[Victrix]

I recently acquired an Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal (k.k.) cavalry sabre M1869 for officers. It’s a nickelplated version with scabbard. There’s a fuller down one side of the 83.5cm long blade with a false edge. The 2.8cm wide forte is marked ”L. Zeitler Wien VIII”. The edges have not been sharpened, so I think it might be a parade version/staff officer’s sword? The symmetric hand guard (8.2cm wide at the grip) is decorated with floral openwork and the Habsburg double-headed eagle. The grip is covered in grey fish skin bound with silver wire. The pommel button is decorated with the owner’s monogram, which looks like a S and a H. The sword has a snug fit in the scabbard with no rattle.

As the dimensions are not that impressive, I wonder if there’s a battle version of this sword? How do I best care for the nickel plated surfaces; is it OK to wipe down the surfaces with a damp sponge, rub dry with a soft cloth, and then apply a layer of renaissance wax? Not sure it’s a good idea to apply mineral oil to the steel which I usually do with older swords (not nickelplated). Comments welcomed.