British Infantry Officers Battle Swords in the 19th C...and up to 1914

Peter Hudson · 29th October 2025, 01:19 PM

It is baffling to me that there were two very distinctly different swords; essentially the Spike form with IBeams and designed to stab/run through targets and to solidly block incoming strikes... and the more classic Cut and Thrust typically cavalry weapon...so that logically a lesson on both swords, though different in content, could be easily added to with the required techniques to turn the concepts into fighting skills. However I have not the faintest idea why this never transpired and as we know the baby went out the window with the bathwater !!...

It goes without meaning, for example, to have Rifle range zeroing and the various range practices and classification at different ranges from 100 out to 600 yards..yet no fighting skills through field firing exercises....and sniper training in battlefield conditions. It was as if sword fencing or the training of it, had frozen its self solid!

As a matter of interest I was looking at pistols and other personal weapons used by what is now used as skills for skirmishers...used in close quarter battle drills particularly in fighting in built up areas....and that there was a large, essentially available list of pistols and even twelve bore shotgun trench clearing specialist weapons being used in WW1.so that the suggestion to return swords and carry a swagger stick seems just mind boggling!!! The plot thickens.
Peter Hudson.

Peter Hudson · 29th October 2025, 04:27 PM

While there is similarity between Scinde Cavalry hilts, 19th C British Officers Infantry Sword hilts and the Paisley Tie Design it appears that the Cyprus tree gives the Tie Design and the Icanthus the Cavalry Hilt... both Indian designs ...and both very similar.

Both the 19thC British Infantry and The Scinde Irregular Cav hilt shapes are very very closely similar in general shape but the cut floral application is distinct in each but this does not make it any easier to unscramble, however, if something pops up to clarify this bit of the puzzle I will note it for the thread.

Meanwhile I am collecting a pipeback quillepoint Scinde Irregular Cavalry Sword in a few days and should have mastered how to use my new camera by then so illustated pictures can be seen on thread soon.. Please add your 19th C. British swords to thread and feel free to comment..

Regards,
Peter Hudson.

Peter Hudson · 29th October 2025, 05:00 PM

While the similarity between Scinde Cavalry hilts and the Paisley Tie Design it appears that the Cyprus tree gives the Tie Design and the Icanthus the Cavalry Hilt... both Indian designs ...and both very similar.
Both the 19thC British Infantry and The Scinde Irregular Cav hilt shapes are very very closely similar the floral application is distinct in each however this does not make it any easier to unscramble...but if something pops up to clarify this bit of the puzzle I will note it for the thread. Meanwhile I am collecting a pipeback quillepoint Scinde Irregular Cavalry Sword in a few days and should have mastered how to use my new camera by then so illustated pictures can be seen on thread soon.. Please add your 19th C. swords to thread and feel free to comment..

Regards,
Peter Hudson.

29th October 2025, 01:19 PM	#1
Peter Hudson Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Posts: 347	It is baffling to me that there were two very distinctly different swords; essentially the Spike form with IBeams and designed to stab/run through targets and to solidly block incoming strikes... and the more classic Cut and Thrust typically cavalry weapon...so that logically a lesson on both swords, though different in content, could be easily added to with the required techniques to turn the concepts into fighting skills. However I have not the faintest idea why this never transpired and as we know the baby went out the window with the bathwater !!... It goes without meaning, for example, to have Rifle range zeroing and the various range practices and classification at different ranges from 100 out to 600 yards..yet no fighting skills through field firing exercises....and sniper training in battlefield conditions. It was as if sword fencing or the training of it, had frozen its self solid! As a matter of interest I was looking at pistols and other personal weapons used by what is now used as skills for skirmishers...used in close quarter battle drills particularly in fighting in built up areas....and that there was a large, essentially available list of pistols and even twelve bore shotgun trench clearing specialist weapons being used in WW1.so that the suggestion to return swords and carry a swagger stick seems just mind boggling!!! The plot thickens. Peter Hudson. Last edited by Peter Hudson; 29th October 2025 at 04:59 PM.

29th October 2025, 04:27 PM	#2
Peter Hudson Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Posts: 347	While there is similarity between Scinde Cavalry hilts, 19th C British Officers Infantry Sword hilts and the Paisley Tie Design it appears that the Cyprus tree gives the Tie Design and the Icanthus the Cavalry Hilt... both Indian designs ...and both very similar. Both the 19thC British Infantry and The Scinde Irregular Cav hilt shapes are very very closely similar in general shape but the cut floral application is distinct in each but this does not make it any easier to unscramble, however, if something pops up to clarify this bit of the puzzle I will note it for the thread. Meanwhile I am collecting a pipeback quillepoint Scinde Irregular Cavalry Sword in a few days and should have mastered how to use my new camera by then so illustated pictures can be seen on thread soon.. Please add your 19th C. British swords to thread and feel free to comment.. Regards, Peter Hudson. Last edited by Peter Hudson; 29th October 2025 at 04:50 PM.

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29th October 2025, 05:00 PM	#3
Peter Hudson Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Posts: 347	While the similarity between Scinde Cavalry hilts and the Paisley Tie Design it appears that the Cyprus tree gives the Tie Design and the Icanthus the Cavalry Hilt... both Indian designs ...and both very similar. Both the 19thC British Infantry and The Scinde Irregular Cav hilt shapes are very very closely similar the floral application is distinct in each however this does not make it any easier to unscramble...but if something pops up to clarify this bit of the puzzle I will note it for the thread. Meanwhile I am collecting a pipeback quillepoint Scinde Irregular Cavalry Sword in a few days and should have mastered how to use my new camera by then so illustated pictures can be seen on thread soon.. Please add your 19th C. swords to thread and feel free to comment.. Regards, Peter Hudson.