Among the BEST SWORDS of the 19th Century: French Army Sabres

Looking specifically at the French 1845 pattern infantry officer's sabre, with reference to other models.
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[@Fikatchu]

Looks super nimble and quite a pretty piece

[@swordmastery]

An excellent presentation. I particularly appreciated your “form follows function” reminder that swords are tools that are designed to do a specific job, and that, in turn, determines how they are handled. We sometimes call that the “Don’t pound Nails with a Screwdriver” principle. Well done, Matt.

[@Theduckwebcomics]

I don't think he really said that... Because it's not really true with swords 😅 Only partly. Fashion, culture, preference, and style are as important as function in determining form. What Mat said was the context of their use was important.

[@mikesummers-smith4091]

"This is the tightest one |I've ever had." OK Matt.

[@BlackStar2161]

Ooh la la!

[@knotsbygordion]

Love the historical info you provide, Mr Easton. Especially regarding the design and use of these weapons.

[@michaelshelton5488]

"It's stiff. It's not as long as I would choose." Yeah, thats what SHE said! 🤣

[@antiares1684]

French Infantry Officer's Sword from 1845/55 model years is my favourite. Not only does it look great but it was a great fighting sword as you have mentioned.

[@ajwall1]

Please add this to your collaborations with windlass! I'd love to have one

[@jellekastelein7316]

They are quite affordable for antiques. ;o)

[@ajwall1]

@@jellekastelein7316 yes but I would not be comfortable using one for cutting, and I'd really like to have one for such

[@Heideroller16]

@@ajwall1 For a new one type "WKC Solingen shop 1845"

[@ajwall1]

@@Heideroller16 thanks for the info! I'll check it out

[@ajwall1]

@@Heideroller16 sadly the blade of that one is stainless steel.

[@goldenageofdinosaurs7192]

That is a lovely sword, Matt!

[@JKLynar]

Beautiful example, great video! Your interesting, concise commentary, combined with your cheerful enthusiasm, are a delightful oasis of tangible history in a sea of pedantic nannering!

[@Docleegb]

Love this channel! So awesome.

[@Blackrew]

I own one of these with its full scabbard. Inscription on the blade with its month & year of creation at Châtellerault. It's probably the favorite of the few I own.

[@МихаилРусин-ы1о]

And here we have a nice loud shwing sound when releasing the sword from the scabbard :)

[@cspahn3221]

One of the best creators on this damn site. Many thanks from Oregon

[@comicmoniker]

Matt, it's been a while since you did any speculative fantasy type videos - I would love to see a video on how a "fantasy version" of the Victorian or Napoleonic era would fight monsters/equip adventurers/anything that interests you Alternatively, there's some good books that play with this concept that you might enjoy - Powder Mage, The Shadow Campaigns, His Majesty's Dragon (aka Temeraire), Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, etc. As a librarian and fantasy nerd, I would LOVE a "historical analysis" of one of these!

[@yurizanelli6538]

I'd be very interested too!

[@macrendilysmir1876]

Ooh love the sword. I got a pattern 1822 myself, also Chatteleraux. Might need to visit the big Gent Militaria Expo again sometime, iirc it's the largest in Europe? Just tables full of old gunpowder guns and swords...

[@scholagladiatoria]

Please tell me more about that fair

[@macrendilysmir1876]

@@scholagladiatoria But of course! I misspoke, it's not Gent but Ciney (like the beer, it's good beer). Held twice a year at the Ciney Expo halls (one proper Expo Hall and a dual-purposed cattle trade hall. The good stuff is in the proper Hall) For those interested, you can google "ciney militaria fair" which will get you to the website. Next one is 27th Octobre. Lots of WW2 stuff, but there is far more 18-19th century primarily French and German stuff

[@macrendilysmir1876]

@@scholagladiatoria it would seem my reply was not sent, my apologies. This would be the Ciney Expo militaria fair

[@bryanstephens3792]

Beautiful saber! I love the double fuller blend to the tip....SWEET

[@Kageitenshi]

I've got an 1845/55 by Chatellerault in 8/1870 during the Franco-Prussian war, but somehow didn't end up issued. It has the metal scabbard and going by video comparison, the small fuller flares up at the tip more gradually, with less material between the fullers. It's ridiculously light at 765g, but stiffer than any other historical sword I own, aside from a Japanese Type 32 cavalry saber that weighs 415g more. It's marked Imp(ale) for Imperiale, while a 1868 pattern Chassepot bayonet from Chat' in 3/1871 is marked N'le for Nationale after the end of Napoleon III's reign in September of 1870.

[@tortue-geniale]

For light cavalry, the 1822 sabre is the best. Some new models were tried (in 1882, with a strait blade) but always the 1822 model had preference. It was used until 1962 in the spahi regiments and today in the Garde républicaine in a version different only in the quality of steel.

[@imjustsam1745]

35 seconds in and I had to pause to say WOW!😯 That is as beautiful a sword as I have ever seen. Gorgeous

[@steevemartial4084]

Funnily enough, I have a 1855 pattern at home. It was a gift, but I like the design. I thought it was a 1845, so thank you for the help identifying it

[@staticdynamic1605]

I enjoyed this content, as always.

[@ricosuave7102]

Matt could you do some extensive videos on swords of Spain 🇪🇸 please? 🙏

[@plastikos_xeirourgos]

I own a beautiful 1855 pattern (with the metal scabbard) and it's been service sharpened in exactly the same spot as yours here in the video. I also prefer generally longer blades but it's absolutely amazing to handle, feels very substantial while being very quick in the wrist. Edit: Just checked again because it's been a few years, it's definitely a 1845 pattern (date 1852, has a fuller that runs all the way to the guard) that has been paired with the metal scabbard, huh, interesting!

[@JustGrowingUp84]

The first sword seems like a fantastic infantry sword! It also works well with my bias towards cut&thrust swords.

[@TheRockofEasyCo]

I know the US Navy 1860/61 cutlass (the good one), was based on a French design that we adapted from iron to brass. It’s still basically the service cutlass. So, it’s lasted that long.

[@-RONNIE]

Thanks for the video ⚔️

[@myleft9397]

Very nice sword! Any modern recreations of it worth talking about? Next video!

[@michaelshelton5488]

A French weapon you say? Forgotten Weapons has entered the chat.......

[@michaelshelton5488]

Speaking of which, he recently posted a video on Viking swords. I can feel the long awaited collaboration getting closer and closer.

[@emilymiller7827]

"history doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme"

[@Joe___R]

You have to talk about the basket hilted small sword you have hanging in the upper left of your rack.

[@thomasrobinson8789]

I’m not sure that it’s a smallsword. It could be a regimental broadsword, or, what is more likely given the direction of the guard, we are seeing it from the edge rather than the flat.

[@theg0z0n]

"the thrust, which had always been favored in France!' Heh, nice!

[@WhatIfBrigade]

Living in France of course I am particularly interested in French swords!

[@prof.burton8412]

Beautiful

[@puckthebear]

I would like to have a book, or a series of books, Matt Easton, Bladed Weapons, Design, Purpose and Usage.

[@jamespuckett9753]

Very pretty sword. Thanks.

[@Scarlet_Soul]

I love my pattern 1845 English sword. If I'm not mistaken you have one there in the back right, 3rd one down

[@TimPays]

I picked one of these up at a fair never seen that type of blade before very nice unfortunately knuckle guard was broken off but got it cheap as that's all I can afford fixer uppers

[@corneliussulla4858]

I saw an interesting piece on egun recently. The entire handle was missing but the blade and brass parts still in good shape. And I thought for a moment to take the nice Klingenthal blade and make an own ´Frankenstein´ for lefthanders like me out of it by buying a symetrical basket and backstrap from the training sword suppliers. But I would have to file the rivetted tang down in order to take it apart. And Im not sure if it wouldnt be too short afterwards to mount it on an other handle. Too many things that could go wrong and parts that might not be compatible in the end.

[@williamarthur4801]

I know it's not actually to do with the sword but British officers serving and the French army at various points in history would make a very interesting subject, or is it just me that would this so.

[@todglenn2707]

I have two of these sabres: one dated 1846 and one dated 1914. The early sabre is around 900g while the WWI era one is around 1000g. That 100g make a big difference in handling.

[@schlagi1]

May I ask if you can locate where the weight difference comes from or is located? Is the centre of balance similar between the two?

[@todglenn2707]

@@schlagi1 The blade seems a little lighter, and feels more nimble.

[@schlagi1]

@@todglenn2707 thank you. That makes sense, so in the lighter sword the point of balance would be closer to the grip.

[@Gilbrae]

Nice french accent 👍 Beautiful sword 🤩

[@jerrymcgovern4848]

You should team up with windlass sword crafts and do a perfect reproduction of that sword. It would be amazing

[@stevetillman6921]

You have mentioned Service sharpening in this and other videos. What is the difference from other forms of sharpening?

[@CyrilDash]

I do really like the 1854 langue de carpe (I believe that’s the name) blades. Out of interest, are there any surviving British examples that use the same blade? I think I remember seeing something vaguely similar a couple of years ago, although that was a cavalry sword.

[@KJAkk]

I have one of the M1845/55. The guard is slightly lose on mine, wish I could fix that.

[@alfonzo9152]

You can, by shimming it.

[@JAKesler]

Is the Swedish 1893 calvary sword a sheering sword/ spadroon or a saber in your opinion? It's straight and a double-edge but with a more saber like hilt

[@Theduckwebcomics]

Today's issues stream from causes much older than the Crimea 😅 When people decry colonialism they weirdly forget the colonialism of the Ottoman Empire...

[@crunchymccrunchy9508]

Its funny I was Looking at the US army foot officers sword. The US Marines sword is basically the same sword just some small differences.

[@rix3333]

Et la France vous remercie. Long live the king!

[@QuentinStephens]

Nothing to do with this video but the sale of the Castillion swords got a mention in Country Life.

[@anthonyjbargeman5280]

That sword my friend is BEAutiful

[@ThundahComes]

Matt, I know that you've probably already covered this, but what are your feelings about pipeback swords?

[@frankharr9466]

Interesting.

[@TheOneAndOnlySame]

Indeed this is a scary looking sword

[@lachesachairulanam9137]

Why I can't subscribe to this channel and some other channels. KZbin always show error notification when I try to subscribe. No wonder I don't get any notification.

[@megalonoobiacinc4863]

if you have some weird adblock/noscript settings that might be it. Also, try a private window and log into youtube from there, then hit subscribe. Tell us if that helps.

[@KalaamNozalys]

Okay I quite like that north african officer sword

[@BuffordEvans]

Favorite French Infantry swords

[@genghiskhan6809]

I was in France not too long ago.

[@vusahuynh5030]

Sent from VietNam?

[@BuffordEvans]

French Châtellerault type swords Imho were superior to other French makers . They have always felt a bit heartier

[@chrisjenkins4370]

Are you happy to assess swords

[@deakinist]

Nice sword. Can I have it?

[@BlacktailXD]

Bots were first 😢

[@ZS-rw4qq]

What makes you say that?

[@scholagladiatoria]

I deleted them now 🙂

[@alexadamson9959]

@@scholagladiatoriaand by the looks of it my comment asking you to do a video on the ahlspiess. Or it’s KZbin being, well, KZbin.

[@lanaz375]

Maybe the bots have a good sense of taste in content creators /s

[@megalonoobiacinc4863]

hey at least its not twitter, i don't even use it but they really are knee deep in skynet there

[@dzmitryzaitsau6471]

No stats? No distal taper? Matt disappoints today.

[@AnoNYmous-bz2ef]

0:04 Idk why this sounds cringy coming from a British guy

[@TheOneAndOnlySame]

We don't know, interrogate yourself. This cringe is happening in your head my boy

[@MadNumForce]

As a Frenchman, I actually appreciate! But I'm pretty sure Lindybeige lost some amount of life expectancy.

[@lanaz375]

Don't worry. My version of 'Viva la France' when playing games like Mount&Blade: Napoleonic Wars is much more cringy ... Especially with my high pitched Australian accent 😃

[@mecha-sheep7674]

@@lanaz375 "Viva" is Spanish. In French, it's "Vive" (don't pronounce the final "e"). So that would be "Viv la France". But I guess for Napoleonic Wars "Vive la République" or "Vive l'Empereur" could be used.

[@Coincidence_Theorist]

I wonder what sword he would choose in an apocalyptic situation ? - One that includes zombies, thralls. (Such as described during ..was it the Carrington Event?? People and animals devouring one another. A sort of one track mind. Whatever it was didnt effect everyone but it seemed a large percentage. In one account they speak of watching from their fortified location the single dog that wasnt crazed. Its human had died amd the dog would not leave its side. Guarding the body until the dog entirely succumb to exhaustion being on guard 24/7 with no food or drink. You may scoff but emf’s etc like experienced during the carrington event are proven to be capable of having massive impacts on behavior

[@Coincidence_Theorist]

So thats kinda a situation where you arent worried about firearms but rather animals and humans found as they are normally. No armor. I don’t really recall anything about the Lunatics having weapons. FYI LUNA-tic comes from lunar. The moon and its connection to craziness.

[@guillaume4519]

Chain mail are used against sharks for example

[@daneofarrell9460]

⁠@@Coincidence_Theorist Loved that fun fact about lunatic