Swords in the Military: Regulation and Non-Regulation, Issued and Purchased

[@Dark-Mustang]

That spanish bladed sword is goddam GORGEOUS. I got shivers when you pulled that blade from the scabbard!

[@EvilTwinn]

How were all these swords made at these major swordmakers? Were they all made standardized in an assembly line, did they just hire a bunch of blackmiths? I'd be very interested in learning about how all of this process worked and differed from classical sword production.

[@TheBMOCishere]

Don't know if this has been answered, but it depends on the time frame. In the 1850s, largely swords would have been made in an ironworks shop, using smiths and tooling to produce blades, then having manual workers grind and shape the blades to spec after rough forging. Im from America, and during the civil war many southern sidearms and swords were produced in local smithys/ ironworks, albeit in small numbers. As a smith, i can tell you tooling can be as simple as setting up jigs with scrap steel, or maching machine height blocks.

[@TheMarulaMonarch]

There are videos on this (and one company still makes swords)

[@cloudcleaver23]

What were logistics like for heavy cavalry lance charges? Were lances viewed as disposable? Did heavy cavalrymen have stations for rearmament mid-battle? What percentage of the fighting was done with the lance versus secondary weapons?

[@rinflame44]

The real question is does Superdry supply non-regulation swords?

[@thusspakevespasian5587]

Oh, didn't you see the 2018 Bicycle Cavalry Sabre they put out this year?

[@thusspakevespasian5587]

Mate, I envy you for even having a 2016 pattern, I'm stuck with the damn 2002 Pattern Heavy Kangaroo Sabre, they are used frequently to chase badly sunburnt Englishmen off the beaches.

[@thusspakevespasian5587]

The '02 did me right in the Emu War, but them damn Poms, cluttering up Bondi like the crooked toothed bowler hat wearing bastards they are, the glare from their pasty skin gets in me eyes and I can't tell where they are.

[@bmxriderforlife1234]

@@thusspakevespasian5587 now what you really need is the newest 2019 model of moose sabre from canada.

[@thusspakevespasian5587]

@@bmxriderforlife1234 Don't worry I chased them off with my new 2017 Light Cassowary Sabre, changed regiments mate, now part of the Bondi Screaming Cassowary Hussar Patrol, we got them damn Poms and Yanks under control, and we even managed to chase off those bloody Kiwis. Bastards don't know what hit 'em till we grind them into the dust under our talons.

[@antivalidisme5669]

Such a great one, awesome work Matt. I should add that Toledo blades were fashionable among European officers in the mid-late 1800's. You can find them on several swords from Prussia/Germany, Great-Britain and especially France- cf. the 1882 pattern infantry officer sword Ipostswords made a great video about- but you can also find Toledo blades on different Africa colonial army swords and sabres for example. The funny thing is that you can even find so called "Toledo" blades with Solingen or Backes & Delacour/Coulaux-Klingenthal markings for example. And I mean they are genuine weapons! Anyway great "non-regulation at all" example this officer chose.

[@guilemaigre14]

Excellent video Mat ! This should be the first video to watch in your channel, because it put everything into context !

[@AUTOBOTGJB1997]

Can you make a vid on Mad Jack Churchill and your opinion on whether he was a badass, a lunatic, or both?

[@Hriuke]

He was non- regulation to the max! :)

[@buffoonustroglodytus4688]

Well there's your answer, he was both. There, done.

[@dominicbeese-raybould8480]

If we had more officers like him, we’d have fewer officers.

[@penhullwolf5070]

Watch the Count Dankula Mad Lads episode on him.

[@13bravoredleg18]

I dug up a Confederate non regulation Calvary Saber with my metal detector. It was in a cotton field in Tennessee near the Battle Of Corinth, Mississippi.(1862)

[@connoisseurofcookies2047]

Everyone knows the Gucci non-issued gear beats the issued gear. Always.

[@trentenswett6306]

Military grade = lowest bidder. For those who could afford it, keep the issued gear for CIF, then go buy better gear to use and abuse, that at the end of the day you get to keep after turning in all your CIF shit.

[@jasonpressler7111]

if you are infantry a large portion of your budget goes into the sets of boots you have to buy or repair every few months, along with gloves that last about 2 to 3 months. issued boots will last just as long, but destroy your feet and the gloves they issue will last about 2 to 3 weeks.

[@connoisseurofcookies2047]

@@jasonpressler7111 Yeah grunts get double shafted. Lowest pay grade AND highest work related expenses.

[@Nutellafuerst]

@@connoisseurofcookies2047 well in germany you can take those off your taxes, so its as good as state-issued, just picked by yourself.

[@moochoman9948]

Amen

[@tobiasaberg8659]

How weapons were distributed depended very much on the times. Just a century or so earlier and many nations paid someone to raise and staff a Regiment, that person (usually a nobleman, merchant or wealthy career soldier) would be responsible for issuing gear (which could be substandard. Or could be above quality, especially if the sponsor intended to command the regiment himself), and the only regiments raised directly by the crown were the Royal regiments. This system was gradually phased out as royal armories were industrialised and became capable of delivering very large amounts of standardised gear. In general it's a transition phase between the practice of hiring mercenary companies and the fully government armies of pre-modern times.

[@althesmith]

I recall reading that in Wellington's army about 1 in 5 officers were originally from the ranks, not an insignificant number.

[@rascally_ryan]

On the topic of non-regulation, can you do a video on the logistics of non-regulation firearms? Specifically, when an officer is using a different type of revolver than what’s issued (I think you’ve mentioned that once or twice with Colt vs a British maker), how do they get the different ammunition for it? Just get it shipped from home and carry their own ‘stock’ on campaign? How much would they ask for, given that they couldn’t just get more in a week or two? Would it still just be in the armoury and ‘Off-limits’ if someone else needed it?

[@turbografx16]

Rascally Ryan In terms of muzzle loading firearms, all you really need is a bullet mould. Many were retailed with a mould. For cartridge weapons its a more involved affair, though 'field' cartridge reloading kits were used.

[@fionafiona1146]

Given the surviving "campaign" librarys (classic book selection) carrying a sizable junk of junk could have a precedent.

[@ryanpeck3377]

Depends on the Country and timeframe.... Often officers could have any pistol but it had to fire the standard cartridge ie .455 ......if not limited on ammunition choice the officer would have to supply their own ammunition.....but they would not be firing 1000s or even hundreds of rounds. Most officers wouldnt even see combat, the ones that did wouldnt be constantly fighting battles and then during battle they spent more time organizing, motivating and directing troops then firing their sidearm

[@MaMastoast]

The sword you showed with the broadsword blade is really beautiful.

[@EffnShaShinko]

Excellent video! I loved this one. Thank you for providing a simplified overview of the customizations that were done!

[@Marcus_563]

Write your books Matt; I will definitely purchase them.

[@edwinyuen7455]

I'm curious about what your statement about the purchase of commissions in European and North American armies in the 19th century. I know it was commonplace in the British Army of the time, but had not realized that there was more widespread use. Also, I am not aware of the purchase system ever existing in the United States. Are the military forces in North America that you're referring to those of Latin America (since Canada would have been garrisoned by the British at the time, I presume)?

[@filianablanxart8305]

The US never sold Commissions per se . Some Academy slots are by competive examination , some are reserved for apointment by US Senators , so political connections would be a factor , In the days when most states had significant State Militias that would be called up in war time, the Officers would be apointed by the State Govenor , likewise political and social connections would be factors . So initial commisions would be skewed to the influencal . Promotions had no further price . But commissions had no inherent monentary value .

[@wlewisiii]

Thank you for the description, I found it very useful That Toledo blade looks beautiful on that infantry hilt. I tend to prefer the curve of a saber but that one would be a joy to wield.

[@aronk8810]

If you had to create your own non-regulation sword within the 1845/54 pattern, what would you do? I think I would go with the same blade, as I do like the Wilkinson pattern as a practical fighting blade, but I would want a gilt steel hilt and patent tang. Perhaps a 34" blade though, as I find 32" blades a bit short for my height.

[@rjfaber1991]

Gilded steel guard, rough leather grip because shagreen is bound to feel too funny, and a French 1845-model blade (as featured in one of Matt's other videos) on it, please.

[@adznz11]

@@rjfaber1991 id go that too. In saying that the wilkinson blade is pretty dam good as a practical blade. I would have keeped it. But love that french blade even more!

[@HebaruSan]

1908, boom, that's where we are now? Time for a new model for 2019, I'm sure we can think of someone who'd be happy to design it!

[@keithlarsen7557]

It needs a taser and a built in gun in the handle.

[@Altarahhn]

Wow, now that is a handsome blade. Good on whoever commissioned it!

[@mrawesome6358]

4:28 "Sergeant Major" is not a rank- it is a job title. Other examples might be "Adjutant" and "Commandant". Sergeant Majors are usually Warrant Officers. Mostly WO1.

[@zebradun7407]

My son was Married in a Marine ceremony, they had seven USMC issued NCO swords for the arch. I got to exam them, 4 rattled loose and were obvious junk 2 were actual good serviceable and could be weapons. But 1 was a Tight, balanced lethal instrument.

[@tommy765100]

Thank You for mentioning the United States, "however briefly" we love swords too and have somewhat of a rich history with them, "for a young country." Thanks again!

[@ramibairi5562]

Non regulation swords are simply exceptional ! What is the most interesting non regulation sword you've ever seen /owned?

[@lesliewilson2122]

That broadsword with the cavalry officer's hilt is quite nice. How would it compete with a cavalry officer's saber?

[@buffoonustroglodytus4688]

The saber wins cuz it saber

[@ghostfather1390]

What was done with all of those swords that were no longer "regulation"?

[@taylor_green_9]

Excellent question

[@calamusgladiofortior2814]

That is an excellent question. Perhaps Matt would consider answering it. After all, plenty have survived and ended up in private collections, so it seems unlikely they were collected and melted down for scrap metal.

[@richardscales9560]

Maybe stockpiled in reserve or given to terratorial, garrison units

[@ghostfather1390]

@@richardscales9560 that is a lot of good steel to have lying around wasted, especially in those short year versions, after just a few years sending out a whole batch of swords, it would be a surprising shame of they were just discarded, but gathering and either storing or repurposing them would create another set of logistical issues, it may not have been felt to be worth the effort Which prompted my original question

[@lanasmith4795]

@@ghostfather1390 well there's always the option of military surplus Government auction

[@JETWTF]

The same sorta thing happens today with officers and their pistol(s). A general in the US can carry a gold plated with antigue ivory grips .45 if that's the sidearm they want to carry. And you are very right about NCO's being the most important officers, they are not an officer for personal glory and they are experienced which makes them better prepared to make command decisions. Anyone that bought their "left-tenant" rank would do well to listen to their NCO's advice.

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

Love this kind of stuff... whittling down the nuances of the Army and Regimental system... You might be interested to know that the rank of "Trooper" only became official in 1922.... before that, the rank of Private was used in the Cavalry. (with some "regimental" exceptions).

[@scholagladiatoria]

Hmm, nineteenth century sources almost constantly use the word Trooper for cavalry rankers. This is both official army documents and things like newspapers.

[@scholagladiatoria]

I just opened up the Britishnewspaperarchive and checked this and indeed it's normal in 19th century newspapers to refer to infantry privates and cavalry troopers. There are examples from across the nineteenth century :-)

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

Not trying to argumentative at all Matt. Perhaps this is an exercise in semantics... I am referring to the actual rank. Might you be referencing the colloquialism?.... with "trooper" referring to them in the same way as "Tommies" or "Jocks".... or simply another word for "cavalryman"... I think that if you look up the nominal role for say, the Regiments of the Light Brigade at Balaclava, or their casualty lists, you will find them listed as Privates. Here are a few references: From the Great War - armyservicenumbers.blogspot.com/2016/06/17th-lancers-pow-other-ranks-1914.html From the Crimean War - www.chargeofthelightbrigade.com/allmen/allmenC/indexallmenC.html From the 1st Sikh War - www.kentfallen.com/PDF%20REPORTS/CANTERBURY%20CATHEDRAL%2016TH%20LANCERS.pdf

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

In addition, Household Cavalry, certain Yeomanry and Mounted Rifles used the rank of "Trooper" at given times in the era. Again I was referring to the Cavalry.

[@philvalz]

Although this is not very much on-topic: But would you like to make a video on the arms and fighting techniques in the movie Alatriste (2006) with Viggo Mortensen?

[@tamlandipper29]

Bang on.

[@lanasmith4795]

Seriously I had no idea he was Spanish until I saw that movie

[@philvalz]

Lana Smith I don´t think he is spanish, but his famiy lived in Argentinia for some time.

[@GumaroRVillamil]

I've also asked Matt to review some of the fight scenes in Alatriste. Hopefully he gets around it some day.

[@AtheistAnarchoCommie]

I hope he gets to it one day in the not to far future

[@JasonMBroyles]

I look forward to reading your books.

[@christopherdrekr1078]

Hi Matt I've got a question for you i think you can answer. It's more something I've noticed on the more modern swords like the ones you are talking about in this video. The movie like shing! Noise made when removing some of these swords from there scabbards, what part of the sword is contacting what part of the scabbard to make the Shing ! Metallic sword withdrawing sound we always hear in movies etc ? I haven't access to any of these swords to look myself as much as you can try no amount of gazing into museum cabinets will answer this question. I am interested to know particularly as until coming across you drawing examples of this type i dismissed it as not the sound a sword makes. Or only in films.

[@HypocriticYT]

Matt looking forward to your book. Save 2 for me!

[@TodayLifeIsGoood]

So it is much like the modern soldiers' boots XD Beyond basic training, at least in the army of my nation, if you wanted, you could wear whatever boots you wanted, so long as they were about the same high as the issued boots and were black. Boots, like other commodities, are bought by an army and they do not necessarily buy the the some model of the same company over and over again, so it happens relatively easily that varies soldiers had different models of boots that look the about same anyway. The only problem is that privately purchased boots are also private property, and the military only repairs or exchanges gear it also issued. Just a thing to keep in mind when being a common soldier. Our officers and NCOs also have to actually buy their uniforms to this day as opposed to the common soldiers who get them issued.

[@jerdasaurusrex557]

That broadsword blade looks beautiful.

[@DebatingWombat]

While lower ranks could be given an officer’s commission in return for exceptional service, unless they were independently wealthy, they might have to turn it down, as officers were expected to pay for various things, in addition to all the stuff mentioned in the video, such as the upkeep for the regimental band, various social expenses etc. that would have been difficult on the officer’s salary alone.

[@Daniel_D_King]

I love that regulation hilted broadsword, id love to buy one

[@warricktyler6759]

Ramble a tad but you get there in the end .Thank you for great information

[@zeamoz]

Would you stop repeating yourself. Troopers were issued with their swords, we got it the first time. Apart from that, great and informative video. Thanks for posting

[@eroktartonga4032]

Very detailed and informative video. Thank you very much.

[@Mythicalmage]

Sorry If I've asked this before and/or it's a bit outside your area of expertise: I'd really love a video talking about European military academies and their development. Were they taught from the same sources you teach from, or were their studies more focused in other areas? What kind of firearm training did they go through?

[@justinberdell7517]

When they updated the pattern and the soldiers returned their old swords for new ones, what happened to the old ones?

[@peterlarsen4809]

I was looking at a manual called Hungarian and Highland broadsword practice and it showed an image of a swordsman holding his scabbard in his off hand and I was wondering was the scabbard used as fighting tool?

[@p7outdoors297]

Do you have any knowledge on whether there were any Officers Rapiers during any period? I've heard of such, though I have never seen any evidence myself and I thought you'd be the perfect person to ask about it as you have far more knowledge than I.

[@taylor_green_9]

I love that broadsword blade. A question: What pattern of sabre would an officer of the French foreign legion wear in the 1910's?

[@zelinskas13]

Cavalry troopers are a point of some confusion for me. Where do they come from? How are they recruited? What determines whether you end up an infantry private or a cavalry trooper? Do they supply their own horses or does the army issue those like everything else?

[@andrewgillis3073]

It wasn't just swords. Officers had to buy their own revolvers, and the only real requirement was that they be the correct caliber. Most common seems to be the Webly top break revolver. The one exception to the rank and file being issued swords is the Gurkhas (From Nepal), who generally carried their own Kukri. If issued, the soldier would get two blades, one dress, and the other for field use.

[@edwarddoernberg3428]

the talk of purchasing commissions makes me wonder a few things. what does a typical military officer get out of his position? will he earn enough to be wealthy, or are they hoping to leverage there position and contacts that come from it to advance their other financial interests (or those of there family)? or is it just about the adventure and contribution to the state, an expenditure of personal wealth to be part of something greater? how do you ensure competence in the officer core? where new officers trained after purchasing their commission, tested before being allowed to purchase a position. or just pushed into irrelevant positions if they proved incompetent. was rank tied to wealth beyond a required minimum level expenditure to get in. finally, how expensive was a commision. and that is a dificult question because relative values are not what they were but could you give some idea of who could afford it and what else could be purchased for similar prices?

[@filianablanxart8305]

Primarily for the social prestige , and occasionally skimming from the unit funds . And reselling the commission upon retirement would be a nest egg . The really incompetent ones would be more likely to be killed in action .

[@icfubar9150]

Perhaps I missed an earlier vid but I don't believe I've seen a video discussion on the 1853 pattern. Was this the one with the full tang and two slabs of leather on each side pinned through? Was there any change in blade curvature as blades seemed to be trending towards a straighter more thrust centric form from that seen in earlier patterns/times and the yet to come later on?

[@lorquet21]

What did they do with the regimental issued swords when they became defunct or replaced? And could they weld in those days?

[@baysword]

So this explains how Sharp of TV fame could use a straight sword and get away with it.

[@ptonpc]

Considering that any officer who got on Sharpe's wrong side tended to come to messy end, would *you* want tell him he couldn't use it?

[@Superiorform4]

Where did commissioned officers buy their swords? If I was just joining the army, and I needed to buy my sword, would I have it custom made? Or would it be more likely that I would buy one "off the shelf"?

[@turbografx16]

Superiorform Both are possible options. The big sword makers had stock and custom options. You often read of poor quality 'tailor' swords i.e. those purchased from a tailor/outfitter together with the uniform.

[@OTEP1234567891011]

You filled out these forms and included a down payment. The way I understand it, it was a piece of paper that had each of the components that made up the sword and you could check various options and then mail it in to them. I think.

[@pinocchio418]

Hi matt, nice video as always! Do you know of any medieval or Renaissance regulation? Sure in those times weapons werent heavily regulated but I just cannot imagine that absolutely no one would ever acknowledged the benefits, at least on a logistical or administrive level.

[@Dozeyish]

Hi Matt thanks for all the great information. Also for asking for questions. I am sure you have maybe covered this but I am still unsure. What is the difference between a sword and a machete? Cheers

[@martinsmith9054]

That's awesome that a British officer re-hilted a toledo broadsword.

[@echosr2139]

Can you review the m1850 staff and field officer's sword, the m1850 foot officer's sword and the m1860 light cavalry sabre. They are my favorite non-medieval swords and as an American they played a role in one of the most important events in my countries history, the civil war. I had 2 great great grandfather's who carried swords in the Confederate army. One was a cavalryman and carried the m1860. The other was a lieutenant and carried the m1850 foot officer's sword. The cavalryman was killed at Gettysburg and the lieutenant survived the war. These swords are a part of my family's history and I would like to get good replicas of each.

[@toddgreener]

That broad sword is awesome. I love it.

[@chrispbacon955]

Excellent videos. I just started watching. I have a gladius machete and find all your videos helpfull in different ways. I could listen to you read the phone book,😁👍 great accent and voice. Top marks!

[@NatsuKashi00]

Hi Matt, can you talk about the swords and swordmen of the mid-19th century USA, about the time of the American Civil War? As an American myself, I see a prevailing belief that low-quality swords and poorly-trained swordsmen were both common in our military at this time. The most famous source that gives credit to this is a Marine Corps officer's personal account of the 1859 raid on Harper's Ferry where he describes giving point with his sword, striking the enemy militia leader in the breast, and his sword then bending double, which allowed him to capture his foe alive. This must have been quite embarrassing for a military swordsmen wielding a military weapon. Since you have a wealth of primary sources that you can point to, do you know of other evidence that can confirm or dispute this idea of substandard swordsmanship in the US.

[@matthewaleman4401]

Thing is during the civil war swords and bayonets accounted for 1 in a 1000 casualties cavalryman didn’t even carry sabers after a certain year and theirs quotes along the lines of “ the sword is a fine weapon from the age of chivalry but obsolete in the modern age of gunpowder “ the weaponry was to advanced and the ammunition to plentiful rifled muskets were very accurate unlike smoothbore muskets and the artilery was rifled aswell and don’t forget the exploding shells that would wipe out 10 men at a time infact in 1864 starting at cold harbor the war became full on trench warfare way before the Russo Japanese war and ww1 swordsmanship wasn’t taught at all during the civil war because melee combat simply wasn’t a thing human nature to not get stabbed or hacked up and gladly get shot combined with modern weaponry equals sword being used to point and look cool

[@matthewaleman4401]

The sword was on its way out in America right after the Mexican war in the 1840s

[@NatsuKashi00]

@@matthewaleman4401 swords were definitely not useful in this century, but I wanted to ask Mr. Easton if he thought that Americans thought they were important and worth training with.

[@NatsuKashi00]

@@matthewaleman4401 Even in later decades such as the Russo-Japanese war and early battles of the Great War, I know that swords and bayonets were not important for injuries (however mild of a way it it to say this) but they did force an enemy army to retreat.

[@WhyUbrown]

That Toledo sword is lovely. I Want It

[@DavidB5501]

Very interesting and informative. I was also interested in what you said about the terminology of different personnel. Maybe sometime you could cover this more fully? You mentioned that artillery soldiers were called 'gunners' - am I right in thinking that their NCOs were called Bombardiers? (Like the boxer Bombardier Billy Wells.) And I think rankers in the Royal Engineers were called sappers, but I don't know if this was an official term or just a nickname.

[@mob257774]

Do you know of any examples of regular troops being issued non-regulation swords. I suppose I am thinking of a situation where the colonel of a regiment for some reason did not like the regulation pattern and purchased different ones to issue to the enlisted men. I know there are examples of this in the irregular forces of the empire, so I am thinking specifically of regular formations.

[@wompa70]

We were still doing things like this when I was in. Being technically regulation but unusual. I knew a Sergeant First Class who wore V-neck t-shirts when crew neck was the norm. Pefectly legal but he carried a copy of the regulation to prove it.

[@cyphermasq7870]

Were there any examples of infantry regiments in the 18th and 19th century that had smallswords or large knives issued as a sidearm to supplement their bayonets? Im pretty sure there are examples of this in France and Russia. But I am not certain.

[@creme8338]

you cheated us with that beautiful thumbnail :(

[@doratheexploder286]

It`s currently sitting in the place of honor in my living room :) A lovely piece indeed.

[@creme8338]

@@doratheexploder286 interesting, man! care for it well ;)

[@Larry1983_]

Perhaps there is one but would like to see a swords that would have been used at Waterloo. If I am really selfish a video on Sharpes Calvary sword and how likely would it have been or whether it be actually very effective. Kind regards. Really enjoy the videos.

[@buffordevans6942]

Great subject and video Matt 😁

[@sigutjo]

What did they do with outdated swords? The men get issued the new model and then what happens to the old one?

[@markbyrd7710]

Is there any way to refinish that broadsword blade to get the rust or patina off? It looks gorgeous!

[@levifontaine8186]

Could you do a video about early sabres and hangers/cutlasses in the 17th and early 18th centuries?

[@vodkatoxin6914]

Can you try to do a vid on caucus weapons like kindjal and shashka

[@futurerandomness1620]

Hello Matt, I've been wondering, and maybe you addressed this before, what would happen to the regiment swords when they were swapped out for the new regulation sword?

[@TheHistoricalFencingGuild]

Nick here, you mentioned the spanish bilbo during this video, it is a sword type I have unknowingly been chasing for some time, and have seen extreme length variants from 34 to 24 inches. Could you perhaps explain this? I have practical theories but would love to hear your response.

[@DamianMaisano]

I always wondered if there was a specific way that officers were trained to fight with sword and pistol together, I know that it was done, you've mentioned it, but I don't recall ever seeing anything on how they fought. So was there a specific way?

[@julianadeau4885]

You make me wish I had money, Matt, cause I love that saber hilt with the Toledo broadsword blade. Why? Cause two edges are better than one and I love whipping out that back edge.

[@willinnewhaven3285]

At times, it seems that new regulation swords came out rather frequently. Did officers _have_ to change swords every time?

[@BrutusTheOwl]

Could Matt or anyone answer the following? How well did non-commissioned soldiers take care of their gear(specifically weapons, and even more specifically swords)? Over the years I've heard a lot of conflicting reports. Generally it boils down to poor care in modern military and very meticulous care in historical cases.

[@turbografx16]

Erin Tuncan It really varies depending on the military, period, gear etc. In terms of weapons: for the British and US armies, my impression has been that historically more care and attention has been given to firearms maintenance as compared to swords. Firearms after all are the main weapon, expensive, and comparatively complex. Swords were usually only sharpened before campaign and sometimes the edge was not well maintained afterward. Indeed, it seems in the 19th century sharpening was occasionally skipped altogether (e.g. during the ACW) and accounts of blunt or poorly sharpened blades are quite common.

[@ur2c8]

What about the yeomanry? Did they have regulation swords? I have in mind the short-lived Manchester and Salford Yeomany who took part in the Peterloo Massacre. What swords would they have used in the massacre? There is a new movie out about the massacre and I wonder if they will be using the correct swords. Also, if one of these swords came up for sale, would you buy it? Are there any swords you would not buy for moral reasons?

[@xandercorp6175]

What happened to obsolete models of issued swords? Were they stockpiled, melted down (lol), did they disappear onto the black market or into private collections? Were they officially sold off in batches? Individually? To whom (wholesalers, private sale, countries)? Surely the swords did not crumble into unserviceable garbage the day after they became obsolete?

[@stewarthayhurst1079]

You say about sabres belonging to the regiment which makes sense, but in Britain as well as in French army during the napoleonic period if a trooper was pensioned off so for the French made a member for Versailles or Britain Chelsea could they keep their sabre. I have a French grenadier d'chevel sabre of the imperial guard which was supposed to have gone with the trooper to versailles and was hung on the wall

[@MannenFromNorth]

I have a question when it comes to mostly 1on1 fights, why do I never see technices or anything talking about the shoulder? I mean if you turn a little and dash into someone with the shoulder, if you hit you could have an opportunity to put someone down or deliver quite a hit with the movement built up. And with protection it almost seems like going up personally and using your body more is incuraged.

[@emptyemptiness8372]

I have a question. How was Chinese swordsmanship regarded by British military swordsmen?

[@buffoonustroglodytus4688]

"Chinese swordsmanship" "lol" - conversation about chinese swordsmanship between two british officers, 1857

[@Smegead]

How did the cost of swords vary over the centuries, comparing to everyday items e.g. bread, eggs, ?

[@bpegu555]

Greetings sir! A warm, informative and all round wonderful video as always! I was very intrigued by your mention of the straight nature of Indian sword blades prior to the Islamic period of her history. This is something that is, as you rightly pointed out, not what one associates with when thinking of Indian swords. The 'talwar', shamshir and scimitar like swords with curved blades are what first come to mind. Indeed, talwar is the new Indian word for sword. But I always rued this wrong depiction of Indian swords in our media (mythological & historical shows) and am pleased to find that you know of this feature of Indian swords. Could you please share with me how you know of this, and share some more of what you know of straight bladed Indian swords with me, if I may be so bold? Cheers!

[@edi9892]

What if your hand was too big? Also, how was it assured that the boots fit? Could you carry your own dagger or pistol?

[@wauwCool]

This is a serious question. What type of sword would be more convenient/quick (sheathed on the belt and not a baldric) while entering and exiting a vehicle. Simply, getting in and out of a car while wearing the sword. Armour is not a factor for the sword use or the wearer.

[@calamusgladiofortior2814]

I think you'd be looking at a dagger of some type, or a very short sword. If you want a good point of comparison, find a police force that carry non-collapsable batons. Alternatively, some arrangement with a baldric or carrying cord that would allow the sword to be quickly unslung and placed in a trunk or behind the seat. Cars are just not the idea place to wear a sword.

[@filianablanxart8305]

Carried on a belt( rather than load bearing vest ) , the USMC Ka Bar is about the practical limit ( 7in blade) . When most police used non collapsible batons , they usually were removed for driving/ riding in cars . In theory , they would reinsert on belt each time exiting the vehicle . But in practice , they would frequently be left in the vehicle unless they expected action right then , or would be doing extended on foot patrol or other duty on foot . In that era ( varying somewhat by local and regional custom ) , they would always have a blackjack aka slapjack, aka cosh in British , on their person , with the stick added when expecting trouble . With the common use of the ASP ( collapsible baton) , they are always on the belt , and many, probably most Agencies no longer permit blackjacks .

[@phillip0537]

How does the handling of that non-regulation Toledo-bladed sword compare with the regulation sword of the same period? Any thoughts on how its cutting and thrusting ability would compare?

[@commander31able60]

that spanish broadsword is like taking an EM-2 rifle instead with modernised furniture instead of the standard L85 into a modern battlefield as a British Army officer.

[@corwin32]

If anyone didn’t think Matt knew his swords, I invite you to check out 7:30-8:10 in this vid. Wow

[@daaaah_whoosh]

Interesting, thanks for answering my question!

[@mr.stotruppen8724]

When did regulation sword patterns first start being really enforced among officers in the British army? Were officers in the 18th century pretty much good to go with whatever they liked, given the lack of standardization in both equipment and the style of fencing they were expected to be proficient in? Was it all up to the regiment's own standards as opposed to the government's?

[@doktordanomite9105]

if you gad to fight a duel using a non-European sword then what sword would you pick.

[@doktordanomite9105]

Arwin Vatvani that rather fair😄

[@londiniumarmoury7037]

Probably something like a Ming dandao, quite a rare sword you don't see very often, but I think it could be one of the only non European swords that is on par in terms of reach and speed. Unlike the Dadao the Dandao is much longer, and more nimble, than your standard Chinese Dao or wide chopping sabre. They are 50 inches long.

[@doktordanomite9105]

Londinium Armoury hmm i didnt even know about it till now thanks for showing me

[@londiniumarmoury7037]

Anytime.

[@rjfaber1991]

I mean, you could cheat and get a North American blade, or one of those Kyu Gunto blades from Japan that were just copies of European sabres...

[@hazzardalsohazzard2624]

Wouldn't shortening the Bilbao blade compromise the design at all?

[@gundanium3126]

Well, I am a bladesmith with 2 years of making guardless knives and as i am trying to start forging guards since I am starting to get into forging longer blades approaching 33 inches max length as that's all that will fit in my tempering/kitchen oven. I tend to think of what function each part of the tools of war servers and I had an odd thought about guards recently. Do you know if any hilts were hardened? Because I do not see the benefit of having a soft steel guard that would not be any better than having an iron guard. having a hardened guard on the other hand makes more sense to me a sense to me. I actually brought this up on a few of the facebook bladesmithing groups I am a part of Most notably Knife Gods and received mixed response mostly in favor of soft guards. so I thought I would ask here as you are someone who would know or be able to check on this theory. Side note: I used the term tool of war instead of the weapon due to my love of the Japanese folktale of Masamune and Muramasa. as such, I try to forge a Just blade used only kill only protect one's life, family and country, instead of a weapon that is meant only to kill.

[@Theduckwebcomics]

The green top and the red shirt makes you look like you're in a rifle company.

[@SonKaneOf]

Plz do make a video about Chinese Jian mace and Bian mace

[@mrd7067]

Can you tell us some things about "common man" swords/sabers. I know for example that here in the german speaking areas were some blades which changed over the time called "Hauswehr". Also interesting in this context are the french infantry sabres of the napoleonic era. My guess is that this stuff could still be usefull and legal for the same things today if you´d get a quality one (not that i can assess this or anything).

[@CJ-uf6xl]

Hi Matt. What are your thoughts on stick fencing and sabre fencing HEMA style of course. Comparisons and critique. 👍

[@gustavomoriena225]

Hi. Did you know anything about swords used in Latin América on the 18th more specific case. Argentina during the liberty wars agains spain. ???

[@jonathanlovelace521]

How did you complete this video without talking about an officer changing the blade on his spadroon to make it less rubbish?

[@olafpayne]

Get a pen and paper and write all these questions down! I would really like to know how swords were cared for since the early medieval through to Napoleonic period. Are there primary source instructions or accounts of methods and materials used for care? Specifically sharpening and cleaning? I remember on Time Team some groves in a stone church being possibly explained by people sharpening their swords.