An Ugly Duckling?

[horseclover]

It has been awhile since I posted up a period sword. What period? Just about 1800. A spadroon with rather generic blade etchings, with a steamed and pressed horn grip. Ugly, or just unusual. Unusual as the pommel doesn't really ring a bell in the usual texts and collections. Being a spadroon addict, I felt the need to adopt it.

I am reminded somewhat daily that spending on old swords becomes less useful for duties beyond their means but I keep on collecting wallhangers. This one more or less sound and plenty tight but I'll not be cutting branches with it *. All these old swords with what amounts to be floating pommels have quite slim tangs. Split bone, ivory and horn grips an all too regular an occurrence. Those swords with backstraps much sturdier.


*I have magic sharp antique spadroons for that

On the subject of ti alloys, I am fairly certain that it is larger blades are those that will truly benefit the most. The bigger you go, the more the benefit. Stiffness is more a factor of overall grind and temper but that might be an interesting comparison. The two directly above differ in stiffness, with "blackie" more flexy but my favorite. The white gripped example stiffer and ounces heavier.

Anyway, with swords in the 20oz-24oz range, what real benefit would ti alloy bring to the table? Are there any ti alloy fencing foils or epee out there yet? Would a trefoil smallsword blade rock the world?

Cheers

GC

 

[Mecha]

I think that ugly duckling is an awesome-looking sword. All of the straight spadroons are interesting, like a rapier with a D guard.

You're right that stiffness really is affected by the blade shape and grind more than anything. Ti alloys are actually a lot more stiff than people tend to think, since the flexibility of the alloys is always highlighted - but it takes a good bit of pressure to flex them when they're the dimensions of something like a sword blade. That said, since it's lighter in weight, the sword maker has more room to work dimensionally without the blade becoming too heavy. It simply means the spadroon blade could be made bigger and more robust, stronger, thick tang (or just leave out the wide fuller) at the same weight as that spadroon. I guess the question is if that would be a good thing, and I guess that depends on who's using it, and for what.

If made in the exact same dimensions from ti, it could still be a perfectly serviceable thrusting sword, and it would be very difficult to put a set in the blade if it was beaten into a solid target. It could be used ferociously without fear of a sword catastrophe. That will change the mindset of the user and possibly expand the ways the blade could be used. I think that's good, and one of the reasons I started making ti swords is because I had easily damaged steel sword blades a lot, doing stupid things when younger. Only later did I understand that it was because they were mall ninja trash swords and that real ones are a lot better...but real ones are also thin.

There are not any ti alloy fencing rapiers and foils and such, but I fully intend to make matched pairs of them, as soon as I'm not so overwhelmed. For those 20-24 oz small blades, the benefits would be: blade that is virtually indestructible, very rigid. Flick of the wrist. I think it would generally give the wielder an advantage in blade control, particularly in follow-through after a strike.

One of the qualities of ti alloy that is hard to describe but is apparent when you use a big blade made from it, is the very potent shock-deadening or harmonic resonance deadening feel, which to me this is the most important part of all. It makes the metal feel like it has an impact way beyond its weight and ease in movement. It hurts, and it smashes things, it moves things out of its way. You would notice this in even a small sword.

 

[horseclover]

When we look at Olympic type modern fencing and many that bout with larger/bigger HEMA swords, flex is quite essential, as to reduce injury. For a cutting enthusiast, it is another matter entirely and spadroon size and smallswords might find favor. Some go out and buy reproduction US m1840 nco swords, then want them sharp to see how much they can cut.

Historically, many saw little or no use for the little officer's stuff, aside from pointing at the enemy. The classic line for the British 1796 infantry spadroon was it was felt to be a "perfect encumbrance". The smallsword pictured above is actually quite large and bigger than my 32" bladed spadroons. The tiny ones pure jewelry. That said, spadroons and other slim straight infantry officer swords were kept busy into the cartridge firearm era.

There may come a time where I would offer a swap of sorts and ship you off a sword or two but we'll see what life brings next.

Cheers
GC