BEFORE AND DURING WW2 THE SWORD MAKERS FOUND A VERY CONVIENENT SOURCE FOR STEEL IT WAS THE LEAF SPRINGS OFF TRUCKS. BEFORE WAR BROKE OUT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET AS IT WAS STILL ON THE VEHICLE WHICH WAS IN USE AND OFTEN UNDER GAURD AS SPRINGS HAD A WAY OF GOING MISSING IF A VEHICLE WAS LEFT UNATTENDED LONG.
IT BECAME MUCH EASIER TO GET SPRINGS WHEN THE WAR WAS ON AS THERE WERE MANY DESTROYED VEHICLES AROUND INCLUDING AIRCRAFT AS WELL AS GROUND TRANSPORT.
YOUR EXAMPLE HAS A WELL CARVED HANDLE AND SCABBARD SO WAS PROBABLY MADE BY SOME PROFESSIONAL IN THE BUSINESS OF MAKEING THEM. SOMETIMES YOU SEE A NICELY CARVED SCABBARD AND A CRUDE HANDLE WHICH USUALLY INDICATES THE ORIGINAL HANDLE WAS DAMMAGED AND REPLACED BY THE OWNER. OTHER EXAMPLES WILL HAVE CRUDE HANDLES AND SCABBARDS WHICH COULD BE BECAUSE THEY WERE A CHEAPER MODEL PERHAPS THEY BOUGHT THE BLADE ONLY AND MADE THEIR OWN HANDLE AND SCABBARD OR PERHAPS THE ORIGINALS HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THE LIFE OF THE TOOL/ WEAPON.
CONGRADULATIONS A GOOD FIRST TALBION
