HOW I DE-FARB MY REPRODUCTION 1840 ARTILLERY SABER

HOW I DE-FARB MY REPRODUCTION 1840 ARTILLERY SABER

Many Re-enactors are showing up on the battlefield with farby equipment that sticks out like a sore thumb. This page may help you on your way to looking Harcore, if not actually being a hardcore veteran.

Above on the left is what a new 1840 reproduction artillery saber looks like. To the right, Taking my time and using the right tools is what I ended up with.

PARTS OF AN 1840 ARTILLERY SABER

First one needs to know the names of the different parts that make up a saber. So, here they are:

A.] - Pommel Nut, Original swords don't have this, so it must go!
B.] - Pommel
C.] - Inner Tang Nut, Original swords don't have this, But we will keep this.
D.] - Grip / Handle, The wire is the wrong gauge and twist, so it has to be replaced.
E.] - Knuckle Guard / Bow
F.] - Leather Scabbard Throat Washer, Often too small, so it has to be replaced.
G.] - Saber / Sword Tang, Originals don't have threaded tangs.

There were three areas that I had to tackle. A.- Remove the pommel nut. B.- Replace the grip wire. C.- Finally, a new leather scabbard throat washer had to be made and installed.

The first steps were to remove the pommel nut and pommel. I always try to use a proper wrench and not a pair of pliers or vise-grips to remove nuts. The pommel did not just slide off. So I had to tap the side of the pommel with a rubber mallet. If I did not have a rubber mallet, being careful not to hit the leather grip / handle, I may have used a soft piece of number two pine.

Having removed the pommel nut and pommel, I found an inner tang nut. NO, I'm not talking about some dude with an inner TANG Breakfast Drink fetish. Its a second nut and washer, that was hidden under the pommel cap. Making sure that I loosen it. Because if I had over tighten it, it would have cracked and dammaged the grip / handle.

Once I had removed the inner tang nut, it was time to remove the grip / handle, which, of course, did not just slide off. Resisting removal, I held it over a folded bath towel, and used a rubber mallet to lightly tap the top of the knuckle guard / bow on each silde of the blade. It dropped off onto the padding of the folded towel.

Now, using a small jeweler's type flat blade screw driver, and taking my time, I worked one end of the old wire out enough to grab it with a pair of pliers, and removed it from the grip / handle.

Locating the original holes that held the grip / handle wire in place, I made sure that they were clear and large enough to accept the new wire. Inserting one end of the new wire into one of these holes, I found the hole went through to the tang hole. Using a thin flat blade screwdriver I bent the wire over. Pulling the wire taunt and following the original wire grooves I re-wrap the grip / handle. Cutting the wire about a half an inch past the second hole, I folded the wire 90 degrees and inserted into the second hole. I had to lightly tap the wire into the hole. Again, the hole went through to the tang hole. So, again I used a thin flat blade screwdriver to bend it over.

When I was done, it now looks like the picture above. Notice the difference in thickness, gauge, and the type and rate twist between of the two wires.

Now, looking to the leather scabbard throat washer, I found it was too small and torn. Quite often, these are cut smaller than they should be. This one looks to have been made from glued together scraps of leather left over from the grip / handle covering. Using a scrap of heavy saddle leather, I traced the throat of the scabbard, then cut it out. Afterwards, I made a hole to allow the tang of the blade to pass through.

Remembering the order, I partially reassembled the grip. First, the leather scabbard throat washer, followed by the knuckle guard / bow. Next, the wire wrapped leather covered grip / handle, secured with the inner tang nut and washer. Making sure that I didn't over tighten it, as I would have cracked and dammaged the grip / handle.

Turning my attention to the pommel, I checked the notch that retains the end of the knuckle guard / bow. This area needed to be filed down for a proper fit. I DID NOT TOUCH THE POMMEL'S BLADE TANG HOLE. The tighter the fit, the better. Placing the blade of the sword in a vise with leather padded jaws, and with the pommel off. I used a propane torch heat the tip of the tang until the tip glowed red. Turning off the torch and I set it aside. Carefully, without getting burned, I replaced the pommel on the tang and tightend it down with the pommel nut. Then, I removed the pommel nut and using a steel hammer, peened the tip of the blade tang down, until it held the pommel tightly in place.

Finally I was done, and taking my time, I made sure I did it right, as you can see in the the photo above.