What is a sabre? A sabre is a backsword, a sword with a blade with a true (front) cutting edge, and generally a smaller false (back) cutting edge, but with the majority of the back edge of the weapon blunt. The sabre blade can range from one with significant curvature to a completely straight blade.
Unlike the foil, the description of the sabre in the classical period is made more complicated by the sabre's dual use. The sabre is inherently a military weapon. The common modern term "military sabre" is ridiculous - all sabres are military (with the exception of sabres issued to armed law enforcement personnel, members of the police and customs services). The term "military sabre" cannot be found in period literature or in the known names of specific weapon patterns. However, there is a considerable variation of sub-types issued for the use of specific categories of soldiers. For example, a list of sabre patterns in British use during the classical period includes:
- Cavalry (the ultimate and current pattern of which is the 1908 Troopers and 1912 Officers swords)
- General and Staff Officers
- Gymnasium Swords
- Heavy Cavalry
- Household Cavalry
- Infantry Officers
- Light Cavalry
- Rifle Officers
- Yeomanry Cavalry
This list is representative. These are often divided into different patterns for officers, non-commissioned, and enlisted men. In some cases there are service weapons and dress weapons, and there are considerable variation in pattern for specific regiments. Although all of these are sabre pattern weapons, the British typically called them swords.
A survey of United States sabres shows a similar variety of weapon patterns. It is interesting to note that the last combat sabre issued by the U. S. Army was a straight bladed weapon optimised for thrusting, the Model 1913 Cavalry Sword (often associated with Lieutenant George Patton, Master of the Sword at the Mounted Service School at Fort Leavenworth). This weapon continued as service issue until approximately 1934. However, the current dress sabre (also used by Honor Guard officers in the United States Air Force) is the Model 1902 Officers Sword, a curved weapon, relegated to ceremonial duties, that is a compromise between light weight and efficiency.
Typically sabres as issue weapons in many armies were designated by their model or pattern number (the year of the specification for the manufacture of the weapon), the type of unit to which the weapon was issued, and the term "sword." For example (by inspection, all of these weapons are sabres):
- Austria - Model 1861 Infantry Officer's Sword
- France - Model 1882 Dragoon Trooper's Sword
- France - Model 1845/1855 Infantry Officer's Sword
- Italy - Model 1871/1909 Trooper's Sword
- Poland - Model 1917 Cavalry Officer's Sword
- Prussia - Model 1889 Cavalry Trooper's Sword
- Prussia - Model 1889 Infantry Officer's Sword
- Russia - 1881 Pattern Dragoon Trooper's Sword
- Russia - Model 1909 Infantry Officer's Sword
- Saxony - Model 1874 Artilleryman's Sword
- Sweden - 1867 Pattern Cavalry Trooper's Sword
- Sweden - Model 1899 Infantry Officer's Sword
- Switzerland - Model 1867 Cavalry Trooper's Sword
It is important to note that there are sub-classes of sabres - derivative forms of the weapon. Two come easily to mind, the dueling sabre (although many duels were fought with the participants' service weapons) and the fencing sabre with which we are all familiar.
The Structure of the Sabre - The Hilt
- Capstan Rivet - a small rivet at the end of the pommel to secure the tang of the blade as it passes through the grip.
- Pommel - the pommel is the termination of the grip and backstrap at the end of the weapon closest to the user.
- Backpiece or Backstrap - a metal strap connecting the pommel and the ferrule, adding strength to the grip.
- Guard or Knucklebow - the guard is the structure designed to protect the hand. It may be a knucklebow, formed of a bar to protect the knuckles. The knucklebow meets the quillons, a horizontal bar of two pieces, below and above the blade, perpendicular to the grip. The knucklebow can be expanded into the counterguard by adding branches (additional bars). Alternatively, the counterguard may be a metal shell guard open at the back.
- Grip - the portion of the hilt which is held in the hand to maintain control of the sabre.
- Ferrule - a metal band at the base of the grip to which the backstrap attaches.
- Langet - devices fastened to the quillons designed to seat over the throat of the scabbard to help retain the weapon in the scabbard.
The Structure of the Sabre - The Blade:
- Tang - a long piece of metal that passes through the grip to the pommel and is held in place either by a capstan rivet or by hammering the tang flat.
- Shoulder - the point at which the blade transitions from the relatively thin tang into the full width of the blade at the guard.
- Ricasso - a short, unsharpened, rectangular area of the blade just in front of the guard.
- The Blade is divided into the Forte (the strong of the blade) and the Foible (the weak of the blade). The point of separation between forte and foible is generally the Point of Percussion, the theoretical location on the blade at which a cut is delivered with the greatest force.
- True Edge - the true edge is the long, sharpened cutting edge extending from the ricasso to the spear point.
- False Edge - the false edge is the short, sharpened cutting edge extending back from the spear point for a short distance.
- The blade is normally Single Fullered or Multi-Fullered (Pipe Back and Un-Fullered blades are less common). Fullers are grooves cut into the metal of both flat sides of the blade to reduce the weight of the blade and improve speed and balance. The description often given is that the fullers are "blood grooves" to allow the wound to bleed, facilitating retraction of the sword from an injured opponent's body in combat. Supposedly the wound closes around the blade creating a vacuum which would otherwise trap the blade. Unfortunately this charming idea has no relation to the reality of either how wounds act or of the origin of the fuller structure, and is completely and utterly false.
- The Spear Point - the sharp point at the end of the blade which gives the weapon it's value as a thrust weapon. (Quill points, Hatchet points, and Clipped points are less common.)
The Fencing Sabre evolved during the classical period, but retained many of the characteristics of the Sabre.
Gerona y Ensenat (1877) provides pictures and sometimes conflicting descriptions of an unidentified sabre that is divided into two parts (note that his text appears intended for the use of issue Army sabres):
The Hilt consists of:
- The Pommel
- The Grip
- The Guard - the guard pictured in the discussion of the sabre is formed by a knucklebow and a branch (termed a quillon). In the text Gerona y Ensenat discusses a bell guard which should be pierced or have an edge to avoid thrusts delivered randomly to the hilt.
The Blade consists of:
- Superior Spine - the blunt half of the back of the blade closest to the guard.
- Inferior Spine - the blunt third of the front of the blade closest to the guard.
- Superior Edge - the forward back cutting edge of the blade, approximately one half of the blade in length.
- Inferior Edge - the forward, front cutting edge of the blade, approximately two-thirds of the blade in length.
Rossi (1885) describes the Radaellian sabre in more detail than most authors. The weapon is divided into three parts:
The Grip consists of:
- A wooden Handle.
- An iron Backstrap
- A Tang Button (equivalent to the capstan rivet).
The Guard consists of the:
- Guard proper - this is narrower in the area it protects than other guards.
- Two circular or approximately circular Branches, one on the inside and one on the outside of the guard.
The slightly curved Blade consists of:
- A Point - the type of point is not specified but the illustrations suggest a spear point.
- An Edge - the true edge or front cutting edge of the blade.
- A False Edge - presumably the short false cutting edge.
- A Spine - presumably the portion of the complete false edge that is not sharpened.
- Fullers - presumably one fuller on each of the flat sides of the blade.
- A Tang - the commonly used tang discussed above.
Hutton (1889) describes a light sabre (of his own design) as used on the continent with the following parts:
The Blade consists of:
- Edge
- False Edge - the short part of the back of the blade that is sharpened, extending or 8 to 10 inches and ending where the grooving (fullers) begin.
- Back
The Hilt consists of:
- Shell - the protection for the hand.
- Grip
- Pummel - described as a lump of steel at the end of the weapon of sufficient weight to balance the weapon.
The British Army adopted Maestro Ferdinando Masiello's sabre system in 1895. The resulting Infantry Sword Exercise pictures a weapon with the pierced Pecoraro Guard and the following parts:
The Hilt turns an opponent's cut and protects the hand. It is composed of the Guard and the Grip.
The Guard - is made of curved steel and covers the whole hand.
The Grip consists of:
- Handle - a wooden handle covered in sharkskin bound by wire.
- Hood - a steel backing to the handle. Otherwise known as the Backstrap.
- Ferrule - small steel hoop that holds together the handle and the hood at their base.
- Button - steel button which screws onto the tang and secures the hilt to the blade.
The Blade is straight and consists of:
- Point
- Edge
- False Edge
- Rib - apparently the spine.
- The Grooves - apparently the fullers.
- Tang
Van Humbeek (1905) divides the structure of the blade into two parts, the hilt and the blade.
The Hilt consists of the guard and the Grip.
The Guard is halfcircular and metal.
The Grip consists of:
- A wooden Grip
- The threaded Pommel - which screws onto the threaded end of the tang.
- Point - which is flattened on practice sabre.
- Edge
- Back Edge - extends from the point down to the end of the foible.
- Fullers - two fullers one on each flat side of the blade.
- The Back - the thickest part of the blade opposite the edge.
Leszak (1906) describes the Hungarian sabre as consisting of the Hilt, which includes the Shell (the guard), and the Blade.
The Pecoraro Guard, described by Pecoraro and Pessina (1912) offered wide protection to both sides of the hand, with the bell of the guard sometimes multiply pierced to reduce the weight. Terrone pictures the Pecoraro sabre as the desired sabre in his Right and Left Handed Fencing - the hand protection and the equal distribution of the guard on each side created a weapon that could easily be shifted from one hand to the other in a right and left handed bout. The components of the Pecoraro sabre are described as:
The Guard - a curved steel guard covering the hand. Pecoraro and Pessina's guard as illustrated in photographs is not pierced.
The Blade is lightly curved:
- Point - the tip of the blade.
- Edge - from the point to the start of the strong part of the blade.
- Spine - the back side of the blade opposite the edge.
- False Edge - starting at the point and ending where the fuller ends on the spine side of the blade.
- Fuller - a slight concavity in the middle of the flat of the blade.
- Heel - the larger portion of the blade without a fuller meeting the guard and the tang
- Tang - a non-hardened, rectangular, threaded part of the blade, connecting the blade to the grip.
The Grip:
- The Grip itself - a wooden grip
- Two Ferrules - steel rings encircling and reinforcing the ends of the grip.
- The Nut - which secures the grip to the tang.
- The Guard - a narrow Hungarian shell with a curled lip on the back of the guard (also noted in Van Humbeck and Barbasetti).
- The Grip - a straight wooden grip. He specifically condemns attempts to create orthopaedic grips.
- The Blade - heavy enough blade that will not rise in the attack and stiff enough that the opponent will recognize a hit.
- Weak Part of the Blade - defined as from the point to the termination of the back cutting edge.
- Guard - the most popular pattern is the International Federation Guard which has a smooth surface offering no resistance to the passage of the opponent's blade.
- Point - blunt for practice sabres.
- Cutting Edge - extending from the point to close to the guard.
- Reverse Cutting Edge - starting at the point and running to the end of the foible.
- Gutters or Grooves - fullers cut in the flat sides of the blade.
- The Back of the Blade - the thick part of the blade opposite the cutting edge.
- Heel - an attachment to the front of the guard in the shape of a parallelepiped (a parallelogram shaped structure).
- Tongue - a threaded extension of the blade through the grip, ending in attachment to the Pummel.
Vince (1940) contributes two details:
- Guard - the guard pictured appears to be the pattern identified as the Olympic pattern with a round top of the shell and no protruding lip to the rear of the guard.
- Blade - the blade is of either of two patterns named for their shape. The T blade has a wide and flat spine forming a forte that resembles the capital letter T. The Y blade is distinguished by a groove (fuller) in the spine of the blade which reduce the weight of the blade.
Sources:
Bertrand, Leon; Cut and Thrust: The Subtlety of the Sabre;
[fencing manual]; Athletic Publications, Ltd., London, United Kingdom; 1927.
Castello, Julio Martinez; The Theory and Practice of Fencing;
[fencing manual]; Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, New York, United States of
America; 1937.
Gerona y Ensenat, Frederico; Fencing of the Sabre; translation by John Jakelsky; [fencing manual]; Printing Press of T.
Fortanet, Madrid, Spain; translated and reprinted by
John Jakelsky, Xativa, Valencia, Spain; 1877, reprinted
2019.
Hutton, Alfred; Cold Steel: The
Art of Fencing with the Sabre; reprinted edition with added introduction;
[fencing manual]; William Clowes & Sons, Limited, London; reprint by Dover
Publications Inc., Mineola, New York, United States of America; 1889, reprint no date.
Leszak, Karoly; Sabre
Fencing; editors and translators Russ Mitchell and Zalan Szalai; [fencing
manual]; original publisher unknown; Happycrow Publishing, Irving, Texas,
United States of America; 1906, translated edition 2020.
Peterson, Harold L.; The American Sword 1775-1945; New, Revised Edition; [reference book]; Ray Riling Arms Books Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America; 1996.
Rossi, Giordano; Theoretical-Practical Manual for Sword and Sabre
Fencing; translation by Sebastian Seager; [fencing manual]; Milan,
Italy, translated edition by the Melbourne Fencing Society, Carnegie, Victoria,
Australia; 1885, translation 2021.
Russel, C. Allen; "Model 1913 Cavalry Trooper's Sword"; [Internet page]; at https://arms2armor.com/Swords/1913cav.htm; 2008.
Terrone, Leonardo; Right and Left Handed Fencing; [fencing
manual]; Dodd, Mead and Company, New York, New York, United States of America;
1959. Note that this volume was
published by Terrone’s students as a collection of his notes well after his
death.
United Kingdom, War Office [content author Masiello, Ferdinando]; Infantry Sword Exercise; [fencing Manual]; War Office, London, United Kingdom; reprinted by The Naval & Military Press Ltd., Uckfield, East Sussex, United Kingdom; 1895, reprint no date.
van Humbeek, Leopold J. M. P.; Manual
for Fencing with the Sabre; translation by Reinier van Nort; [fencing
manual]; Amsterdam, Netherlands; translated and reprinted by Reinier van Noort,
Hagan, Norway; 1905 reprinted 2017.
Vince, Joseph; Fencing; 2nd
Edition; [fencing manual]; A. S. Barnes & Company, New York, New York,
United States of America; 1940.
Withers, Havey J. S.; British Military Swords: 1786-1912 The Regulation Patterns; [catalog]; Harvey Withers Military Publishing, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, United Kingdom; 2013.
Withers, Havey J. S.; World Swords 1400-1945; 3rd Edition;[catalog]; Harvey Withers Military Publishing, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, United Kingdom; 2021.
Wylie, Arthur; U. S. Swords; [reference book]; MCN Press, Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States of America; 1980.
Copyright 2022 by Walter G. Green III
