Spanish colonial bilbo

Helleri · 30th October 2018, 12:36 AM

The rails appear to have been both soldered and brazed. Is this common or does it indicate an attempt at repair at some point past initial construction?

M ELEY · 30th October 2018, 08:13 AM

Hello Helleri,

It depends on your general consensus. Some would classify this as a m1728 cavalry sword that has been beat to Hades. Others believe this is always as it appeared, assembled and brazed/soldered in the Spanish colonies in the Americas. I guess either way the answer is, yes, it was a 'quick fix'. Weapons were so scarce that they were often assemblages of spare parts, with help from a colonial blacksmith, thus the brazing.

Jim McDougall · 2nd November 2018, 06:55 PM

LOL! Mark.....'beat to Hades'!!! Only a novelist could bring such a perfect phrase into a discussion like this!! perfect!!
That is EXACTLY what many of not most of these colonial pieces are like.
While field repairs made on campaign were in degree crude, they were made by armorers well trained and with many like weapons on hand with which to get parts.
In colonial settings, these were often village blacksmiths, who were far more familiar with tools and implements and without the kinds of components usually required for repair. They relied on innovation and fabrication of replacement components, and crudely tried to imitate the elements of arms originally made by skilled artisans in well tooled shops.

As for the 1728 'pattern appellation' …….as we WELL know from piratical canons (not cannons!!)…...it was not really a set pattern of that year, but a GUIDELINE setting a regulation for the period it was officially recognized in use.

30th October 2018, 12:36 AM	#1
Helleri Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Chino, CA. Posts: 219	The rails appear to have been both soldered and brazed. Is this common or does it indicate an attempt at repair at some point past initial construction?

30th October 2018, 08:13 AM	#2
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,159	Hello Helleri, It depends on your general consensus. Some would classify this as a m1728 cavalry sword that has been beat to Hades. Others believe this is always as it appeared, assembled and brazed/soldered in the Spanish colonies in the Americas. I guess either way the answer is, yes, it was a 'quick fix'. Weapons were so scarce that they were often assemblages of spare parts, with help from a colonial blacksmith, thus the brazing.

2nd November 2018, 06:55 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,281	LOL! Mark.....'beat to Hades'!!! Only a novelist could bring such a perfect phrase into a discussion like this!! perfect!! That is EXACTLY what many of not most of these colonial pieces are like. While field repairs made on campaign were in degree crude, they were made by armorers well trained and with many like weapons on hand with which to get parts. In colonial settings, these were often village blacksmiths, who were far more familiar with tools and implements and without the kinds of components usually required for repair. They relied on innovation and fabrication of replacement components, and crudely tried to imitate the elements of arms originally made by skilled artisans in well tooled shops. As for the 1728 'pattern appellation' …….as we WELL know from piratical canons (not cannons!!)…...it was not really a set pattern of that year, but a GUIDELINE setting a regulation for the period it was officially recognized in use.