65-467: A cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword , with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket -shaped guard . It was a common naval weapon during the early Age of Sail . The word "cutlass" developed from the 17th-century English use of coutelas , a 16th-century French word for a machete -like mid-length single-edged blade (the modern French for "knife", in general,
130-534: A messer , meaning "knife". Often occurring with the full tang (i.e. slab tang) more typical of daggers than swords in Europe, these blades may ultimately derive through the falchion (facon, falcon, fauchard) from the Falx , Seax . In England, about 1685 the rather long straight-bladed sword formerly in use began to be superseded by the "hanger". This weapon had a short and more or less curved single-edged blade with
195-505: A Turkic source. In a more recent suggestion, the Hungarian word may ultimately derive from a Tungusic source, via Kipchak Turkic selebe , with later metathesis (of l-b to b-l ) and apocope changed to *seble , which would have changed its vocalisation in Hungarian to the recorded sabla , perhaps under the influence of the Hungarian word szab- "to crop; cut (into shape)". Though single-edged cutting swords already existed in
260-910: A US M1941 cutlass at the Battle of Inchon during the Korean War . A cutlass is still carried by the recruit designated as the Recruit Chief Petty Officer for each recruit division while at the US Navy Recruit Training Command . In a message released 31 March 2010, the US Navy approved optional wear of a ceremonial cutlass as part of the Chief Petty Officer dress uniform, pending final design approval. That approval came in January 2011, and
325-552: A brass hilt of a rather flat double-shell and knuckle-bow. The grip was generally of wood, bound with wire, but some specimens show a brass grip with spiral grooves. These are probably early models. The length of the blade is usually about 24 inches (61 cm). Although also used on land, the cutlass is best known as the sailor's preferred weapon as it was robust enough to hack or cut through heavy ropes, thick canvas, and dense vegetation, and short enough to be used in relatively close quarters combat, such as during boarding actions, in
390-700: A buyout of the Swedish Match consumer products division, which included Wilkinson Sword, by the Netherlands-based Eemland Holdings, giving Gillette a 22% stake in Eemland. After Gillette was ordered by the European Community Commission in 1992 to sell its interest in Eemland, Eemland sold Wilkinson Sword to Warner-Lambert , owner of Schick razor brand forming Schick-Wilkinson Sword. The Schick name
455-630: A key scene in Doctor Zhivago . The sabre was later phased out in favour of the baton , or nightstick, for both practical and humanitarian reasons. The Gendarmerie of Belgium used them until at least 1950, and the Swedish police forces until 1965. Swords with sabre blades remain a component of the dress uniforms worn by most national army, navy, air force, marine and coast guard officers . Some militaries also issue ceremonial swords to their highest-ranking non-commissioned officers ; this
520-463: A larger percentage of the market, the demand for razor blades declined to approximately 14% of its previous level. This introduction gave Wilkinson a significant market share. Previous market leaders responded by introducing their own stainless blades. The technology had been available for some time, but the market leaders such as Gillette, which held a patent on stainless blades, presumably knew that any gain for them in market share would be overwhelmed by
585-572: A new company, Edgewell Personal Care , of which Wilkinson Sword and Schick became part. Both are now brands used by Edgewell; Wilkinson Sword is used in Europe and Schick is used in Edgewell's remaining markets. Wilkinson Sword-branded three-, four-, and five-bladed razors for men and women have been produced in Germany since 1998, when production moved from the UK. In India the 'Wilkinson Sword' brand
650-586: A sidecar complete with Maxim machine gun – and a steering wheel instead of handlebars. The company continued development and exhibited a new version a year later at the Stanley Clyde Motorcycle Show at the Agricultural Hall, Islington , London in 1909. Only about 250 Wilkinsons were produced before World War I. Restrictions brought the line to its end in spring 1916, and Wilkinson then produced thousands of bayonets for
715-463: A slight curve, short, down-turned quillons , the grip facing the opposite direction to the blade and a sharp point with the top third of the reverse edge sharpened. The introduction of the sabre proper in Western Europe, along with the term sabre itself, dates to the 17th century, via the influence of the szabla type ultimately derived from these medieval backswords. The adoption of
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#1732775291744780-485: A specific type of sabre-like melee weapon, the szabla , was used. Richly decorated sabres were popular among the Polish nobility , who considered it to be one of the most important pieces of men's traditional attire. With time, the design of the sabre greatly evolved in the commonwealth and gave birth to a variety of sabre-like weapons, intended for many tasks. In the following centuries, the ideology of Sarmatism as well as
845-667: A straight, single edged sword, and in the sixth century CE a longer, slightly curved cavalry variety of this weapon appeared in southern Siberia. This "proto-sabre" (the Turko-Mongol sabre ) had developed into the true cavalry sabre by the eight century CE, and by the ninth century, it had become the usual side arm on the Eurasian steppes. The sabre arrived in Europe with the Magyars and the Turkic expansion . These oldest sabres had
910-557: Is couteau ; in 17th- and 18th-century English the word was often spelled "cuttoe"). The French word coutelas may be a convergent development from a Latin root, along with the Italian coltellaccio or cortelazo ; meaning "large knife". In Italy, the cortelazo was a similar short, broad-bladed sabre popular during the 16th century. The root coltello , for "knife", derived ultimately from the Latin cultellus meaning "smaller knife"; which
975-575: Is owned by Gillette , who manufacture and sell products using the Wilkinson Sword logo. Following the theft of the Sword of State of South Carolina in 1941, a replacement was procured by the Edward Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax from Wilkinson Sword, Ltd. The sword, the third to hold the designation of SC Sword of State, is made of steel and gold, featuring iconography of the state etched into
1040-444: Is seen as an honour since, typically, non-commissioned, enlisted / other-rank military service members are instead issued a cutlass blade rather than a sabre. Swords in the modern military are no longer used as weapons, and serve only ornamental or ceremonial functions. One distinctive modern use of sabres is in the sabre arch , performed for servicemen or women getting married. The modern fencing sabre bears little resemblance to
1105-532: Is the common Latin root for both the Italian and French words. In the English-speaking Caribbean , the word "cutlass" is also used as a word for machete . The cutlass is a 17th-century descendant of the edged short sword, exemplified by the medieval falchion . Woodsmen and soldiers in the 17th and 18th centuries used a similar short and broad backsword called a hanger , or in German
1170-475: The 1896 Summer Olympics ) loosely based on the characteristics of the historical weapon, although in Olympic fencing, only cuts are allowed. The English sabre is recorded from the 1670s, as a direct loan from French, where sabre is an alteration of sable , which was in turn loaned from German Säbel , Sabel in the 1630s. The German word is on record from the 15th century, loaned from Polish szabla , which
1235-560: The Board of Ordnance granted Nock, Jover & Co. an advance of £200 to start producing bayonets and in 1779 the company won a contract to produce 500 seven-barreled volley guns for the Royal Navy. Although designed by James Wilson, these would become known as Nock volley guns or Nock guns . When Henry Nock died in 1804, he left the company to his foreman and adopted son-in-law, James Wilkinson. When James's son Henry Wilkinson joined
1300-550: The Confederate side—eventually abandoned the long, heavy weapons in favour of revolvers and carbines . The last sabre issued to US cavalry was the Patton saber of 1913, designed to be mounted to the cavalryman's saddle. The Patton saber is only a saber in name as it is a straight, thrust-centric sword. A US War Department circular dated 18 April 1934 announced that the saber would no longer be issued to cavalry, and that it
1365-486: The Home Secretary ordered that police officers in the force "should be issued with a cutlass for his defence"; training in their use was provided at Wellington Barracks . Initially carried while on night duty, they were soon relegated to being kept in the local inspector 's office for use in an emergency. Provincial police forces sometimes deployed cutlasses during public disorder, using the hilts and flat edges of
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#17327752917441430-451: The rigging , or below decks. Another advantage to the cutlass was its simplicity of use as it required less training than that required to master a rapier or small sword . Cutlasses are famous for being used by pirates , although there is no reason to believe that Caribbean buccaneers invented them, as has occasionally been claimed. However, the subsequent use of cutlasses by pirates is well documented in contemporary sources, notably by
1495-481: The 1930s onward. Where horse-mounted cavalry survived into World War II it was generally as mounted infantry without sabres. However the sabre was still carried by German cavalry until after the Polish campaign of 1939, after which this historic weapon was put into storage in 1941. Romanian cavalry continued to carry their straight "thrusting" sabres on active service until at least 1941. Sabres were commonly used by
1560-478: The American pen and lighter company Scripto, Inc. in an attempt to diversify its holdings. Allegheny Ludlum Industries of Pittsburgh purchased Wilkinson Match in 1978. After becoming Allegheny International, Inc., the company filed for bankruptcy reorganization in 1987. Allegheny sold Wilkinson Match in 1986 to Swedish Match , which merged with Stora Group two years later. In 1989, Gillette helped finance
1625-601: The Ancient world, such as the ancient Egyptian and Sumerian sickle swords , these (usually forward instead of backward curving) weapons were chopping weapons for foot soldiers. This type of weapon developed into such heavy chopping weapons as the Greek Machaira and Anatolian Drepanon, and it still survives as the heavy Kukri chopping knife of the Gurkhas . However, in ancient China foot soldiers and cavalry often used
1690-535: The Army in place of Wilkinson Sword. Other sword manufacturers, and in particular WKC in Germany, also bought items, including the roll forge. Many of the tools and machines remain in use, and classic knives such as the Fairbairn-Sykes are produced by both companies. Energizer Holdings bought Wilkinson Sword from Pfizer in 2003, along with Schick . In 2015, Energizer demerged its personal care business as
1755-466: The Austrians and Hungarians. Le Marchant also developed the first official British military sword exercise manual based on this experience, and his light cavalry sabre, and style of swordsmanship went on to heavily influence the training of the infantry and the navy. The 1796 light cavalry sword was known for its brutal cutting power, easily severing limbs, and leading to the (unsubstantiated) myth that
1820-581: The British army in 1788 led to a brief departure from the sabre in infantry use (though not for light cavalry), in favour of the lighter and straight bladed spadroon . The spadroon was universally unpopular, and many officers began to unofficially purchase and carry sabres once more. In 1799, the army accepted this under regulation for some units, and in 1803, produced a dedicated pattern of sabre for certain infantry officers (flank, rifle and staff officers). The 1803 pattern quickly saw much more widespread use than
1885-554: The British in the Napoleonic era for light cavalry and infantry officers, as well as others. The elegant but effective 1803 pattern sword that the British Government authorized for use by infantry officers during the wars against Napoleon featured a curved sabre blade which was often blued and engraved by the owner in accordance with his personal taste, and was based on the famously agile 1796 light cavalry sabre that
1950-653: The French put in an official complaint to the British about its ferocity. This sword also saw widespread use with mounted artillery units, and the numerous militia units established in Britain to protect against a potential invasion by Napoleon. Though the sabre had already become very popular in Britain, experience in Egypt did lead to a fashion trend for mameluke sword style blades, a type of Middle Eastern scimitar , by some infantry and cavalry officers. These blades differ from
2015-525: The Ottoman prototype, their blades, even when an expanded yelman was incorporated, tended to be longer, narrower and less curved than those of the true kilij. In the American Civil War , the sabre was used infrequently as a weapon, but saw notable deployment in the Battle of Brandy Station and at East Cavalry Field at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. Many cavalrymen—particularly on
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2080-584: The Polish fascination with Oriental cultures, customs, cuisine and warfare resulted in the szabla becoming an indispensable part of traditional Polish culture. The sabre saw extensive military use in the early 19th century, particularly in the Napoleonic Wars , during which Napoleon used heavy cavalry charges to great effect against his enemies. Shorter versions of the sabre were also used as sidearms by dismounted units, although these were gradually replaced by fascine knives and sword bayonets as
2145-843: The United States Marine Corps; in this last capacity, it is still in such use at the present time. The American victory over the rebellious forces in the citadel of Tripoli in 1805, during the First Barbary War , led to the presentation of bejewelled examples of these swords to the senior officers of the US Marines . Officers of the US Marine Corps still use a mameluke-pattern dress sword. Although some genuine Turkish kilij sabres were used by Westerners, most "mameluke sabres" were manufactured in Europe; although their hilts were very similar in form to
2210-580: The blades to strike rioters, but there is no record of anyone being killed with one. The last recorded issue of police cutlasses was during the Tottenham Outrage , an armed robbery in 1909. In 1936, the British Royal Navy announced that from then on cutlasses would be carried only for ceremonial duties and not used in landing parties. The last recorded use of cutlasses by the Royal Navy is often said to be on 16 February 1940 during
2275-544: The boarding action known as the Altmark Incident . However, this is disbelieved by the majority of the HMS Cossack Association ( Cossack was the ship that boarded Altmark ) and the authors of British Naval Swords and Swordsmanship . The authors point to another claim, a boarding by HMS Armada in 1952, but disbelieve this one too. In their view, the last use of cutlasses by the Royal Navy
2340-407: The cavalry sabre, having a thin, 88 cm (35 in) long straight blade. Rather, it is based upon the Italian dueling saber of classical fencing. One of the three weapons used in the sport of fencing , it is a very fast-paced weapon with bouts characterized by quick footwork and cutting with the edge. The valid target area is from the waist up excluding the hands. The concept of attacking above
2405-408: The century went on. Although there was extensive debate over the effectiveness of weapons such as the sabre and lance , the sabre remained the standard weapon of cavalry for mounted action in most armies until World War I and in a few armies until World War II . Thereafter it was gradually relegated to the status of a ceremonial weapon , and most horse cavalry was replaced by armoured cavalry from
2470-467: The company closed its razor plant in the UK and consolidated production in Germany. In 2014, the company further moved most of its production to Czech Republic. Henry Nock began trading as a gunlock smith out of Mount Pleasant in London in 1772. In 1775, he formed Nock, Jover & Co. with William Jover and John Green. The American Revolutionary War led to strong sales for the new company. In 1776,
2535-576: The company has also produced swords, bayonets and products such as typewriters , garden shears , scissors and motorcycles . Gardening equipment is still made under the Wilkinson Sword name by E.P. Barrus under a licensing arrangement. Wilkinson Sword has manufactured its products in three UK locations over the years: in London ( Chelsea and Acton ), Cramlington in Northumberland , and Bridgend in Wales, where it made gardening tools. In 2000,
2600-539: The company it was renamed James Wilkinson & Son (also known as simply Wilkinson & Son ). It became the Wilkinson Sword Company in 1891. Wilkinson Sword produced some of the earliest motorcycles in 1903. These were two-cylinder machines with Belgian engines made by Antoine , which were marketed by a garage in Chelsea, London – one of the first motorcycle dealerships in the UK. The venture
2665-402: The core of light cavalry formations created there. The Hungarian term szablya is ultimately traced to the northwestern Turkic selebe , with contamination from the Hungarian verb szab "to cut". The original type of sabre, or Polish szabla , was used as a cavalry weapon, possibly inspired by Hungarian or wider Turco-Mongol warfare. The karabela was a type of szabla popular in
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2730-573: The cutlass was as often an agricultural implement and tool as it was as a weapon (cf. machete , to which the same comment applies) that was used commonly in rain forest and sugarcane areas, such as the Caribbean and Central America . In their most simplified form they are held to have become the machete of the Caribbean. The lead cutter sword was a weapon modelled on the cutlass, designed for use in shows and demonstrations of swordsmanship in
2795-465: The cutlass was made available for ceremonial wear by Chief Petty Officers in August of that same year. Sabre A sabre or ( American English ) saber ( / ˈ s eɪ b ər / SAY -bər ) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the early modern and Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such as the hussars ,
2860-405: The design and early fabrication of 'flak vests' used by USAAF aircrew. In 1962, Wilkinson Sword introduced stainless steel razor blades. Soon the company's blades made rapid gains in market share because one blade, though somewhat more expensive, could be used for a week. The earlier carbon steel razor blades rusted quickly enough that many people used a new blade daily. Although Wilkinson gained
2925-734: The dramatic reduction in the size of the market. In 1973, Wilkinson Sword merged with the British Match Corporation to form Wilkinson Match . This was intended to create a stronger company, with a larger advertising budget that would enable the company to fight its American rival in the consumer shaving market, the Gillette Company , and its British subsidiary, also called Gillette. In this advertising war, Wilkinson Sword loudly touted its long and proud tradition of bladesmithing in its print and electronic media advertisements. That same year Wilkinson purchased
2990-602: The early 1930s. The last new model of cutlass adopted by the US Navy was known as the US M1917 cutlass during World War I , which was based on the Dutch M1898 klewang . Although cutlasses were still being made during World War II , they were called the US M1941 cutlass, this was only a slightly modified variant of the US M1917 cutlass. A US Marine Combat Engineer NCO is reported to have killed an enemy combatant with
3055-624: The historical types, with techniques based on historical records. Wilkinson Sword Wilkinson Sword is a formerly British brand for razors and other personal care products sold in Europe, owned by the US company Edgewell Personal Care . The company was founded as a manufacturer of guns made in Shotley Bridge in County Durham , by Henry Nock in London in 1772. Besides guns,
3120-503: The late Victorian era . Wilkinson Sword made these swords in four sizes, no. 1 to no. 4, of increasing weight to suit the strength of the user. The lead cutter was so named because in demonstrations it was used to cut a lead bar in half. Wilkinson included a mould for the lead bar with each purchase of their swords. In 1830, after a constable of the London Metropolitan Police was shot and stabbed while on duty,
3185-591: The late 17th century, worn by the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth nobility class, the szlachta . While designed as a cavalry weapon, it also came to replace various types of straight-bladed swords used by infantry. The Swiss sabre originated as a regular sword with a single-edged blade in the early 16th century, but by the 17th century began to exhibit specialized hilt types. In the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (16th–18th century)
3250-452: The more typical British ones in that they have more extreme curvatures, in that they are usually not fullered, and in that they taper to a finer point. Mameluke swords also gained some popularity in France as well. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , himself carried a mameluke-style sword. In 1831, the 'Mameluke' sword became the pattern sword for British generals, as well as officers of
3315-470: The pirate crews of William Fly , William Kidd , and Stede Bonnet . French historian Alexandre Exquemelin reports the buccaneer François l'Ollonais using a cutlass as early as 1667. Pirates used these weapons for intimidation as much as for combat, often needing no more than to grip their hilts to induce a crew to surrender, or beating captives with the flat of the blade to force their compliance or responsiveness to interrogation. Owing to its versatility,
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#17327752917443380-437: The regulation intended due to its effectiveness in combat, and fashionable appeal. The most famous British sabre of the Napoleonic era is the 1796 light cavalry model, used by troopers and officers alike (officers versions can vary a little, but are much the same as the pattern troopers sword). It was in part designed by the famous John Le Marchant , who worked to improve on the previous (1788) design based on his experience with
3445-484: The sabre became widespread in Western Europe during the Thirty Years' War . Lighter sabres also became popular with infantry of the early 17th century. In the 19th century, models with less curving blades became common and were also used by heavy cavalry . The military sabre was used as a duelling weapon in academic fencing in the 19th century, giving rise to a discipline of modern sabre fencing (introduced in
3510-426: The sword and style of swordsmanship in British sources. The popularity of sabres had spread rapidly through Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, and finally came to dominance as a military weapon in the British army in the 18th century, though straight blades remained in use by some, such as heavy cavalry units. (These were also replaced by sabres soon after the Napoleonic era.) The introduction of 'pattern' swords in
3575-413: The term is connected to the employment of Hungarian hussar ( huszár ) cavalry by Western European armies at the time. Hungarian hussars were employed as light cavalry , with the role of harassing enemy skirmishers , overrunning artillery positions, and pursuing fleeing troops. In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, many Hungarian hussars fled to other Central and Western European countries and became
3640-494: The waist only is a 20th-century change to the sport; previously sabreurs used to pad their legs against cutting slashes from their opponents. The reason for the above waist rule is unknown, as the sport of sabre fencing is based on the use of infantry sabres, not cavalry sabres. In recent years, Saber fencing has been developing in Historical European Martial Arts , with blades that closely resemble
3705-566: The war effort. After the war, they continued to develop the in-line four engine – but in a new car called the Deemster. They never resumed motorcycle production. Wilkinson Sword began producing the Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife for British Commandos and special forces during World War II. This knife became widely used by many militaries around the world. Wilkinson's Pall Mall sideline in bulletproof vests also proved instrumental in
3770-475: Was also chosen to fabricate the Sword of Stalingrad in 1943. The production of swords came to an end when the company's sword factory at Acton closed in September 2005. Wilkinson Sword then held an auction of the tools, equipment, sword drawings, and forging and milling machinery. Robert Pooley, who had commissioned the company to produce swords, bought many of these items and formed Pooley Sword to supply
3835-631: Was by a shore party in China in 1900. Cutlasses continue to be worn in the Royal Navy by a Chief Petty Officer escorting the White Ensign and by Senior or Leading Ratings in an escort at a court martial . The cutlass remained an official weapon in the United States Navy , until it was stricken from the Navy's active inventory in 1949. The cutlass was seldom used for weapons training after
3900-631: Was itself adopted from Hungarian szabla (14th century, later szablya ). The spread of the Hungarian word to neighboring European languages took place in the context of the Ottoman wars in Europe of the 15th to 17th centuries. The spelling saber became common in American English in the second half of the 19th century. The origin of the Hungarian word is unclear. It may itself be a loan from South Slavic ( Serbo-Croatian sablja , Common Slavic *sabľa ), which would ultimately derive from
3965-536: Was not a success. Wilkinson developed and manufactured the Wilkinson TMC , a luxury touring motorcycle between 1911 and 1916, when production was stopped by World War I. The first 'Wilkinsons' were designed for military reconnaissance by P G Tacchi . Demonstrated to the British military in the summer of 1908, the Wilkinson motorcycle failed to impress the authorities, despite optional accessories including
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#17327752917444030-467: Was renowned for its brutal cutting power. Sabres were commonly used throughout this era by all armies, in much the same way that the British did. The popularity of the sabre had rapidly increased in Britain throughout the 18th century for both infantry and cavalry use. This influence was predominately from southern and eastern Europe, with the Hungarians and Austrians listed as sources of influence for
4095-415: Was sold to Fiskars in 1988. Throughout the 20th century, Wilkinson Sword produced ceremonial swords for the Household Cavalry of the British Army , and crafted the ceremonial sword for the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2002. The sword factory combined state of the art manufacturing technology with traditional skills and 19th century machinery to produce original fighting quality swords. The company
4160-407: Was to be completely discarded for use as a weapon. Only dress sabers, for use by officers only, and strictly as a badge of rank, were to be retained. During the 19th and into the early 20th century, sabres were also used by both mounted and dismounted personnel in some European police forces. When the sabre was used by mounted police against crowds, the results could be devastating, as portrayed in
4225-418: Was used on its products in North America and Japan, and the Wilkinson Sword name in Europe. In 2000, Pfizer acquired Warner-Lambert and three-years later, divested the Wilkinson component. Most of the former Bryant and May operations of Wilkinson Match were closed or sold in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including the Bryant and May factories in Bow and Melbourne . The home and gardening tools division
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