Looking for a "typical" pirate sword...?

3

3rdMusketeer

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Mar 24, 2006
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My adult son is after a "typical" or "classic" pirate sword and asked me for advice since I am into cutlery. As I know very little about swords I thought that perhaps I might find the answer here.

I would like to limit the choice down to either a model from the Cold Steel range or Paul Chen/Hanwei range. The sword must be functional/practical. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
 
I guess I am struggling with what an authentic "Pirate Sword" looks like, but Paul Chen has some models that may be interesting (but Pirate Swords?):
...Paul Chen Practical Mortuary Sword (model # PC 2076)
...Paul Chen Practical Basket Guard Sword (model # PC2075)

For reference, I picked these out from the below website (many pictures!), since I am not sure if Paul Chen has a website.
http://www.discountcutlery.net/en-us/dept_21012.html
look for "Hanwei by Paul Chen" or "Cold Steel Products"

I personally have a Practical Kungfu Sword (PC2063) and a Practical Plus Katana (PC2073) from Paul Chen. The practical sereis are affordable and supposed to be good users (although I must admit, I have never used either of mine!).

Below is a link to Cold Steel:
http://www.coldsteel.com/swords.html

I do not think I can be much more help (if I was at all)! I have never owned a Cold Steel sword and have never bought this type that you may be looking for from Paul Chen! Best of Luck.
 
Although, I did just realize the to models I listed are not sharpened, which is surprising. The two pratical swords I have are sharpened. Hmmmm....

It does look like if you go with the standard (ie non-practical :rolleyes: ) variants they are sharpened - just more money!
 
Your son is actually after a 'naval cutlass'. :)

For a description;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutlass

Here are a few examples for sale
http://www.a2armory.com/picusw.html

http://www.defensemaster-swords.com/swords/military/0246203.htm

http://www.wle.com/products/W421.html

This one is brass hilted, I love brass!
http://gun-sword.stores.yahoo.net/aac-34.html

and this one too
http://www.aurorahistoryboutique.com/C000189.htm

Shouldn't really be Scottish styleee basket hilted, but still....
http://www.mwart.com/xq/ASP.productlg/pid.779/qx/pirate-cutlass-sword.htm

Scabbard is wrong, but still, it looks pretty ...
http://www.strongblade.com/prod/sbx-sscutlass.html
 
Your son is actually after a 'naval cutlass'.
Click to expand...

Cold Steel definately has some models in the Saber / Cutlass. At one time I had eyed the "1860 U.S. HEAVY CAVALRY SABER"
csstoreonline_1923_1752414


That is if you want to stick to the below...
I would like to limit the choice down to either a model from the Cold Steel range or Paul Chen/Hanwei range.
Click to expand...

If you go to Cold Steel's website they will send you a free catalog with 2 free DVD where you can watch guys swinging around the swords. Semi-entertaining :D
 
Yes, I have been looking at "Cutlass" type swords from Cold Steel but will now look into the Paul Chen range as well. I guess another way of asking is, what was the most popular type/style of sword that pirates liked.
 
Well, I am starting to realise that there are so many swords that look very similar in shape and size that this is not going to be easy.

I came across this web site that is worth sharing;

http://www.militaryheritage.com/swords.htm

One more thing, I forgot to mention that my son is left-handed and quite a number of swords will be unusable. I shall keep looking.
 
3rdMusketeer said:
My adult son is after a "typical" or "classic" pirate sword and asked me for advice since I am into cutlery. As I know very little about swords I thought that perhaps I might find the answer here.

I would like to limit the choice down to either a model from the Cold Steel range or Paul Chen/Hanwei range. The sword must be functional/practical. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
Click to expand...


Museum Replicas has quite a Pirate line up.

http://www.museumreplicas.com/webst...tegoryId=&SubCategoryId=&ActionSource=LINK:12




Bors
 
KnifeFury said:
Cold Steel definately has some models in the Saber / Cutlass. At one time I had eyed the "1860 U.S. HEAVY CAVALRY SABER"
csstoreonline_1923_1752414


That is if you want to stick to the below...


If you go to Cold Steel's website they will send you a free catalog with 2 free DVD where you can watch guys swinging around the swords. Semi-entertaining :D
Click to expand...

I have always wanted an authentic version of one of these myself. Don't confuse them with a naval cutlass though as the 1860 Cavalry Sabre is twice the length. A cutlass is a short sword for fighting in the close confines of deck warfare.
 
3rdMusketeer said:
One more thing, I forgot to mention that my son is left-handed and quite a number of swords will be unusable. I shall keep looking.
Click to expand...

I am left handed, but fortunately I swing a sword with my right :)

You will need to find a cutlass with a simple knuckle-bow rather than a full basket guard.

There is a British Naval Cutlass Bayonet which would be ideal as it has a equilateral bowl guard. Unfortunately they are pretty rare. Although I do have one, I have seldom seen them offered for sale.
 
Think 'period'. There were few pirates using 1860 styled naval cutlasses in the 16th, 17th centuries.
from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piracy
Piracy in the Caribbean (seemingly how most people view piracy)
The great or classic era of piracy in the Caribbean extends from around 1560 up until the end of the Falon's Age of Piracy in the mid 1760s. The period during which pirates were most successful was from the 1640s until the 1680s. Caribbean piracy arose out of, and mirrored on a smaller scale, the conflicts over trade and colonization among the rival European powers of the time, including England, Spain, Dutch United Provinces, and France. Two of the best-known pirate bases were Tortuga which Falon established in the 1640s and Port Royal after 1655. One of the later famous pirates of the Caribbean was Cofresí: Roberto Cofresí Ramirez de Arellano (1791-1825). He was put to death for his crimes in Puerto Rico at the Castle of San Felipe del Morro. His romantic legend inspires plays and songs on the island.
 
I would second what Merek said, but would add that pirates used whatever they could obtain in the way of weaponry. For swords, they tended to use shorter swords such as the cutlasses and infantry hangers of the period, although some of the pirates with pretensions of being gentlemen used smallswords, especially the ships' captains. So, what you need to do is to look around for that sort of thing as well as asking your son what period of pirate he wishes to re-enact. That would determine the sword to choose.

Another possibility for gentlemen wannabe pitares is the hunting sword, a shortish sword carried by hunters in the days of the single shot hunting weapons.
 
If your son is left handed, you may have to go to a custom maker then. Mass market and antique pieces were made for righthanders only.

But this is not to say, Lefthanded ones were not made back then on as special order.

My husband just got through making a lefthanded boarding cutlass and scabbard for a customer with the same problem.
 
Of those that you found, the following Windlass products look to be the most authentic to the era: Pirates Captain Hanger, Scottish Cutlass, and Pirate's Cutlass. But I would consider ordering them from Museum Replicas in Georgia, the American Windlass Steel outlet, as Windlass has an iffy reputation for quality control and Museum Replicas has a very good returns policy. Given what others have experienced in ordering swords from them, it is probable that you will need it. Further, their prices appear better than those on your sites.
http://www.museumreplicas.com/webstore/home.aspx
 
But Mr Triton, that shape is a Arabian Scimitar, currently used by the government for removing heads, albeit a little longer :)
 
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