As the Angelo's/Roworth system was still in standard use when gothic hilt sabres replaced the spadroon and earlier sabre, you can go between the different sabres whilst using the same system. I use a good mix of open hilt and bowl hilt sabres.
So, you spent your own free time to improve the sabre design? Great job Nick! You're a pillar of the community! Also please less sparring videos and more educational videos.
If I can find the funds I might try to get one like this commissioned from Castille Armory. Black Fencer is still very difficult to get over here in the US. However that looks like an amazing sword.
Thanks for the review. They are making mine right now. Was one of the first to order, can't wait. Gloves are a problem as always thinking of doing a frankenstein this week, sparring gloves (with I generally really dislike) and red dragon (witch I love but are a bit unsafe at times, with stirrup hits) Although have not had a single accident using sabres nylon and steel so far. Hurt myself once using them for sword and buckler.
The number 1 problem with RDs for these is the lack of crush protection at the finger tips. If you can overcome that, then you will have something a lot better. I am not a fan of the plastic tips Spes sell. They can work for the little finger, but don't like them on the rest. The major priorities are the little finger and thumb, as they are most susceptible, and protecting those also provides some coverage to the other fingers. I am inclined to mod a pair of RDs myself, as I previously have done with hockey gloves. I've used unmodified RDs for these a lot, but I am very aware of just how risky that is.
I'd consider the Spes fingertip protectors a must for using the RD to its fullest potential. Taking a band saw/belt sander to them is highly recommended to make them fit neatly into all the fingers.
@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing Has the glove situation improved at all in 2022? I really want to get a 1796 Infantry, but it seems like gloves are still sorely lacking. What are you using these days?
@@Mike-hq2yb Hasn't improved much. There are the Thokks, but those have sketchy availability. I use heavy clamshell gloves for simple hilts, but I wear size XS SPES Heavies.
I have 1796 since spring and totally fall in love with it. Positivum: 1. its light, confortable, quick and agile weapon 2. with this blade mass + little bit of force and skill is quite easy to break opponent´s parry and hit him through anyway. Negativum: hand cover is inferior to late sabre types and you have to adapt your parries to this fact. You may find some videos from our sparring here: th-cam.com/channels/rtuAur96vu2s5X-Qgcq_wg.html
It looks excellent! I've been looking out for a review of this since BF released the model commercially. Well-executed, thank you. The flex seems to offer reasonable safety on the thrust. Do you notice it at all in the parry? I've seen issues with wobbly (sidesword) blades in the past...
Not at this stage, that is too specialist. I'd want to see more typical swords get produced first. Including an 1803 slot hilt sabre and 1796 spadroon.
i am only 1 week into HEMA,. I have been following your videos about sabers recently, and i have a couple of questions, which seems stupid, please forgive me in advance. 1. what is the difference between 1796 infantry saber(the one you have here) and light cavalry saber (the one everyone is so hyper about）？ 2. i checked out black fencer's website, they do have a training sword for 1796 light cavalry saber, and it seems pretty nice. then why does every source i checked claim that " cold steel is the only player in 1796lc, and it has a tone of problems, and we are expecting something new"? i have seen this comment from reddit and everywhere else, from 2012 til now. thank you very much for your reply! i have learnt a lot of things from your channel!
Hi there, Far from stupid questions, it is a slightly confusing topic. 1 - The difference between the 1796 infantry and cavalry sabre is blade length, total weight and mass distribution. Technically there is no such thing as a 1796 infantry sabre historically as they were a non-regulation or non-pattern sword. Some infantry officers used a sabre that was based on the 1796LC, but it was usually scaled down in size and weight to be better suited to use on foot. This means the light cavalry troopers swords are typically around 900g total weight with an 83cm blade and balance of around 18cm. Whereas the infantry swords that they inspired were more typically around 76-81cm blades with a balance of arouns 12-15cm and weight around 650-800g. This means the cavalry sabre is quite a slow and clumsy weapon compared to the infantry example, and it also means it hits a lot harder, which for a training sword is obviously not ideal. I do own one of the 1796 light cavalry sabres from Black Fencer, but it is a very new release. I had the prototype and first production model, but due to Covid lockdowns I have not been able to test it. Videos about this will follow when training resumes. 2 - Most people looking for replicas of the 1796LC want a sharp or accurate looking reproduction, and in this they are correct, the Cold Steel is the only player. It does have problems but it is still acceptable for the right price, and with a belt sander it can be made into a good sword. As for training swords, well yes as above the BF light cav is a very new product. As end note, we should all be very careful and considerate of the striking power of the 1796 LC. It has a massive amount of mass in the tip and will without a doubt be one of the hardest hitting swords anyone could train with. Even though I have the BF one now, I won't use it often, as it is not that well suited to fencing on foot and can hit incredibly hard. It should also be noted that 1796LC officer sabres were often much lighter and more agile than the troopers examples, and that the BF 1796 infantry can represent some of them quite well.
@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing I can’t thank you enough for your fast and detailed reply! I will keep watching and learning from your channel! Thank you!
Thank you for the answer, but what about other/generic back swords? It's mostly a visual preference for me with straight sword over saber. Anyway thanks again for the answer.
They have a much more streamlined process than most traditional sword smiths. They are also fencers themselves, with a huge passion for it. It's clear that what they do is as much hobby as it is a job.
@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing I mean brand new design. Surely with your extensive knowledge on swords you could address the weaknesses in many swords and come up with your own, superior sword.
Not that I know of, but they have started making sharps of their existing lines, so maybe. Have you seen the latest Windlass 1796 light cavalry sabre? It is an exact copy of an original with all the correct distal taper and all, lloks to be a great option for a realistic handling sharp of this era.
This is single handedly making me consider leaving the victorians & moving to napoleonic sabres.
As the Angelo's/Roworth system was still in standard use when gothic hilt sabres replaced the spadroon and earlier sabre, you can go between the different sabres whilst using the same system. I use a good mix of open hilt and bowl hilt sabres.
Do it!
So, you spent your own free time to improve the sabre design?
Great job Nick! You're a pillar of the community!
Also please less sparring videos and more educational videos.
Can't wait to get my hands on one of them
If I can find the funds I might try to get one like this commissioned from Castille Armory. Black Fencer is still very difficult to get over here in the US. However that looks like an amazing sword.
Yeah but they’re always out of stock
Looks sweet! Love to have one. Hope it comes to the states.
Now convince them to start work on a 3 bar sabre....
Slotted hilt next, for this is Napoleonic era sabre.
Aaaand theyve done it !
southcoastswords.com/collections/steel/products/blackfencer-1821-three-bar-hilt-sabre-steel
Thanks for the review. They are making mine right now. Was one of the first to order, can't wait. Gloves are a problem as always thinking of doing a frankenstein this week, sparring gloves (with I generally really dislike) and red dragon (witch I love but are a bit unsafe at times, with stirrup hits) Although have not had a single accident using sabres nylon and steel so far. Hurt myself once using them for sword and buckler.
The number 1 problem with RDs for these is the lack of crush protection at the finger tips. If you can overcome that, then you will have something a lot better. I am not a fan of the plastic tips Spes sell. They can work for the little finger, but don't like them on the rest. The major priorities are the little finger and thumb, as they are most susceptible, and protecting those also provides some coverage to the other fingers. I am inclined to mod a pair of RDs myself, as I previously have done with hockey gloves. I've used unmodified RDs for these a lot, but I am very aware of just how risky that is.
I'd consider the Spes fingertip protectors a must for using the RD to its fullest potential.
Taking a band saw/belt sander to them is highly recommended to make them fit neatly into all the fingers.
@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing Has the glove situation improved at all in 2022? I really want to get a 1796 Infantry, but it seems like gloves are still sorely lacking. What are you using these days?
@@Mike-hq2yb
Hasn't improved much. There are the Thokks, but those have sketchy availability. I use heavy clamshell gloves for simple hilts, but I wear size XS SPES Heavies.
Thanks for the review!
That looks really great.
Does blackfencer have any plans of making a sharp version of this?
I have 1796 since spring and totally fall in love with it. Positivum: 1. its light, confortable, quick and agile weapon 2. with this blade mass + little bit of force and skill is quite easy to break opponent´s parry and hit him through anyway. Negativum: hand cover is inferior to late sabre types and you have to adapt your parries to this fact. You may find some videos from our sparring here: th-cam.com/channels/rtuAur96vu2s5X-Qgcq_wg.html
Matt Easton also recently talked about the glove situation with sabres. Do you think the ProGauntlet will be suitable for sabre sparring?
In theory yes, in reality, I doubt it'll ever be released. If it is and lives up to expectations, great.
I am drooling just by watching it
It looks excellent! I've been looking out for a review of this since BF released the model commercially. Well-executed, thank you. The flex seems to offer reasonable safety on the thrust. Do you notice it at all in the parry? I've seen issues with wobbly (sidesword) blades in the past...
Is there a black fencer outlet for the US? Any info would be appreciated. I haven't ever found one but they seem very nice indeed.
I believe its Southcoast swords, but you can also order direct.
Cannot find it in the USA
Are there plans for a heavy cav sword?
Not at this stage, that is too specialist. I'd want to see more typical swords get produced first. Including an 1803 slot hilt sabre and 1796 spadroon.
i am only 1 week into HEMA,. I have been following your videos about sabers recently, and i have a couple of questions, which seems stupid, please forgive me in advance.
1. what is the difference between 1796 infantry saber(the one you have here) and light cavalry saber (the one everyone is so hyper about）？
2. i checked out black fencer's website, they do have a training sword for 1796 light cavalry saber, and it seems pretty nice. then why does every source i checked claim that " cold steel is the only player in 1796lc, and it has a tone of problems, and we are expecting something new"?
i have seen this comment from reddit and everywhere else, from 2012 til now.
thank you very much for your reply! i have learnt a lot of things from your channel!
Hi there,
Far from stupid questions, it is a slightly confusing topic.
1 - The difference between the 1796 infantry and cavalry sabre is blade length, total weight and mass distribution. Technically there is no such thing as a 1796 infantry sabre historically as they were a non-regulation or non-pattern sword. Some infantry officers used a sabre that was based on the 1796LC, but it was usually scaled down in size and weight to be better suited to use on foot. This means the light cavalry troopers swords are typically around 900g total weight with an 83cm blade and balance of around 18cm. Whereas the infantry swords that they inspired were more typically around 76-81cm blades with a balance of arouns 12-15cm and weight around 650-800g. This means the cavalry sabre is quite a slow and clumsy weapon compared to the infantry example, and it also means it hits a lot harder, which for a training sword is obviously not ideal.
I do own one of the 1796 light cavalry sabres from Black Fencer, but it is a very new release. I had the prototype and first production model, but due to Covid lockdowns I have not been able to test it. Videos about this will follow when training resumes.
2 - Most people looking for replicas of the 1796LC want a sharp or accurate looking reproduction, and in this they are correct, the Cold Steel is the only player. It does have problems but it is still acceptable for the right price, and with a belt sander it can be made into a good sword. As for training swords, well yes as above the BF light cav is a very new product.
As end note, we should all be very careful and considerate of the striking power of the 1796 LC. It has a massive amount of mass in the tip and will without a doubt be one of the hardest hitting swords anyone could train with. Even though I have the BF one now, I won't use it often, as it is not that well suited to fencing on foot and can hit incredibly hard. It should also be noted that 1796LC officer sabres were often much lighter and more agile than the troopers examples, and that the BF 1796 infantry can represent some of them quite well.
@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing I can’t thank you enough for your fast and detailed reply! I will keep watching and learning from your channel! Thank you!
Thanks for the awesome reply, I couldn’t figure out the difference either.
What are the UK legalities for the steel geneation sabres?
They are legal. As being blunt training weapons, the curved sword ban does not apply.
@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing Must i be a certain age to buy them?
Do you know if they plan doing a steel 1796 heavy cavalry sword?
No plans yet, its rather fringe. So many others need making first.
Thank you for the answer, but what about other/generic back swords? It's mostly a visual preference for me with straight sword over saber.
Anyway thanks again for the answer.
Sweet I ordered this one 2 weeks ago.
How is it?
@@Matt_Romans116_Morris amazing. The design has improved now as well so its even better.
these blackfencer guys are incredible, how do they keep everything so affordable? makes me skeptical, but I trust you guys.
They have a much more streamlined process than most traditional sword smiths. They are also fencers themselves, with a huge passion for it. It's clear that what they do is as much hobby as it is a job.
@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing that was what I was imagining, wonderful. Well I'm certainly a customer now.
What kind of glove do you use for use with this sabre? It was hard to make out what you said in the video
It's not clear because the naming of the company is vague. It is this model, the special sparring gloves, by sparring gloves.
sparringglove.com/en_US/
Do you have sparring footage of these in action? Thanks for the review.
Production version, no. But I will very soon. Prototype is in the video below. They are near identical.
th-cam.com/video/9LYvf8R_ohA/w-d-xo.html
Hey has there been a following up review ? :)
Not yet, but there needs to be, I'll add it to the list to be done.
@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing I'd love to see a follow-up on this review to know about edge durability etc
Have you ever designed your own sword?
How so? I've created specifications for makers to work from based on original examples. Or do you mean a brand new design?
@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing I mean brand new design. Surely with your extensive knowledge on swords you could address the weaknesses in many swords and come up with your own, superior sword.
Good video.
I use special edition of SPES heavy in my wz-17. It's kind of alright but not brilliant at all.
Does blackfencer have any plans of making a sharp version of this?
Not that I know of, but they have started making sharps of their existing lines, so maybe. Have you seen the latest Windlass 1796 light cavalry sabre? It is an exact copy of an original with all the correct distal taper and all, lloks to be a great option for a realistic handling sharp of this era.