• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

Has anyone ever made a broadsword

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

StarnesRowan

40 Cal
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
157
Reaction score
46
Not exactly north american 18th-Century but has anyone ever made a scottish basket hilt broad sword. If you have I need any advice or info in general I can get
 
Can't help you but I have made a broadsword. However, it is only six-and one-half inches long with a four-inch blade made from an old file. It has a sterling silver guard [made from one tine of an old serving fork], teakwood and buffalo horn hilt. I wish I could show you but my ability to post pictures is nonexistent until I get my new computer online. :( Oh yeah, my wife uses it for a letter opener and seam ripper. :rolleyes: Polecat
 
Not exactly north american 18th-Century but has anyone ever made a scottish basket hilt broad sword. If you have I need any advice or info in general I can get
Actually it IS North American 18th century, as Georgia Governor James Oglethorpe's Highlanders used them in the War of Jenkin's Ear and the Scottish Regiments in the FIW carried and used them here. However, by the AWI and even though by that date a very nice Basket Hilted Back Sword (only one sharpened edge) was issued to "All Ranks" (meaning all Enlisted Ranks) most of those swords were placed in storage after they got here. Some were still used by special guard detachments, though and sometimes worn by Serjeants.

I have made a War of 1812 Non Standard Ship's Cutlass out of an original short broadsword blade I found and made the D shaped Hilt and handle myself. I was surprised to find the blade was correctly hardened and annealed, as I thought it was just a repro made for the stage, because I got it so cheap. It was battle worthy, and though I never intended it to be a fake, it was mistaken for an original on several occasions. However, I never had the ability to make my own sword blades.

First of all, after handling between 1/2 dozen to a dozen original 17th-18th century real Scottish Basket Hilt Swords, I can tell you the blades don't weigh near as much as they appear in photo's. Original blades are almost always lighter and livelier than most repro's, unless a repro maker really does his homework. If at all possible, you REALLY need to handle at least a few originals to see what I mean. I've mostly handled them at large collector gun shows all over the country.

I'm not a blacksmith and I wouldn't dream of trying to make the basket hilt. HOWEVER, there are still Hilt Makers in Scotland who will make an authentic reproduction one to order and though not cheap, are reasonable.

What information do you mostly need?

Scots wha hae,
Gus
 
Actually it IS North American 18th century, as Georgia Governor James Oglethorpe's Highlanders used them in the War of Jenkin's Ear and the Scottish Regiments in the FIW carried and used them here. However, by the AWI and even though by that date a very nice Basket Hilted Back Sword (only one sharpened edge) was issued to "All Ranks" (meaning all Enlisted Ranks) most of those swords were placed in storage after they got here. Some were still used by special guard detachments, though and sometimes worn by Serjeants.

I have made a War of 1812 Non Standard Ship's Cutlass out of an original short broadsword blade I found and made the D shaped Hilt and handle myself. I was surprised to find the blade was correctly hardened and annealed, as I thought it was just a repro made for the stage, because I got it so cheap. It was battle worthy, and though I never intended it to be a fake, it was mistaken for an original on several occasions. However, I never had the ability to make my own sword blades.

First of all, after handling between 1/2 dozen to a dozen original 17th-18th century real Scottish Basket Hilt Swords, I can tell you the blades don't weigh near as much as they appear in photo's. Original blades are almost always lighter and livelier than most repro's, unless a repro maker really does his homework. If at all possible, you REALLY need to handle at least a few originals to see what I mean. I've mostly handled them at large collector gun shows all over the country.

I'm not a blacksmith and I wouldn't dream of trying to make the basket hilt. HOWEVER, there are still Hilt Makers in Scotland who will make an authentic reproduction one to order and though not cheap, are reasonable.

What information do you mostly need?

Scots wha hae,
Gus
How to make the basket, wat size of steel to start with, what the final whight needs to be
 
Not quite a broadsword, considered a “bastard” sword, they were used during the transition period from broadswords to rapiers.
 

Attachments

  • 8D041B9B-BFB8-4B25-809E-7883A4065B23.jpeg
    8D041B9B-BFB8-4B25-809E-7883A4065B23.jpeg
    894.2 KB · Views: 0
I do make "hunting style" knives but I would never attempt anything with a blade length over 14". If I want a sword, I will find one by a reputable maker at a reasonable price. :ghostly: :ThankYou:
 
Back
Top