Now for something completely different....

[smle-man]

As you might guess, the Army no longer issues swords or sabers (unless you are assigned to one of the cavalry demonstration units - there are NSNs in the Army system for sabers, 1873 carbines, and SAA revolvers!) but as an officer or NCO you are free to buy a regulation sword. There exists a manual of arms for the sword and at certain times they can even be deployed for ceremonial purposes.

I never bought one when on active duty or in the reserves but recently got the hankering for one.

They are available in quantity and in a variety of condition on Ebay.

I found a pre-WW2 Germany made M1902 on Ebay in nice shape for $100 so I bought it.

It is flashy and has nice etched patterns on the blade and a spot to have my name engraved on it if I so desire.

Collecting the various variations and makers of the M1902 is almost as endless at pursuing Mausers!

So, almost 40 years after being commissioned and 19 years after retirement I finally have my sword!

It will look great hanging on the wall of my gun room.

I'll take some photos tomorrow.

[echo1]

I like swords but there's a lot to learn about them, so I've never bought any. PAX

[Enfield47]

Cool, I'd like to see the pics. I don't know much about swords but they always look great when displayed.

[SonofWWIIDI]

Nice! Looking forward to the pics!

You gonna pose with it, while wearing your old uniform?

[Calico1404]

Pics OP! And respect on your long awaited achievement

[baranski]

Congrats.

[alabamacoastie]

I agree that swords are awesome, but the amount of info to learn about them is so overwhelming that it keeps me from really digging in to that hobby (sword collecting). This makes my wife happy as she does not want me to get into collecting anything else. She already thinks i spend too much money on guns.

But, i do own one sword. My grandfather, while serving in the Army in Germany, was given a Bavarian military sword which was carried by a soldier before WW1. When my grandfather died, it was passed to me.

Mine holds almost no value. That sword always hung on the wall, beside my grandfather's fire place. Beside it, hung an old fishing net (decoration). One day, before i was born, the fishing net caught fire and so did the sword. The shark skin burned off of the grip and whatever original coating was already on the scabbard also burned away. Someone, probably my grandfather, tried to restore the scabbard by spray painting it flat black. Hahaha.

I'm sure OP's sword is in much better condition than mine.

Congrats OP!

[smle-man]

Here's some pictures. The scabbard appears to be nickel plated steel. The blade also. The guard doesn't attract a magnet so it may be german silver.

No idea on the maker, it was sold as a 'Soligen' but since that was a blade centric manufacturing town in old Germany that doesn't say who actually made it. It can be placed sometime between 1900 and 1920. It is unlikely that the Germans were exporting swords to the U.S. during our involvement in WW1 though.

[Enfield47]

That blade is beautiful. Are you going to display it in or out of the scabbard?

[Ugly Hombre]

Very nice!

http://www.pattonhq.com/textfiles/saber.html

Gen Patton- warrior and olympic fencer, a short article on the sword by him.

http://www.pattonhq.com/saber.html

And the 1914 Sabre exercise manual.

[gunboat]

an old guy memory --
In about 1952 while in boot camp I was the company recruit CPO -
As such my "arm" was a navy cutlass -- I have no knowledge of the make, model, or where they came from -- It was a bit lighter than the 03's we were issued -