1860 Heavy Cavalry Saber (US Civil War) Cutting Tests! 

Thought I heard it mentioned before, but the apparel undoubtedly confirms it. Texas! looks good on ya if I must say. And great video!

Having spent time in the Cav, this is a must own for me.

There was no such thing as an "1860" Heavy Cav sabre. There two main sabres used in the Civil War were the 1840 Heavy Cavalry Sabre and the 1860 Light Cavalry Sabre. I don't know why in the hell Cold Steel named their's the 1860 "heavy" Cavalry Sabre (I have owned one of their's) when in actuality it is a copy of the 1840 Heavy Cavalry Sabre. Btw, Cold Steel's is a fine sabre too. Well made and solidly made, well balanced, etc. A tiny bit heavy for my liking but well balanced none the less. And I cut with it and it will tear some shit UUUPPPPP!!!

That's pretty badass. And it's sobering to know that 150 years ago Americans were killing each other with blades like that. Would be a fine thing to own.

since i own my own wall hanger and champagne opener i was very excited to see what a sword quality cavalry saber could do. it did not disappoint. that was badass.

As a part time idiot, and full time old westerner, I been waiting for this one. Nice work, troops. Now mount up, we heading out.

Lovely. Sabers are absolutely awesome. I like use of sabre in civil war, especially the fact that it clashed woth such weapons as machetes, tomahawks, reverse griped pistols etc. and you can see it reflect in the way they are made. Good job, Eldgrim! Good job Medieval Shoppe! Go Texas ;)

Haha, eldgrim, love the look.

Really enjoyed this video. Amazing cutting power. Only drawback of a saber over a straight blade is given the same amount of metal and blade thickness the saber will have slightly shorter reach.

Hell of a sword, got it for $120 recently. It and the 1840 (along with a bunch of other western sabers) were heavily inspired by the French ones developed from the Napoleonic wars through the 1820s.

Just ordered a blunt training sabre... but now thanks to you guys I have to start looking for a sharp one...dammit. Boats or mistresses would be a cheaper hobby. Don't get into swords, dudes....

Dam fine work for being on a budget. I like the design, also really liked the bandit sneak up on the drauger lol.

That is a great saber, you deserve it man!!!

This video was sick thrand great job ..incredible cutting eldgrim I especially liked that brutal uppercut.

*Blinks* Not sure if I'm tired or what, but I thought this title was 1960 Chevy Caviler Saber for some reason. Pretty nice blade though, always enjoyed the style of the cavalry saber. That one is remarkable in how well it cuts. I haven't been keeping up to much with the videos so I believe this is the first time I seen Eldgrim do a blade test. He's got pretty good blade control. Little typo in the description, Marquez name has a capitalized A in it.

Nicely done

Hey guys I really like the videos. I just thought I'd give a couple suggestions. 1. Try cutting with the top third of the blade rather than the middle third as the tip is the fastest moving part of the blade. This might help your cuts be even more successful. 2. Try using a handshake grip or a thumb grip when using sabers these put less stress on your wrist tendons than the hammer grip does, also they add about another inch or two of reach. Btw are either of you guys Christians?

Very nice blade, I really like those kind of sabers. It looks quite nimble, maybe you could do a speed challenge, trying to take off an amount of targets as fast as you can :)

Thanks for a great video

Quite possibly the finest sword ever made.

some of the slow mo shows how good a blade it is with the flex it gives.

I know of what the cavalry saber can do, but can u show of the damage of a Scottish basket hilt broadsword.

concerning the newspaper role that tore a little bit at the end... As someone once said to me years ago it doesn't matter if you cut someone's arm off cleanly or not if it's cut off it's cut off. now don't get me wrong this doesn't mean we shouldn't strive to practice for perfect cuts because the better your technique is in practice the more like you are to get a good cut in actual combat but if someone's arm comes off with a clean perfectly smooth slice through the bone and all or if it cuts part away through and just smashes and shatters the bone and the arm still comes off well the arms off either way.

not many on the market but if you have Southern heritage get and test a Confederate D-guard Bowie...Windlass makes a decent version, not sure of who else does. they can vary in size a great bit but I'm asking for tests on is a bigger one like 17" at least. the Windlass is 17" or so . it is basically a short saber....I think it should be done!

I know you put the weight in the description, but i am still having trouble picturing how heavy it feels. I'm really conflicted about buying either an infantry saber or cavalry saber, i know cavalry sabers have a heavier cutting power which i definitley like, but im afraid they are too heavy. Is that the case or no?

also if you don't have a saber scabbard hung on a belt, ie if just carrying it, they are steel and make on hell of an impact weapon and shield!

might be getting a sword from medieval shoppe. not my first but my first from medieval shoppe.

Hey Eld returns :P

3.5" and in the middle of the blade it seems...very impressive!

Johnny Reb was and is a fearless warrior

What's the thickness like compared to the originals? I understand repros tend to start too thin at the guard and don't taper enough towards the tip.

did the saber come sharpened and was there any damage to the blade after your tests, thanks guys.

very nice

Theng your are the best👌🏻

So in general is medieval Shoppe good for swords cause I'm thinking about their confederate staff officers sabre off them

does the saber have a Peened Pommel or threaded.

so my great great great grandfather was Mose "Buck" Walker and he was in the COMPANY D 12TH TENNESSEE CAVALRY 1864 ... "Company D, twelfth Tennessee Cabalry, Gen Forrest, Commanding; enlisted in latter part of the summer or early fall of 1864. Capt McCallie ( name maybe John) was captain of the company; Joel Appleberry was lieutenant in company & commanded company upon Capt. McCallie's absence, who was disabled by rupture most of the time I served. " Confederate Soldier of Civil War Company "D", twelfth Tennessee Cavalry, Gen N. B. Forrest, Commander 12th Tennessee Cavalry Commander: General Nathan Bedford Forrest. I AM HERE WATCHING THIS VIDEO BECAUSE I DID NOT KNOW WHAT A SABRE CUT IS ". I saw Gen. Forrest just after this battle -- his command had stopped and was having some horseshoeing done; I saw him show his pistol which had a sabre cut on it at this time, and heard him say a yankee had tried to sabre him and he knocked the lick off with his pistol. Shortly after this we surrendered. "

I love my saber!

No Wall Hanger is as good as a functional Wall Hanger and that's very functional 🥷

Lookin slick, there eldgrimir \m/

I need one !!

Eldgrim is excited as ever :) I have a very similiar sword but the blade of mine is little bit different. Mine is this: schwertshop.de/schwerter/militaer/union-kavallerie-kampf-saebel-scharf-model-1860.html

Forget the meat cleaver. You can just use that sabre for all your butchering needs.

hava an original one somewhere

Elgrim, you seem to be putting all your muscle strenght in these cuts, and to cut with the center of the blade. On video, it looks a bit odd. Is it your first saber? I have the chance to own an antique french 1822 pattern trooper light cavalry saber, which the U.S. 1860 is copied upon. I've always found modern repros to be crappy, and the handle to be exceptionnally butchered. The 1822 is an elegant saber, with a sligthly curved grip, and a recess near the pommel cap. Also, the wire is supposed to go from the pommel cap to the guard, not just 2 or 3 inches. I notice that on the repro, the pommel cap goes all the way to the guard... the original has a short tail cap. The centered spear point also seems quite wierd. I know on the 1822 the point in line with the back, and It seems to be the same on the original 1860. I have no doubt the original handle is more comfortable than this straight design. In fact, the 1860 is almost a perfect copy of the 1822, even on the special blade type, called "à la Montmorency", which features an hollow grind, and a short fuller near the spine in the middle of the length of the blade (this kind of blade appeared during the French Revolution, and never really fell out of fashion, as the 1822 is still worn today by the Garde Républicaine for ceremonial purpose). In France, when it got introduced, this was a light cavalry saber. A heavy cavalry version existed, with a 95cm blade, and a four bar guard (instead of the three of the light cav.). But by the time "heavy cavalry" was not an understatement, and this saber is a real beast. The light cavalry saber is still manageable, though really not ideal when you compare to purpose-designed infantry sabers. I have not tested mine (which come for the Garde Républicain, precisely), but that would mean sharpening it, and I'm not found of that idea, the blade being almost as good as new, while made in 1876. Mine has only one suspension ring on the scabbard. I believe this was a change made during the 1880's or so. The two rings are definately more practical though. The saber itself feels surprisingly light from the tip, and that's clearly not what you expect from a saber this big. You feel the whole mass of the saber is in the middle of the blade. I got mine with the canvas and leather field cover and original white buffalo knot/lanyard for 280€, so a bit over twice the price of that indian reproduction. But it was a real bargain. I bought most my antique sabers less than 120€. Living on the Old Continent has some perks to it :D

You guys, Lloyd from Lindybeige has been bad talking the vikings. Please either confirm or deny what he said in a video. PS: if you mention me in the video if you make it don't worry about the first bit, its a long story. Just call me the Space Viking.

Over swing and telegraphing to the extreme. The way he thrust his head forward after the swing I think also makes him a very easy person to kill indeed. I hope his technique has improved since making this video, because he really doesn't seem to be in control of that weapon.

I don't know why Cold Steel keeps calling it an 1860 Heagy cav saber. It is not an 1860. It is more a copy of the US 1840 Heavy CavSabre. It is bad ass. I have an 1840 Heavy Cav Sabre from TherionArms. it is an awsome cutter and crusher. The 1860 was acutally in history called the US 1860 Lighy Cav Sabre. I hit a wooden slat grocery basket with one. It was made of wooden slats wired to gether. My 1860 did some damage but whern I sho'nuff slammede into it with that 1840 Heavy Cav Sabre it near annihilated that basket, breaking several wooden slats. The 1840 Heavy cav sabre was what Gen Nathan Bedford Forrest preferred and is what he carried thorugh out the war if I am nto mistaken. Speaking of being Southern brother, my great granedfather was a cavalryman in Co. A, 5th Ky Cavalry and was a part of Gen. John Hungt Morgan's command. I am proud of that fact. I wonder what type Sabre he carried?

It sure beats a steak knife :)

666 likes, nice 👌

I think your sword needs sharpening

the cold steel is superior

It's strange to think that swords were still a significant instrument of battle up until WWI, where confined spaces wouldn't allow for long blades.

Ya'll are in my territory now. Very few sharpened that sword, and used mostly symbolically. However, we know it was sharpened to the hilt by General Nathan Bedford Forrest and he kicked some serious butt. I've yet to see the genuine article sharpened when I've found them for sale.

Y'all really do deserve a larger audience I love the content on this channel it really is good

See this hits close to home for me. As a po-boy I have budget weapons. I carry a .38 special S&W j frame but with only five shots I keep blades around the house. It's not just a hobby for me, I have a cold steel cutlass machete and a schrade large kukri out in the open for back up. I have a few other guns that are nicer but the Glock 17 or AK 47 stays in the gun safe. The 6 inch barrel .357 stays in the safe because I work a lot and I'm always in and out the house. But a cheap cutlass... I don't care if it gets stolen as much as a 500$ plus gun. That cutlass can take a hand off! I keep my blades sharp enough to pop hairs! High carbon steel is easy to maintain and keep sharp if you take the time to hone it properly. This is a backup for me when my primary weapon the 38 is sort of a back up gun its self. Very cool video, thanks fellas!

Hell yeah! I'm getting one of these as soon as I get the money. That is the most beautiful sword I've ever seen!

Sabers are very good swords, i am still learning how to use them, but i can tell that they require more strength than it seems (especially in the forearms). Awesome video!

I would have liked to see the Jell-o head hacking in a bit more detail!

Have access to a horse? Be awesome to see how the saber performs from horseback.

The Japanese have never made a saber. As surely as the Americans have never made a kilij. Just because these swords are curved doesn't mean that they are the same.

4:48 if you didn't stop the winding of your cut, you would have gone all through the dummie's skull

It's a copy of the french 1822 sword , still in use today

Infantryman used it? Really.....

Great show! Saber cutcutcut ^^

It will keel

In actuality, relatively few Southerners used these during the Civil War. It was frowned upon to have a sword in the South, whereas the Union encouraged their display and usage. Just an FYI.

Some extreme overswinging, nice vid though

Hey guys, great video. By the way, Custer didn't use a saber. He used what sounded like a heavy backsword he captured from a Confederate cavalryman. Enjoyed the video. Thank-you, Dante.

Awesome job, was the Saber sharp the entire length of the blade or was it sharp only a partial length starting at the tip? I ask this because I have herd that Sabers were only sharp a small length and not the full length because of their use on horse back.

Oh god Eldgrim, you are a Badass!

Really cool! Will the metal scabbard dull the edge?

Impressive demonstration.

Hello Eldgrim, nice video! Does the saber have any distal tapering, and also does it feel like you could fence or make quick responsive feints n cuts with this sword, or is it more of a chopper? Thanks!

Id love to see more specs of your swords. Point of balance, (estimated) point of percussion, possibly even flexibility. I think atleast those would help a lot to estimate your tests and why something is good or bad at something. Right now i get feeling that i can't quite say what i'm witnessing and why i am witnessing it. Great channel thou and i love how you run these tests and let results speak for themselves. But still bit more theoretical look wouldn't hurt in my opinion.