Rapier or smallsword PIERCED blade for comment

fernando · 6th February 2013, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valjhun

... too long for a dagger...

Not necessarily ... i mean, there were hunting (plug) bayonets with blades reaching the length of your example and even more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valjhun

is that an original tang or just a soldered piece? I would vote for the second option, I'm not sure thou....

Most certainly the second option; blades usually brake by their body but probably this one broke by the tang. Then the (new) owner shortened its point and welded such bizarre tang, transforming it into what it is now, whatever its use... even a defence side arm. This would also give logic to a weapon with such blade length.
The cross is apparently from the period, added to the blade for its new pourpose.
Pardon me if i am talking nonsense

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M ELEY · 6th February 2013, 03:27 PM

Not nonsense at all, Fernando! I agree with you. This is a reworked blade made into a short sword. Not a naval piece, but I'd lay odds that it's Spanish colonial. They reused many old rapier and broadsword blades from earlier periods due to a shortage of materials. I've got two swords, one a bilbo-type and another, a Cuban cutlass (per Brinkerhoff's book), both with braised, reworked quillons, reworked hilts and much earlier blades. The construction on yours is primitive (no offense, I like it still!) and plain, typical of items found in New Spain or shortly after their independence (c.1780-1820's??). This is just my opinion, but it does stand to reason that anyone that would go to the trouble of refitting it was still using it. The blade is Spanish?

6th February 2013, 03:27 PM	#2
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,159	Not nonsense at all, Fernando! I agree with you. This is a reworked blade made into a short sword. Not a naval piece, but I'd lay odds that it's Spanish colonial. They reused many old rapier and broadsword blades from earlier periods due to a shortage of materials. I've got two swords, one a bilbo-type and another, a Cuban cutlass (per Brinkerhoff's book), both with braised, reworked quillons, reworked hilts and much earlier blades. The construction on yours is primitive (no offense, I like it still!) and plain, typical of items found in New Spain or shortly after their independence (c.1780-1820's??). This is just my opinion, but it does stand to reason that anyone that would go to the trouble of refitting it was still using it. The blade is Spanish?