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The Patton Saber

Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 5:21 pm
by Niner
Saw this story about the Patton saber. Seems General Patton designed this saber for US Calvary in WWI. Only problem was that the Calvary was no longer a usable part of the order of battle. What's interesting is that the blades were cut into three sections of first class steel and made into bayonets in WWII. I'm looking at one on ebay right now $30 by someone who doesn't know the story. You can tell the ersatz by the blood groove.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUGXsbgUvq4

Re: The Patton Saber

Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2019 8:19 am
by Reese Williams
The guy doing the video didn't do his homework very well. Not only was Patton a cavalryman, he was also an Olympic class fencer who competed as part of the US team in the 1912 games. The design of the M1913 owes much of its DNA to the British P1908 saber which it very closely resembles. At the very end, the thrust school won out over the cut camp. The presenter also doesn't know that while US cavalry was not very active, British cavalry was used offensively throughout the entire war.

Re: The Patton Saber

Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2019 10:45 am
by Niner
You mean the guy was like those experts on Pawn Stars? Or maybe , worse, like those news show experts that tell us about all sorts of things we wouldn't be aware of nor concerned about unless they made them up and told us how concerned we ought to be?

Re: The Patton Saber

Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 3:54 am
by DuncaninFrance
Errrrrrrrrrr, wot e said :roll: :roll:

Re: The Patton Saber

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 1:18 pm
by Reese Williams
He wasn't completely wrong, just very incomplete. Patton was intensely interested in learning more about his profession and improving the tools thereof. An accomplished horseman and fencer he worked towards upgrading the tools of his trade at every opportunity. A lot of thought and study of other countries advances in swords went into his work on the M1913. He also designed and got put into use a qualification badge for swordsman, much like the pistol and rifle qualification badges. When the war came he eagerly set about learning about tanks. Patton was a very complex character. For anyone interested in reading more about him I heartily recommend A Genius for War by Carlo D'Este.