Sabie - curiosity

kronckew · 27th July 2015, 05:28 PM

funny, i just bought one from krakow, poland. looks like yours without a fuller and false edge on the spine, 75cm LOA. (see below)

it's an infantry briquet - a 'hanger' sword with a brass hilt popular in the 18-19th centuries europe. bit shorter than a cavalry sword so you don't hit the ground with it when slashing vertically downwards - or hit your buddy on either side when slashing horizontally.

. kind of a 'land cutlass' for when things got tight.

they also of course had their bayonets fixed on their muskets for a bit more reach when it was a bit more open and/or you wanted to scare the enemy horses from square.

usually carried in a black scabbard with brass throat and drag, in a white leather baldric. i blame napoleon for conquering most of europe & popularising these with most countries, even ones like russia which he managed to not conquer somehow. they came in curved and straight blades variants, some can only be differentiated by the number of ribs on the grip area as the grips looked much the same, some older ones had a more flat cross guard section (like yours).

the brits tended to not use them, being more fond of the bayonet, tho some units did have sword bayonets to do both functions equally poorly.

i suspect the briquet's main use was chopping wood form their fires or for making fascines in defensive positions.

27th July 2015, 05:28 PM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,224	funny, i just bought one from krakow, poland. looks like yours without a fuller and false edge on the spine, 75cm LOA. (see below) it's an infantry briquet - a 'hanger' sword with a brass hilt popular in the 18-19th centuries europe. bit shorter than a cavalry sword so you don't hit the ground with it when slashing vertically downwards - or hit your buddy on either side when slashing horizontally. . kind of a 'land cutlass' for when things got tight. they also of course had their bayonets fixed on their muskets for a bit more reach when it was a bit more open and/or you wanted to scare the enemy horses from square. usually carried in a black scabbard with brass throat and drag, in a white leather baldric. i blame napoleon for conquering most of europe & popularising these with most countries, even ones like russia which he managed to not conquer somehow. they came in curved and straight blades variants, some can only be differentiated by the number of ribs on the grip area as the grips looked much the same, some older ones had a more flat cross guard section (like yours). the brits tended to not use them, being more fond of the bayonet, tho some units did have sword bayonets to do both functions equally poorly. i suspect the briquet's main use was chopping wood form their fires or for making fascines in defensive positions. Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 27th July 2015 at 05:43 PM.