[Jim McDougall]

"...The 'Pershing Expedition' had hardly begin its operations into Mexico when the M1913 saber was declared excess weight and placed in storage in Columbus (N.M.) ".
"The Last Bright Blades" , Joseph William Turner, 1982, p.33

Apparantly the cavalry troopers in the Philippines and during the Spanish American War carried a M1892 .38 Cal. Colt revolver and a M1860 light cavalry sabre worn on the olive drab canvas 'Mills' belts wuth ammuniition.

Turner (op.cit. p.9) also notes that by 1904, the additional cavalry regiments approved by congress in 1901, resulted in the request for manufacture of new equipment, including sabres. The "...existing supply of old Civil War sabres was found wanting and on November 7, 1904 a contract was let to the Ames Sword Co. of Chicopee, Massachusetts".

These would be the M1906 pattern swords, which were simply cosmetically changed versions of the M1860, with an iron rather than brass hilt. There are some extremely rare prototypes termed 1905-06 experimental which do have some variation, but did not become production.

While the M1913 was produced through the LF&C contract of 1918, it really never saw combat (despite certain somewhat apocryphal accounts of its presence in WWI, probably at the whim of commanding officers). Its last known use was in the shameful action against the Veterans protest in 1932, though was not actually applied despite being wielded against unarmed crowds.

It seems almost ironic that there was still a little known variation of the sword produced in 1931. It was known as the Rock Island Arsenal M2, though obviously it was never produced in any number.

The order to discontinue the use of the sabre was by order of the Adjutant General Office on April 18,1934 (474.71, 3-15-34) , and in looking at the order item # 3 simply states that sabres on hand will be stored pending further instruction ("The Rock Island Arsenal M2: Americas Last Cavalry Sabre", Lt. C.W.T. Cooper,Gun Report, Vol. XXVIII, Dec.1972, p.20).

I was hoping that perhaps here might be some note pertaining to dulling blades if such order had existed, possibly if such order existed. Since the note, pending further instructions, existed, possibly subsequent orders were issued.
In the story about General Patton, the stalwart horse soldier, where it is said, "...the saddest moment in his life came when he stood at attention, weeping, as his cavalry regiment marched past to stack thier sabres for the last time"....it seems that accounts of this event suggest that it was during WWII ("The Long Gray Line", Atkinson, p.58 ; "Blood Rites", B. Ehrenreich, p.152), and that would indicate the sabres remained in use in some cases until then.

Much as the apocryphal accounts of swords being deliberately left dull to avoid cleaving into bone in the Indian wars period, and the stories about them being left dull during the Civil War to prevent harming the soldiers themselves and thier horses, it seems doubtful they would have been dulled as put into storage..which doesnt seem to have been largely the case.
By the time of WWII, it seems most of the stores of M1913's had been sent to Australia for conversion into machetes or sent for fabrication of trench knives (known as 'Anderson stilettos' for the manufacturing firm). These were apparantly made with the blade alone, each blade sectioned into three for the dagger blades.

I would be inclined to believe that swords produced were probably not sharpened to razor edge until actually issued or in use, and that the 'factory' edge probably was relatively dull.

It really is an interesting aspect, and I'd very much like to know if anyone knows of actual orders to dull blades, also when was the Patton event when the final stacking of swords took place.

All best regards,
Jim