Sabre washers

[Tuthmose]

Greetings all,

I’ve a quick (and probably painfully ignorant) question regarding the leather washers (or lack thereof) on various British and French sabres.

In my reading, I’ve come to understand that on some models, the washer seats under the shoulders of the blade, behind the ricasso, and “tightens” the entire hilt assembly. On others, it was simply a weather-seal for the scabbard.

My question: which of these is the case for a French Infantry Lower-Officers’ Model 1845 sabre? Will a missing washer loosen the grip and be difficult to replace should one wish, or is it a simple “slip on” with no real effect on structural integrity? What of a British Infantry Officers 1845, or another model that has caught my eye, the British 1821 Heavy Cavalry Trooper?

Is there some larger “rule of thumb” to tell, short of intimate knowledge of each model and variant?

Thank you in advance for indulging my questions – it is appreciated!

-Ron