmares, (I should've done the CWT Muster! ) and having 1880's gear with a Confederate coat for warmth and not camera, I got word the friend mentioned who did leatherwork just went into hospice and is not long for this world. Just a couple days after my last living close relative not hostile to my existence passed, and I decided I should revisit this thread with the belt and sword now that the sword was literally "completed."

The ultra heavy revolver is a Walker, in a holster I had old Jimmy copy from the only picture of a holstered Walker during the Mexican War on a fellow thought to be a Ranger. Fitting seeing how I just stopped by the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and went on a book buying spree.

The coat was meant more for a Shiloh/early war Tennessee coat with period Tennessee State seal buttons, and I got 1880's boots and cloths on underneath but it's what I had handy down here.

 

[bayonet]

Throw the hat on the ground and stomp on it a few times, pee on it, then drive over it with your car. It looks to new and Farby!

 

[Dan Kohli]

Throw the hat on the ground and stomp on it a few times, pee on it, then drive over it with your car. It looks to new and Farby!

A guy can't have new looking hat? Soldiers don't always need to look like they fell in to swamp mud, or have slept on their hat every night for the past three decades.

 

[Cavalier]

I am no expert but I think the whole look you have is very effective. Did you ever consider letting your hair grow kinda longish and cultivating a big handlebar mustache or even an Imperial? That might add some "dash and swagger" for a cavalryman from Texas.

By the way I think that Texas Dragoon and the Walker Colt are very nice!

John

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

I am no expert but I think the whole look you have is very effective. Did you ever consider letting your hair grow kinda longish and cultivating a big handlebar mustache or even an Imperial? That might add some "dash and swagger" for a cavalryman from Texas.

By the way I think that Texas Dragoon and the Walker Colt are very nice!

John

Just had my hair cut a couple weeks ago. When long my hair tends to be extremely curly to the point of forming as an Afro. Hence why keep it short. Facial hair? I get lectures every day to grow a beard, but I really don't care for it. To itchy and hot, plus it makes me look like a clone of my father which I also don't like to look like. Besides my hair is brown and facial hair grows on me jet black.

How that occurred in the gene pool is very perplexing to me.

Also, a cavalry look had never been my intention with that sword and get up. Just an early war volunteer, which was always out there regulation wise.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

Throw the hat on the ground and stomp on it a few times, pee on it, then drive over it with your car. It looks to new and Farby!

An early war look had been my intention with that impression to look nice for dress occasions , and besides the whole ragged Confederate look is completely over the top in modern mental pictures whereas documentation increasingly disproves that myth.

Besides, actual wear and tear from field service always looks better and more authentic than staged wear and tear. Mainly because it is.

That hat in particular I had made custom as a copy of the hat seen in a very well known image of a Port Hudson POW, L. Cormier of a Louisiana battery if I remember right. I went with gray as the color as per Fred Adolphus's research showing hats from the same area were originally gray.

 

[bayonet]

Just had my hair cut a couple weeks ago. When long my hair tends to be extremely curly to the point of forming as an Afro. Hence why keep it short. Facial hair? I get lectures every day to grow a beard, but I really don't care for it. To itchy and hot, plus it makes me look like a clone of my father which I also don't like to look like. Besides my hair is brown and facial hair grows on me jet black.

How that occurred in the gene pool is very perplexing to me.

Also, a cavalry look had never been my intention with that sword and get up. Just an early war volunteer, which was always out there regulation wise.

No beard then grow a long mustache and maybe some side burns to escape that baby face look. You won't scare anyone looking like that. Like the DI in Full Metal Jacket said "Show me your war face, you got a war face"?

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

But I'll let anyone with two cents to add offer suggestions.

Check out Kult of Athena :

U.S. Civil War Swords for Sale - Union & Confederate Sabres

Shop an impressive lineup of US Civil War swords from both the Confederate and Union armies. Beyond ordinary, this is a collection of authentic replicas.

www.kultofathena.com

While I can't comment on their Civil War swords, I did buy a reproduction 1885 British cavalry sword (early Boer War era).

I was very pleased.
Other than appearing bright & shiny, it was identical to the original pattern.

Chemically "aging" the sword would have cost more than the reproduction.
But I was satisfied with my purchase.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

Check out Kult of Athena :

U.S. Civil War Swords for Sale - Union & Confederate Sabres

Shop an impressive lineup of US Civil War swords from both the Confederate and Union armies. Beyond ordinary, this is a collection of authentic replicas.

www.kultofathena.com

While I can't comment on their Civil War swords, I did buy a reproduction 1885 British cavalry sword (early Boer War era).

I was very pleased.
Other than appearing bright & shiny, it was identical to the original pattern.

Chemically "aging" the sword would have cost more than the reproduction.
But I was satisfied with my purchase.

Oh I know several folks who swear by that company, I didn't know of them till after I bought the one I have.

At the end of the day, a repro sword will never have the balance or quality of an original. But they can look nice and are quite durable for use, and let folks use something instead of an original that could get damaged.