[Jim McDougall]

I must admit when I first saw this posted, I actually cringed as my immediate reaction was of course revulsion for all the obvious reasons in the mention of this despicable social phenomenon. I then spent some time trying to learn more about some history on this 'organization', and felt like I was reading a fantasy game handbook, as the bizarre titles and fanciful imagery adopted by these individuals were almost as if role playing in an imaginary world.

I think Mark's comment on the Ames Company is most astute, and I completely agree that it is most doubtful in my opinion that they would have produced swords for this clandestine group. Despite thier reputation in producing regalia swords for fraternal societies and groups after the Civil War, I do believe that the Ames Sword Company's earlier and more profound reputation as supplier of military swords to the Union would have precluded thier making a sword for kkk. I think Mark's idea of possible alteration of one of thier swords quite likely.

The 'AMES' marking on the blade is completely atypical of any markings I have seen by this company, which usually was in smaller letters, stamped, and with the full company name.
(There was an outstanding book published by Stuart Mowbray which is a reprint of one of the earlier Ames catalogs including a wide range of regalia type swords...cant think of the title at the moment).

There were indeed however, some kkk swords, which usually had a mounted rider on the escutcheon, and the typical knights head pommel often seen on some military NCO swords as well as some fraternal types.

The kkk was not technically any type of formally organized group during the Civil War, however the men who were its instituting members were indeed from Confederate troops who did fight in the war.

The kkk was formed basically at the end of the Civil War, in the South, and of primarily Confederate soldiers with considerably less rancor than its subsequent incarnations. It seems more to have been club type prankishness than the more familiar image into which it evolved, and was actually ended several years after its inception for the depradations that inevitably resulted. The revival of the group later is reluctantly noted for the purpose of recognizing that its regalia and paraphenalia did of course become 'collectible' in a distastefully sensational way.
Much as has been described, often such items do carry a certain appeal sheerly from thier extreme esoterica, and instill a certain intrique that admittedly sometimes surpasses certain moral inhibitions.

With that 'working description' I would like to avoid further discussion of this group from either social or political perspective, and any editorializing on the history or philosophy of the group, maintaining focus on the actual weapons that might have been in use as regalia.

All best regards,
Jim