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Originally Posted by fernando
... is time gone in when a client would order the blade length according to his stature, as long as the whole sword followed the official requirements.
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When I was a military cadet officer, Asst. Platoon leader, in the mid 1960's I was issued a sword for parade use, I was measured for it so the blade tip did not hit the ground (3in. ground clearance at the low point) during a parade salute. My sword thus was 29 inches (73.66 cm.). If I have a choice, it is the blade length I prefer to this day.
My room mate, our Platoon leader, somewhat taller had one with a blade of about 32 in. We always checked to make sure we had the correct sword.
Some of the other platoon officers were not so careful.
I recall one who got his room mates, flourished it in salute as his platoon passed the Admiral, tip hit the ground and the blade snapped off near the hilt, (crappy stainless - never buy a stainless steel sword) He carried on with the hilt as if it still had a blade, but we all heard the 'TINK' and it lay in the grass till after the parade.
Another one at a different time, not used to the longer blade skewered his own hat, lifting it off his head. he managed to extract the blade from his hat, put it back on and continued marching. Needless to say, The Admiral was not amused.
Everyone else was tho.
(The hat skewer was more common, as if you didn't pay attention you could stab your hat even with a shorter blade. It usually happened when they were stationary tho.)