Cutlass, Cutlass, who's got the Cutlass

[Monterey Jack]

Monterey Jack, I am in your debt! I've just bought one from Grendel's cave, so hopefully I'll get a decent one...no rotted or broken ones... crosses fingers and prays to the god of dirty old cutlasses. The leatherwork link looks great, and thanks for the tips! I think it will be pretty interesting to make a scabbard...I can customize it too!

Glad to help!

Give Oregon Leather a day or so to respond, depending on who's email you send requests to. Its where I work, but I don't always have daily access to the emails.

[callenish gunner]

i did have one that the handle developed a crack so i took it off and replaced it with mature bull shin bone and repeened the tang to the handguard .....working on the scrimshaw on the bone over the summer will photo when finished ... and post

[Phillip Black]

Well, I got me cutlass the other day and I'm pretty happy with it. It's just rusty and dirty enough to be interesting. The handle, and guard are well secured and nothing is loose, but the blade tip is not quite what I had in mind.

I'm considering grinding down the tip to the shape I would prefer, any suggestions?

Here is a picture of what I had in mind.

The pink area is what I want to remove.

Would this do something really bad to the sword, or am I pretty safe in this customization?

[Monterey Jack]

Yep; I think we talked about this on the phone yesterday. That tip is just ugly, but apparently period to some models. I started to grind mine down but ruined a grinder doing it. I've resigned myself to just having it the way it is. After all, its only one of about 15 I own.......

[Phillip Black]

Monterey,

Is that wide almost falchion like tip period? If it is, I'll just leave it alone I suppose. Especially if it is likely to ruin my grinder! You mentioned that you had a picture of this that dates the design to 1780 British if my memory serves...ye think ye could post it for me?

Thanks for all the help with the scabbard and leather supplies by the way!

[Monterey Jack]

The picture I found of it is in George Neumann's "Swords of the American Revolution. I'll see what I can do about the photo, though I'm notorious for screwing up the process of putting pics up on this forum. The blade is wide at the end lke that, similar to a few others of the period. So eben though it looks funky and not what we're used to, it does work historically.

Glad to be of help,

[Phillip Black]

Wow, Amazon wants $45 for that book...must be quite a tome!

Well, I suppose since it is period, I won't need to mess around with it. If posting the pic is too troublesome, don't worry about it...I think I found something similar here: http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-weapons/swords.htm

It's not quite the same, but close enough! :)

[Captain Midnight]

Ok so after emailing Old Dominion forge and being told that they are not taking sword orders due to a two year back-order log, What else do you have? I mean they look like good swords but logisitcally I dont want to wait two years before I get another cutlass. What I need this cutlass for is not just some pretty show piece. I actually need a functional cutlass that I cant fight with. I am in a stage combat group that requires a high quality sword for functional use. Any ideas?

I can feel your pain here...I actually love the cutlasses from Old Dominion Forge, but as they are so far out of my price range, not to mention their long backlog, I have take matters into me own hands...

I obtained a section of an industrial bandsaw blade from a local sawmill. The piece was about a foot wide by three feet long, enough to make several blades. I marked off a nice, historical cutlass blade shape on the metal and had it cut out with a plasma cutter. Then, VERY carefully, I ground in a fuller on each side of the blade, and then ground, polished, and sharpened the heck out of the blade. The result? A light, historical blade made of high quality tool steel, that will take and hold a razor's edge (the steel was MADE for cutting, after all). My next step is to manufacture a double shell guard and antler grip for it, then a scabbard and baldric. Total dollars invested in my sword so far? $0.00 I think the proper term for my method of construction is "stock removal", to form the blade. When finished, it will look almost exactly like the ODF double shell guard cutlasses. I don't intend to use it for stage combat, but it would definitely stand up to real combat if it had to, as it is made from the highest quality cutting tool steel.

[julius27]

If'n ye got equipment ta do grindin' an' shapin' on metal (or ye know somebody that does), ye might consider makin' yer own from a standard machete blade. That's what one o' mine is. U.S. military issue, ground a little on the back from the tip down about 3 inches ta exagerate the curve a bit, then a bell guard an' new handle added. It's about 2 1/2 feet from tip ta pommel. Startin' with a workin' blade like that, ye know the steel ain't gonna fatigue quickly.

[Phillip Black]

Well, I started working on the scabbard this weekend and it's slow going. I'm in the process of stitching right now and it's rather difficult. I'm not terribly happy with it so far, but it is better than nothing...

I'll post pictures when I'm done.

[Monterey Jack]

The mark of a true artist, Phillip, no worries. leather work is like that. Drop me a note if you get stuck!

[Phillip Black]

Thanks Monterey! I may end up ordering some more leather from ye. The dye worked beautifully by the way! (On both the leather and my fingers)

[Monterey Jack]

So, ye'll be Phillip Blackfinger next, eh?

[Phillip Black]

You could definately call me Phillip Blackfingers now...I've now done everything except the sealer.

One HUGE mistake that I made though, I put the stud for the frog on the wrong side of the scabbard...I think I can still get away with it...it will just be poking me through my frog...but overall I'd say I've done an absolutely mediocre job!

You take orders for scabbards Monterey? I think I'd place one at this rate...

[Quartermaster James]

Well, I ordered one of these swords from Grendal's Cave and it arrived yesterday.

Sturdy? Ya betcha!

Unweildly? Oh yes! Coming in at 3/16"+ along the spine, this baby weighs a good pound more than any other similarly sized fighting sword I own! At 2 3/4# - damn near what I'd expect a claymore to weigh!

All I've done so far is wipe off the cosmoline it was dipped in before storage/shipping. I agree with whoever posted earlier about the point on the hilt...ouch!

IMHO: a fine piece to wear for shoe, and (perhaps) good for stage combat (try damaging a leaf spring!), but nothing I'd want to take into a melee!

An another, but related, note: did anyone ever establish any historical correlation for the sword Museum Repicas is selling as a "Scottish Cutlass"? I have amighty liking for both that sword and their "Buccaneer coat".

Lastly, did Oregon Leather close their PDX store? Like others before me, I now have to equip myself with a scabbard and baldric or sword belt for this baby.

[Monterey Jack]

Lastly, did Oregon Leather close their PDX store? Like others before me, I now have to equip myself with a scabbard and baldric or sword belt for this baby.

Apologies, Cap'n, I be remiss in me duties here concernin leatherwork.

The Portland Oregon Leather store is still open; they better be, as they sign me paycheck! If they can't help ye (their craft guy just retired) drop me a note or call the Eugene store and ask fer Gareth or they'll likely hang up on ye.

[Quartermaster James]

Aye! No apologies neccesary Montery! Thank ye kindly for the reply.

I just wondered because the OLC website doesn't mention the PDX location at all!

[John Maddox Roberts]

The MRL "Scottish Cutlass" is similar to the "Sinclair Saber" they offered some years back. There are numerous examples of the Sinclair saber in museums, distinguished by their basket hilts with quillons and their wide, curved blades. Apparently they were carried as infantry hangers, but there's no reason they couldn't have been used at sea.