the green tomahawk of the Rogers Rangers?

[David R]

Originally Posted by kronckew

You didn't mention 'provenance' in the original what if.


Fortuitous, you mentioned Scottish basket hilts (I don't have one). I've been looking for info on why the UK switches from the protective but heavy basket hilt to a simple crossbar guard as the 'service hilt'.The last UK Officer to actually carry one into battle (as far as I have heard) was 'Mad Jack' Churchill, and he had the basket hilted version. And a piper!

They had both, the tang finished with a tommy bar screw cap so the guards were interchangeable. Why the crossguard for field use, because in modern warfare (post 1890's) an officer had more than enough encumbrances and few to no opportunities for a sword fight.

[David R]

If we are going down the boarding axe route you might like this place. http://www.boardingaxe.com/index.html

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by David R

They had both, the tang finished with a tommy bar screw cap so the guards were interchangeable. Why the cross guard for field use, because in modern warfare (post 1890's) an officer had more than enough encumbrances and few to no opportunities for a sword fight.

The last (?) person to deliberately carry a Scottish Basket Hilt sword into battle, was probably Col. 'Mad Jack' Churchill, in WW2, who carried his ashore on the raid he led in Norway, sword in hand as he hit the beach, followed by his Piper playing the bagpipes. He actually captured a whole passel of Germans with it. He also killed a German sergeant with an English longbow, but that's another story. He could, and did, fill a few books about his exploits.