Question about sabre, dress vs weapons

[BradG]

Hello,
I have a question about TR sabres.
I bought an enlisted mans sabre a little while ago, and like dress daggers it's very clear that it's ornamental. Way to delicate to be swung from a horse and used as a weapon.

Did cavalry units in the TR have actual swords used as weapons? I ask because one would think a mass produced simple weapon would be very common to find now compared to all these beautiful Eickhorn field marshal swords that seem to be plentiful on dealer sites.

Even the basic private purchase NCO sabre I have (seen here http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=977705) seems to be a really hard sword to find.
Do you think simple cheaper swords are just not sought after at all, so dealers don't care to carry them? Or did more 'fancy' swords survive the last 80 years because collectors cared more about them?

Sorry, I guess there are a few questions in here. I was just doing some thinking and Google didn't turn up any real answers.

[Reichsword]

Hi Brad, NCO swords,(like yours) are VERY common. At shows here in the States you can pick and chose from dozens at most shows. Any vet bringing back a sword surely would have wanted a flashy sword with a swastika on it compared to a plain jane NCO. Same with collectors IMO.

[Frogprince]

Hello,
I have a question about TR sabres.
I bought an enlisted mans sabre a little while ago, and like dress daggers it's very clear that it's ornamental. Way to delicate to be swung from a horse and used as a weapon.

Did cavalry units in the TR have actual swords used as weapons? I ask because one would think a mass produced simple weapon would be very common to find now compared to all these beautiful Eickhorn field marshal swords that seem to be plentiful on dealer sites.

Even the basic private purchase NCO sabre I have (seen here http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=977705) seems to be a really hard sword to find.
Do you think simple cheaper swords are just not sought after at all, so dealers don't care to carry them? Or did more 'fancy' swords survive the last 80 years because collectors cared more about them?

Sorry, I guess there are a few questions in here. I was just doing some thinking and Google didn't turn up any real answers.

The answer to the question is yes, TR era cavalry actually carried a larger more robust fighting sword that was normally saddle mounted. The dress types as in the Imperial era carried off duty in the proper uniforms were decorative copies of the service weapons. The TR era cavalry sabers were re-purposed and refurbished M1856 n/A Prussian Imperial era artillery enlisted men's sabers. Fairly early in the active wartime period they were withdrawn from service. Dress weapons of all types much more common because many soldiers were only in the Army a short time before their military service obligations were completed and they could take them home, whereas the military issue types remained in service as Army property. Of course that changed with the mobilizations and once the war was seriously in progress soldiers were in for the duration - and circa early 1942 series production of all dress weapons were no longer being made (presumably) to conserve resources for the war effort. Also, German Army senior grade NCO's on duty if needed would wear a government purchased Army Officer's saber that was a carryover model from the Weimar era. Off duty being authorized to purchase/wear off duty the same private purchase Officer's model sabers as commissioned Officers. FP

[BradG]

Thanks a bunch to both of you . Good, logical info!