For everyone and about everything. The perfect checker: How to choose What is the difference between a saber and a checker

The checker and saber are one of the most ancient types of cold (piercing-cutting and chopping-piercing) weapons, which were used in our country in almost all types of troops. Many books and articles are devoted to this ancient weapon, telling about the difference between a saber and a saber. However, despite this, on household level a saber is often confused with a saber and often a saber is called a saber and vice versa. In foreign literature and the press, the saber is called a “special variety” of a saber and is not distinguished at all. separate view edged weapons, which is fundamentally wrong. We propose to dot all i and, finally, figure out what are the main differences between a checker and a saber.

So, the first - the saber is much older than the checkers. The first mention of the saber dates back to the 7th century. The saber appeared, as noted above, in the East and was one of the main weapons of the Turkic peoples. In fact, the saber was a kind of broadsword - one might say, its more advanced (with a noticeable bend
blades) version. At the same time, the checker appeared later - in the 12-13th century in the Caucasus. For many years, the sword was the main melee weapon of the peoples of the Caucasus.

The very word "checker" (from the Adyghe "sashkho" - "big long knife") was first used in relation to weapons and even later - in the 17th century. It is noteworthy that initially the saber was used as an auxiliary weapon (it always came after the saber), but over time, the saber replaced the saber, becoming the main weapon, first in the Caucasus, and later throughout Russia.

Age, however, is not the only difference between a sword and a saber. The main difference lies in the design of weapons and functionality. One of the main differences between a checker and a saber has always been a sheath made of natural wood, always covered with leather with a metal ring (one, less often two).

Unlike checkers, the saber was usually sheathed in steel. Another important point - in the case of a saber, the rings are located on concave side scabbard, with a saber - vice versa. It was customary to wear a saber on a waist belt, and a saber on a shoulder strap. Another important difference is the degree of bending of the blade of the weapon. The blade of the checker is less curved compared to the saber. In addition, a checker is a chopping-piercing weapon, and a saber is a piercing-cutting weapon. The saber, unlike the checker, has a handle with a guard, and the centers of gravity of the checker and the saber are located differently. And, finally, the last - a checker is shorter than a saber. The maximum length of a checker is 88 centimeters, a saber is 110. The difference is obvious.

Keeping these simple differences in mind:

handle device,

blade bend,

The scabbard and the location of the rings on the scabbard, as well as the purpose of the weapon

Purpose of weapons

In the future, you are unlikely to confuse a saber with a saber either in a store (if you suddenly want to buy a saber or buy a saber as a gift) or in a museum.

Looking through the well-illustrated book "Treasures of the Tula Museum of Weapons", compiled by G. Chudnov and O. Savenko in the section "The blade is reliable, without blemish", I read: "The eastern saber was more promising than the sword, because it often surpassed the latter in terms of the quality of the material, and this , in turn, made it possible to make it lighter and more maneuverable in battle. The curved shape of the saber gave a larger, compared to the sword, area of ​​\u200b\u200bdestruction. " According to this passage, it turns out that the soldiers of Western Europe were so stupid that, despite repeated skirmishes with the Turks, Arabs, Eastern Europeans, for the most part armed sabers, could not appreciate the advantage of this weapon and were in no hurry to arm themselves with it. As for the quality of the material, the issue is debatable. Good swords from the cities of Toledo, Solingen and Milan crammed the best damask blades from Damascus, India and Turkey, although they did not have their sharpness. And let's talk about tactical properties in more detail. Saber (Hungarian. Szblya, from szabni - to cut) - an offensive, chopping-cutting or chopping-cutting-piercing melee weapon, consists of a curved blade with a blade on the curved side, a point at the end and a hilt. With an equal cross-section of the blades and the angle of sharpening straight sword and the saber, the latter gives great penetration power of the chopping blow. This is explained as follows: the smaller the base in relation to the height of the formed section of the triangle blade, the naturally and more significant the force of its penetration. This is clearly seen in Figure 1.

That is, when the blade falls perpendicularly on the body, it acts like a triangular wedge. The more the blade bends, the sharper the triangle becomes. The base (butt) remains unchanged, but increase side walls. This means that the greater the curvature, the deeper the wound with the same impact force. That is why the heavily curved Mameluke sabers, when wounded, are 3-5 times sharper than straight blades with the same section.

In addition, the sword inflicts a chopping blow, and the saber - sliding chopping - cutting - secant, that is, capturing a large area and making the cut angle sharper. A strong chopping blow with a sword is created due to the gravity of the weapon, and with a saber - due to speed, the blow of which is usually circular in nature, and the strength increases with the length of the draw.

The improvement of the saber went along the path of reducing the force for inflicting a wound and reducing the weight of the weapon. Sword - on the way to facilitate fencing. Why the center of gravity was brought closer to the hilt, which was achieved by thinning the tip and the last third of the blade, as well as increasing the pommel and complicating, and therefore, making the guard heavier. A heavy hilt during a lunge contributes to the depth of penetration. The sword eventually degenerated into a sword, rapier and broadsword. For sabers, the hilt was usually simpler and lighter, and the blade was made in such a way that the center of gravity, and hence the center of impact, was located closer to the tip than that of the sword. Therefore, it is more convenient to fencing and stabbing with a weapon with a straight blade, and hacking with a saber.

In a fight with a lightly armed opponent, the saber is superior to the sword. AT Western Europe armor was common, from the 15th century solid armor was often used, completely covering both the warrior and his horse, against which the saber is almost useless. After all, metal armor cannot be cut, but it is quite possible to pierce it through the joints. It is difficult to do this with a saber, because the curved blade interferes with the accuracy of hitting, which is necessary in a battle with knights and other men at arms. In addition, the center of gravity of many sabers does not lie on the line of the handle - the point, but is filed forward. As a result, the power transmission during the injection is not done correctly, it penetrates at an angle and makes a wider and less deep wound.

The saber has a flattened point, which is good for cutting blows, but it is difficult to penetrate armor joints. Sometimes there were sabers, for example, in Circassia and Persia XV-XVII centuries, having, like swords, faceted bayonet-shaped points. Such points of sabers were intended for piercing chain mail, often used by eastern warriors, and not knightly solid armor, where you need to be a virtuoso of injection.

That is why boys in noble families in Western Europe were forced to practice the following exercises. The servant, standing by the wall, let go of the leather glove, and the boy, at the moment the glove fell, had to have time to pin it to the wall with a sword. Over time, the exercise became more difficult. The distance increased, so that it was possible to pin the glove only from a deep lunge, and the student was placed in an uncomfortable position. These actions developed the speed and accuracy necessary for sword fighting. For a saber secush-chopping-cutting strike, accuracy is optional. A wide wound will cause the opponent to bleed out wherever it is inflicted. But against a heavily armed warrior, saber strikes are not effective.

In Western Europe, armored men did not use sabers also because a secant-cutting blow requires greater freedom of the body and hand.

In Poland, the hussars of the second half of the 17th - early 18th centuries, who wore metal armor instead of embroidered dolman and mentic cords, nevertheless considered the saber to be the main weapon, since they fought much more often with an unarmored enemy. When meeting with men at arms, they used the konchar, a heavy narrow piercing sword, which was usually suspended from the hussar's saddle. The saber, as a more commonly used weapon, was located on the belt.

The advantage of armor is, of course, huge. In the XIII century, Batu, having captured Russia rather quickly, could not cope with the Western European knights. And in the 17th century, the French traveler Beauplan noted that twenty Polish hussars, chained in armor, could easily disperse two hundred Ukrainian Cossacks(Cossacks).

A regiment of heavy cavalry will smash a regiment of bare horsemen. Cuirassiers, clad in armor and armed with broadswords, were intended for a powerful frontal attack, like modern tanks.

They were supported by medium cavalry - dragoons, built in the second rank, which often dismounted and opened fire on the enemy with carbines.

Light cavalry - hussars, instead of armor protected by cloth dalamans and mentiacs and armed with sabers, on their fast horses overtook dragoons and cuirassiers and attacked the enemy from the rear and flanks.

Of course, there were masters who defeated any opponent. Here, for example, is a story from the Napoleonic Wars.

"The German hussar and the French cuirassier, having got out of the crowd after the fight, met on the battlefield in sight of our lines. The hussar lost his shako, and blood flowed from his head wound. However, this did not prevent him from rushing at his opponent, chained in iron, and he soon proved that skill in handling a horse and skill in wielding a saber were more important than safety weapons.The superiority of the hussar could be seen as soon as he crossed his arms.After several attacks, a strong blow made the Frenchman sway in the saddle, and all his efforts to resist the swift attacks of the enemy were futile. Finally, the second blow knocked him to the ground. The third hussar regiment, eagerly following this desperate duel, loudly applauded the winner, who belonged to this regiment. "

Of course, such a result was possible only with a clear superiority of the hussar. If the opponents had equal skill, then the cuirassier would have won. Firstly, in cuirassiers they took, as a rule, taller and strong people. Secondly, the cuirassiers had to think less about defense, and give more strength to attacks, because the chest and back were covered with metal. Thirdly, the broadsword was longer and heavier than the saber, that is, it was more difficult to parry it and it was easier for them to reach the enemy. Fourthly, the heavy cavalry cavalry was higher in the hall and more powerful than the light cavalry horses.

The main melee weapon of the light cavalry was the saber. In the era of the Napoleonic wars, Europeans spoiled sabers by making the hilt heavier, like broadswords. These bows, by their weight, shift the center of gravity closer to the hilt, which is undesirable for a saber. In addition, when cutting, when yes quick kick applied with a relaxed hand, these arms tilt the weapon somewhat to the right, which reduces the depth of penetration into the body. For predominantly piercing weapons, this does not play a significant role. Often, European sabers, in contrast to the eastern ones, had a thickened butt and pronounced valleys (sometimes they are incorrectly called bloodstreams), which, with their protrusions, inhibit the penetration of the blade during cutting. On the contrary, during the injection, these protrusions of the dol contribute to the separation of the tissues. That is, they play a positive role for predominantly piercing weapons.

The main melee weapon of the heavy cavalry - the cuirassier - was the broadsword. In the Military Encyclopedic Dictionary, the broadsword is called a chopping-piercing weapon, that is, mainly chopping. Many reference books repeat this definition.

Indeed, the broadsword of the 16th-17th centuries had a wide blade, practically not tapering to the point, and a light saber hilt, that is, it was mainly a chopping weapon. But by the era of the Napoleonic wars, the broadsword acquired a narrow, gradually even narrower blade with deep valleys and a stiffening rib between them, as well as a heavy hilt with one central bow and two or three side ones. As Guards Captain V. Fedorov, a well-known connoisseur of the "white" (cold) weapons of Tsarist Russia, wrote in 1905, that "although the broadsword has some qualities for cutting, it also has more pronounced piercing properties." By the second half of the 19th century, firearms with a rifled barrel had completely destroyed armor, and with it weapons with straight blades. Cuirassiers as a branch of the military in Russia were abolished in 1860. Around these years and in other countries, cuirassiers and broadswords remained only in the guards cuirassier regiments as accessories of the full dress (not combat) uniform. For close combat in battles, a saber, or its variety - a checker, began to be used.

Japan used the most effective weapon for unarmored or lightly protected warriors - katanas and tachi. By tradition, they are called swords, but curved blades, light handles, small tsuba guards and a predominantly chopping function make it possible to classify these weapons as sabers. The handles are designed so that Japanese sabers can be wielded with one or two hands.

Modern types of weapons were abolished and sabers.
A tragicomic incident at the beginning of World War II clearly confirmed this, when Polish lancers and hussars rode in a saber attack on German tanks.

Ironically, the cavalry received the perfect weapon when it was no longer needed.

Alexander Grek

Checker - a weapon with a blade of slight curvature and a hilt with a simple guard or without it at all. A distinctive feature is a pendant for wearing in a Caucasian way, with the blade back

Figure 1. The more tangentially the impact occurs, the smaller the angle of the cross-section of the blade

Figure 2. On the Eastern saber (a), the center of gravity is behind the axis passing through the hilt. On European blades (b), the handle is bent towards the point, which is better for thrusting, but worsens the balance of the weapon.

In the St. Petersburg Military Historical artillery museum three samples from that experimental batch of Fedorov are stored. True, which of them was the very "number six", no one knows. The last checker on the right is a soldier's dragoon, an experimental sample of the 1900s.

As children, we all played cavalrymen, and you, probably, like me, were tormented by various questions. What is the difference between a saber and a sword? Why are they crooked, but swords and broadswords are straight? Why do some wear the blade up and others down? Why do some scabbards have metal tips at the bottom? Why do some checkers have a hilt, while others do not? How to cut? Well, the sacramental question - what checker is the best in the world? We tried to answer these children's questions in these materials, which turned out to be not at all childish.

Despite the fact that mankind has been hacking each other for centuries, there has been practically no serious research on how an ideal edged weapon should look, oddly enough, in the world. Most of the works on edged weapons were nothing more than historical reference books. This probably explains the fact that almost all museum samples of weapons with military point visions are rubbish. Perhaps, with a single exception: the edged weapons of the East still remain the best weapon of the rider. This paradox was first noticed by our compatriot and great gunsmith last century Vladimir Grigorievich Fedorov. And he answered most of the questions in his book "Cold Weapons", published in St. Petersburg in 1905 - just at the end of the era of this legendary type of weapon.

Less than a percent

In fact, the era of edged weapons ended much earlier - already in Crimean War Between 1853 and 1856, cold steel wounds accounted for only 1.5% -3% of the total. A little later, during the Russian-Turkish campaign, or rather, by 1877, when the battle of Plevna took place, this figure fell to 0.99%. And so it is all over the world, with the exception of the expeditionary colonial corps waging war with the native population: the loss of the British from edged weapons in India reached 20%, and in Egypt - up to 15%. Nevertheless, this percentage was not discounted, planning the rearmament of the cavalry by the beginning of the First World War.

Chop or stab

Here we come to the answer to one of the questions. The saber and saber are curved melee weapons designed primarily for cutting. The broadsword is a direct thrusting weapon. The question of what is more effective for the action of the cavalry - chopping or stabbing weapons - is one of the main ones that occupied military theorists in the 19th century.

Here are the main arguments of supporters of stabbing weapons - swords and broadswords. The impact energy is proportional to the mass and the square of the speed (mv2 / 2), so the rider just needs to point the tip at the enemy to inflict a terrible wound on him. At the same time, it is much more difficult to hit the enemy with a blow - delivered a little earlier or later, a chopping blow has neither the necessary accuracy nor strength. In addition, a blow requires two separate movements - a swing and a strike, and a thrust - one. When struck, the rider opens himself, and holding the broadsword for an injection, on the contrary, closes himself. The arguments, we note, are very convincing, therefore the European cavalry (especially heavy: cuirassiers and cavalry guards) was mainly armed with broadswords. They armed dragoons and other types of light cavalry, not to mention artillery servants. Since 1711, broadswords have completely replaced sabers in Russia. A special cult of piercing blades existed in France, where they were used as a dueling weapon and every self-respecting person simply had to master the techniques of fencing with a sword. From there, fashion spread throughout Europe.

East is a delicate matter

There is only one discrepancy in these harmonious arguments - the cavalry of the East. Mongol-Tatar and Arab horsemen easily dealt with both light cavalry and heavily armored knights with their curved sabers. Moreover, captured Asian sabers were worth their weight in gold, and by no means for their appearance, but just for their fighting qualities. Not a single eastern warrior was seen with either a two-handed sword or a captured broadsword. “In the whole East, I don’t know a single people who would have anything like broadswords,” wrote General Mikhail Ivanovich Dragomirov, a well-known Russian military theorist of the 19th century, “where the enemy did not refuse the dump, but looked for it for use on horseback - chopping weapons were always preferred to stabbing ones. But the East is the birthplace of cavalry, and over the centuries, oriental sabers have become an ideal weapon, where every detail is thought out and tested in practice. Note that the Caucasian highlanders and Russian Cossacks, these born slashers, also always used chopping weapons. Why?

The first argument was the area of ​​​​damage - for a broadsword this is a line described by a point, for a saber it is a plane cut by a blade. The second argument is the advantage of the saber at a low speed of the rider, when the broadsword becomes practically useless, and the speed of the saber does not decrease much.

Curved sabers

Fedorov considered his main task not to explain why the East settled on a saber, but why it has such characteristics. And in the first place - why is it a curve? Here, elementary geometry is indispensable.

Blade manufacturers face a problem: the narrower the blade and the smaller the sharpening angle, the easier it penetrates the fabric; but too sharp blades are highly brittle, their blade is easily damaged when strong blow. However, Fedorov noticed that during impact, it is not so much the angle of sharpening of the real blade as the angle of the cross section that is important, and the less the blade falls at a right angle to the body, the smaller the “effective” angle of the cross section (Fig. 1).

From this it is clear that in order to deliver a more effective blow with a straight blade, it is necessary to strike at an angle. In order to inform the blade of such a trajectory, one should, lowering the hand, simultaneously pull it towards oneself - the so-called "pull" strike. The pull provides additional action of the blade - moving across the fabric, it sequentially cuts the fibers, like a saw or a kitchen knife, which further contributes to the penetration of the blade into the body. But for such an action, Fedorov notes, part of the force is spent, which is why the blows cannot be so effective. But the strongly curved Mameluke sabers, in which the blade slope reaches 45 °, are 3-5 times sharper than straight blades with a similar section when inflicting a wound. Along the way, they cut the fibers and inflict longer cut wounds.

Center of gravity

The next secret of Eastern blades is the location of the center of gravity behind the butt. To explain it, let's take a carpenter's ax as an example. If the ax is simply mounted on a round stick, it will be extremely inconvenient for them to work - the center of gravity will be in front of the axis passing through the handle. Therefore, the ax handles are made curved, bringing the center of gravity back (Fig. 3). The same with blades - if the center of gravity is behind the axis passing through the handle, the plane of the blade ideally coincides with the direction of impact (Fig. 2). The main drawback of European sabers is the forward-curved handle (this is supposedly more convenient for injections), which automatically excludes the possibility of proper cutting, writes Fedorov. Note that Caucasian and Cossack checkers have straight handles.

handles

Another drawback of European sabers is that their handles, as a rule, are covered with various grooves, and even wrapped with wire, again supposedly for the convenience of holding weapons. In good oriental blades, the opposite is true: their handles are absolutely smooth - made of horn, ivory, solid wood, often covered with suede for ease of holding. This is understandable - experienced fighters practiced with a saber for several hours a day, and ribbed handles would quickly cut their palms into blood. Fedorov again cites carpentry axes with their perfectly polished handles as an example.

wedge wedge

Another aspect that was completely neglected by European masters is the cross section of the blade. In most European samples, it has the shape of a wedge, and in some, a thickening was even made near the butt, as, for example, in Russian light cavalry sabers. early XIX century. As a result, the further the blade penetrates the flesh, the stronger the resistance. In eastern blades, the largest thickening of the blade is located closer to the blade, and the entire part of the blade behind this thickening no longer encounters resistance (Fig. 4).

The valleys on the blade do not play the mythical role of blood flow, but increase resistance to bending and reduce the weight of the weapon. On eastern blades, all the corners of the valleys are rounded, and on European ones, both the valleys themselves and the butt have sharply defined corners, which, upon impact, somewhat delay the penetration of the blade into the body.

Lightweight arguments

Another stumbling block is the weight of the weapon. Traditionally in Europe, it was believed that the heavier the blade, the more effective it is in battle - just remember the legendary two-handed swords. Europeans disparagingly called eastern sabers lightweight. Nevertheless, even here the eastern gunsmiths turned out to be right - after all, the impact force, as we have already written, is proportional to the mass and the square of the speed. Therefore, it is much more effective to increase the speed of impact, which is higher for lighter eastern blades. In addition to increasing speed, lighter blades made it possible to perform such fencing tricks that combat units with heavy sabers could not even dream of. In particular, participants in the Russian-Caucasian wars noted that while the Russian rider was swinging a heavy saber, the Caucasian warrior managed to strike at the elbow area from below and then deliver a mortal blow to the disarmed enemy.

Center of gravity

Well, the last thing Fedorov pays attention to is the center of gravity. Obviously, he writes, that in order to increase the force of impact, that part of the blade, which is struck, must be heavier than all other parts of the saber, therefore, the center of gravity must be shifted as much as possible to the point. The part of the blade adjacent to the handle serves solely to transmit the force of impact - in the ax this role is played by the handle. Therefore, it is not necessary to make it the same width and thickness with the rest of the blade. Nevertheless, European blades are made almost the same width along the entire length, sometimes even expanding towards the hilt. Oriental curved sabers, on the contrary, widen towards the end, tapering towards the hilt. All this for one purpose - to give the working part of the blade maximum mass and lighten the rest.

By the way, for piercing weapons, the balance should be completely different: the closer the center of gravity to the hilt, the more effective the injection. Good example- French swords.

The center of gravity should not be confused with the center of impact, often indicated on Eastern blades by a special notch on the butt; in Russian checker sample of 1881 in this place the valleys end. When the direction of the blow passes through this point, the hand does not receive any shock.

Wanted the best

In 1881, under the leadership of Lieutenant General A.P. Gorlov, a weapons reform was carried out in order to establish a single model of edged weapons for all branches of the armed forces. The Caucasian blade was taken as a model for the blade, “having in the East, in Asia Minor, between Caucasian peoples and by our local Cossacks, high fame as a weapon that provides extraordinary advantages when cutting. Cavalry, dragoon and infantry sabers, as well as cuirassier broadswords, were then replaced with single dragoon and Cossack sabers of the 1881 model. This was the first attempt to scientifically substantiate the choice of edged weapons. The problem with this checker was one - it was developed for two mutually exclusive purposes: for cutting and injections. Fedorov writes: “It must be admitted that our saber of the 1881 model both pricks and cuts badly.

Our checker cuts badly:

- due to slight curvature, in which all the advantages of curved sabers are lost;

- due to improper fit of the handle. To give the checker piercing properties, the middle line of the handle is directed to the point - for this, the handle had to be slightly bent in the direction from the butt to the blade. Which led to the loss of some good cutting properties of the weapon.

Our checker pricks unsatisfactorily:

- to give it chopping properties, it is made curved, which delays its penetration;

- due to significant weight and distance of the center of gravity from the hilt.

Small Dragoon Weapons

What should be the ideal checker? Professional grunts - Cossacks and mountaineers - have only one answer to this question: of course, the famous Caucasian "top". So in the 19th century Caucasian checkers were called because of the stigma with the image of a wolf that was often found on them. However, this weapon is ideal for dressage professionals who practice with a checker from early childhood for several hours a day. What the Cossacks and Highlanders did with their blades, it was impossible for a combat soldier to repeat. They needed a simple and reliable weapon, a kind of "Kalashnikov saber machine gun", with which soldiers could tolerably chop and stab. Fedorov divided this task into four subtasks: to choose the right curvature of the blade and the additive of the handle, to align the position of the center of gravity and the weight of the blade.

1. The curvature of our blade, wrote Fedorov, exactly repeats the curvature of the famous Caucasian tops - ideally suited for both cutting and stabbing. The verdict was this - leave the curvature unchanged.

2. General Gorlov, in order to provide the checker of the 1881 model with the best piercing properties, gave the handle a slope from the butt to the blade, directing middle line handles at the tip. It became inconvenient to operate such a weapon. But the drafts of the Caucasian Cossack troops of the 1904 model are deprived of such an inclination. It would be wise to abandon the tilt in all checkers.

3. In our checker, the center of gravity is 21 cm from the lower end of the bow, while in all samples of foreign edged weapons it is located at a distance of 9-13 cm from the hilt. If we take such blades in our hand and compare them with our saber, it will immediately become obvious how much more convenient it is to act first, how light and free they are in the hand. Gorlov took the location of the center of gravity the same as in the Caucasian tops, which increased the force of impact. But let's not forget, writes Fedorov, that it is easy for mountaineers to use such weapons, since they are accustomed to use them from childhood. For combatant dragoons with short service lives, this is unattainable. The conclusion is this: the center of gravity must be raised closer to the hilt. Moreover, with this arrangement, the slope of the handle is no longer so important.

4. The blade with the hilt of the Russian checker weighs 1.025 kg. Despite the fact that European examples have a similar weight, Fedorov argues that it should be recognized as significant "for our small dragoons." It is interesting that the saber originally designed by Gorlov had a much lower weight, however, during mass production at the Zlatoust Arms Plant, the weight increased by almost 400 g, since the plant could not cope with the set requirements for the quality of blades and scabbards. Therefore, it is necessary to return to the original weight characteristics.

Ideal checker Fedorov

Almost simultaneously with the publication in 1905 of the book "Cold Weapons" Fedorov wrote a report to the artillery committee - "On the change of checkers of the 1881 model." In it, he put forward specific proposals for its improvement.

Based on these proposals, several variants of experimental drafts were made with various provisions center of gravity and modified curvature of the handle. Soon prototypes these checkers were transferred for testing to military units, in particular - to the Officer Cavalry School.

Knowing nothing about Fedorov's theoretical considerations, the cavalrymen had to choose the best sample by practical testing on the vine and stuffed animals of its cutting and piercing qualities.

Blades with a modified center of gravity were introduced (20 cm, 17 cm and 15 cm instead of the existing 21.5 cm). At the same time, the blades were lightened by 200 g and shortened from 86 cm to 81 cm. Some of the blades were made with standard handles, and some with a corrected slope.

All cavalrymen unanimously approved sample number 6, with a center of gravity of 15 cm from the hilt and a modified handle. According to this model, 250 blades were made, they armed the squadron of the Officer Cavalry School and the squadron of the 17th Nezhinsky Regiment. “In view of the declaration of world war, the designated units set out on a campaign with these weapons. The tests were not completed, ”Fedorov wrote later.

When preparing the article, photographs from the book by A.N. Kulinsky "Russian edged weapons", provided by the publishing house "Atlant".

Among various kinds edged weapons, the saber occupies one of the leading positions. All types of sabers are distinguished by a characteristic curve of the blade. Saber fencing, saber dance and just collecting different types of sabers are very popular these days. Sabers are unique look edged weapons, it was they who were able to hold out the longest as a weapon of some military formations.

What is a saber and how to distinguish it from a sword

Even if you only saw a sword dance, this weapon should be familiar to you from children's games in the Cossack robbers or from films about the first world war. Indeed, the saber blade is hard to confuse with any other weapon.

The saber is a cutting and slashing weapon, and many varieties of sabers allow stabbing. The saber handle is adapted for a one-handed grip, and the saber blade is on the convex side. Due to this blade shape, the best views sabers are not just cut, but also, as it were, cut through an obstacle that meets in the path of the blade.

There are many types of sabers, which differ from each other in the following parameters:

• Blade length;
• The shape of the blade bend;
• Various handle shapes.

Any kind of saber differs from the sword in the location of the center of gravity. For sabers, it is located at a considerable distance from the handle and is located between the first and second thirds of the blade (if the tip of the blade is taken as the first part). This feature blade balance makes good saber an ideal weapon for delivering slashing blows with a cutting effect. Naturally, applying this type of blow requires many hours of training on a dummy.

A curved saber significantly increases not only the force of the blow, but also the area of ​​\u200b\u200bdamage. Since the blades of sabers must have elasticity and viscosity, the manufacture of light sabers became possible only with the development of metallurgy technologies.

The main differences between a saber and a sword are:

• The total weight of the weapon (mostly sabers are lighter, as they were, as a rule, the weapon of riders);
• The presence of curvature of the blade (although there are sabers with a straight blade, for example, a straight broadsword saber);
• Sabers differ from swords in different fencing techniques;
• Saber handles are designed for one-handed grip (although the famous Japanese katana, although called a sword, is in fact a kind of saber);
• Saber blades are sharpened only on one side, while sword blades are usually double-edged.

The first sabers appeared in the east among nomadic peoples around the 6th-7th century, although the first edged weapons resembling a saber (rather a broadsword with a straight blade) were already encountered in the 5th century. The combat saber is a direct descendant of the long cavalry sword, which, as a result of evolution, first acquired a one-sided sharpening (broadsword), and then a characteristic curve of the blade (a typical oriental curved saber).

The first types of sabers had a slight curvature, which made it possible to inflict stabbing and cutting blows. Since the 14th century, elman appeared on sabers (a thickening at the end of the blade, which allows inflicting stronger and more concentrated blows). bright representative saber of this period is the classical Turkish saber. Oriental sabers of that era were distinguished by the incredible quality of the blade and the beauty of the exterior finish. All the legends that were brought back by the English and French knights after the crusades concern precisely this Eastern weapons(Turkish saber). Curve saber Eastern types had a curved handle, which ended with a characteristic pommel (although the types of handles could differ significantly from each other). A curved saber with such a blade was not intended for stabbing.

The difference between the saber, which was used in Europe in the 17th-19th centuries, was the smaller curvature of the blade. The hilts of the sabers of that era were massive enough to reliably protect the hand from damage during fencing. The last sabers that remained in service with European troops in the 19th century were distinguished by an even smaller curvature of the blade, which perfectly demonstrates best blade this period - checker.

Variety of types of sabers

The evolution of sabers with a curved blade began from the time when nomadic tribes began to improve the Roman spatu sword. Several centuries passed before the saber took on a familiar look. Although even in the days of ancient Egypt there were special types edged weapons that resembled sabers.

Models of sabers from antiquity to the beginning of the 20th century:

1. The first weapon, the curved part of the blade of which vaguely resembled combat sabers, was the Egyptian kopesh. Most scholars classify these ancient blades as scimitars (Janissary's saber), although the kopesh could just as well be classified as a combat sickle. The curved blade of this weapon was available only to elite warriors Egyptian army, which is explained by the complexity of manufacturing. Kopesh, as a rule, was made of copper or bronze, so several well-preserved copies of this weapon have come down to us;
2. One of the first prototypes of sabers is Turkish scimitar. Although scimitars gained popularity only in the 16th century, at first glance one can guess in them an improved model of the Greek falcata sword. The saber handle was made of bone, devoid of any guard. This Turkish weapon has a significant weight, and a specific sharpening (concave, in the form of a “falcon wing”) made it possible to easily cut off the heads and limbs of the enemy;
3. The best weapon of the heavy cavalry of the 18th century is considered to be a broadsword, which is a kind of hybrid of a saber and a sword. The scope of combat use of this weapon is extremely wide. They can inflict both piercing and chopping blows. In addition, the broadsword has a massive hilt, which perfectly protects the warrior's hand;
4. Cutlasses were also extremely popular in the 16th and 18th centuries. They were simplified models of European military sabers. The naval saber was rather short, and the developed guard protected the hand well;
5. Speaking of sabers, one cannot fail to mention the saber. Checkers are the last long-bladed weapons that were in service with the army until the middle of the 20th century.

Russian saber of the times of Kievan Rus

On the lands Kievan Rus sabers were used along with swords. If swords were dominant in the northern regions, then sabers were actively used by Russian soldiers in the southern regions, which were often attacked by steppe nomads. Of course, a sword or an ax is an excellent (and traditional) weapon of Russian knights, but in battles with light steppe cavalry armed with sabers and dressed in light leather armor, this Russian weapons was ineffective.

Already in the 9th century, the princes began to arm their squads with sabers in order to give the Russian cavalry the opportunity to fight on equal terms with the dexterous steppes. Due to the fact that this weapon was very expensive, only princes, governors and their squads were armed with sabers. Seeing the effectiveness of this weapon in skirmishes with the steppes, the princes of the northern lands also armed their warriors with sabers.

Sabers in Russia of the 9th-12th centuries were quite massive and had a curved handle. Often a lanyard was attached to it, for which a hole was provided in the handle.

Cossack sabers 15-18 centuries

The first mention of the Cossack army dates back to the 15th century. The culture of the Cossacks is closely connected with weapons, especially sabers. The Cossack saber of the 16th century was either a copy of the saber of Kievan Rus, or a Turkish saber of the "tusk" type, which were captured in military campaigns or bought from the Turks or nomadic peoples.

The Persian saber shamshir, which was often made of Damascus or damask steel, was considered the best. Only rich Cossacks could afford such a saber, and even those most often took them in battle. The so-called Adamashka was also considered a very valuable saber. All curved oriental sabers made of Damascus steel were called this word.

The saber was considered the main attribute of a free Cossack, so it was carefully kept and passed down from generation to generation. Cossack saber fighting technique was perfected in constant skirmishes with nomads, and later polished in battles with the Polish army.

Except for the shamshir, most of the Cossack sabers of that time were intended for inflicting both chopping and stabbing blows. Most saber hilts were decorated with images of animals or birds, which served as a kind of amulet for a warrior.

Polish sabers 15th-18th centuries

Polish sabers began to gain popularity starting in the 15th century. Prior to this, Poland was a strong supporter of the use of heavy swords. Since the main enemy of the Poles - Warband- was defeated, and firearms gained immense popularity, the use of heavy armor and swords became irrelevant.

The first to use sabers were representatives of the Polish gentry and soldiers of the hussar regiments. The Polish saber (which was an almost complete copy of the Hungarian one) came in handy for the hussar cavalry.

The Hungarian saber in the hands of the Polish gentry turned into an object of "arrogance". Initially, these weapons were imported from Hungary, but soon they began to be manufactured in the Polish state, glorifying the Polish weapons school over time.

The hussar saber appeared in the 16th century, and became widespread in the 17th, being the heaviest Polish saber. Its feature is a massive guard, which perfectly protects the hand. The hussar saber was a multifunctional weapon indispensable for a professional warrior.

Overview of French sabers from the Napoleonic Wars

Epoch Napoleonic Wars was marked by cardinal reforms in military affairs. Naturally, she also touched the edged weapons of the French cavalry. Those sabers that were in service with the cavalry before the reform were too curved, which made it difficult to deliver stabbing blows, which were indispensable in close combat.

In 1806, the light cavalry sabers were replaced with new designs. The guard of the new sabers began to be equipped with two more protective bows on the side, which made it possible to make the protection of the hand more perfect.

As a result of the innovations, the French saber received a new, less curved blade, which was perfectly suited for both thrusting and cutting blows. The tip was shifted from the line of the butt to increase the piercing qualities. The blade itself was additionally sharpened near the tip from the side of the butt.

Cutlass

The cutting saber appeared in the 16th century, when cruel naval battles have become commonplace. Before their appearance, pirates and sailors used the usual blade weapon, but the specifics of the sea battle required a short and strong weapon. At first, the sailors used heavy cleavers, from which the boarding saber evolved.

Since most of the pirates and sailors were ordinary people, the art of swordsmanship was very far from them. The boarding saber, according to the principle of action, was like a simple cleaver, which was familiar to former peasants and townspeople. In order to learn how to use a cutlass, it was enough to take a few lessons, since the whole combat technique consisted in delivering powerful blows with a wide range of motion.

The cutlass is a short but wide and heavy blade. Since in sea ​​battle different situations arose, a massive boarding saber could not only howl with a weapon, but also be used to cut through doors. In addition, the massive guard perfectly protected the owner's hand and could be used as brass knuckles.

A cutlass could even be blunt, a broad stroke combined with the weight and width of the blade would still inflict mortal wounds. Naturally, good swordsmen did not use cutlasses, since they were practically not suitable for fencing.

How is a saber different from a checker

In 1881, all the sabers that were in service with the Russian army were replaced by checkers. Since firearms made armor useless, there was no need for heavy saber blades, and with a light checker an unarmored warrior could be cut in half (which was done by some mountaineers). Sabers in the army remained only as an element of dress uniform.

One of the main differences between a checker and a saber is the complete absence of a guard on the checkers that protects the hand, since the sword was not fenced, but chopped. If two opponents met in battle, then there could not even be any talk of parrying blows with a checker. In battles, the Cossacks deviated and dodged enemy blows, choosing the moment to deliver a quick and clear chopping blow.

The saber (which translates as a long knife) came to the Cossacks from the highlanders, who masterfully owned them and managed to hack the Cossack with one blow while he pulled out a heavy saber.

Officer's parade saber

Officers' ceremonial sabers gained popularity after the First World War. In many countries, a lot of ceremonial elements appeared, officer's saber ceremonial sample refers to them. The officer's parade saber was very popular with the highest ranks of the Wehrmacht. In the Soviet army, instead of a saber, there was an officer's checker.

Since the officer's saber is an element of the ceremonial costume, it has a more decorative role. In terms of combat qualities, the parade saber is as effective as the blunt training saber. But great importance is attached to the external decoration of the handle and scabbard.

Thanks to military traditions, ceremonial sabers and checkers can be seen at military parades in many countries of the world.

World Saber Championship

For the first time, the World Championship (WCH) in saber (although it began to be called the world championship only since 1937) after it was held in 1921 in France. The World Saber Championship was declared a European tournament, as the participants were prize-winners from various European countries.

After 1937, when the World Saber Championship received official world status, it began to be held every year, with the exception of the year in which the Olympic Games fell.

Article author:

I am fond of martial arts with weapons, historical fencing. I write about weapons military equipment because it is interesting and familiar to me. I often learn a lot of new things and want to share these facts with people who are not indifferent to military topics.

Saber

Bladed edged weapons 80-110 cm long with a single-edged sharpening (one-and-a-half is less common). The blade has a strong bend towards the butt. To achieve the required balance, elman was used (expansion of the tip for weighting).

Initially, sabers were a cavalry accessory. They were adopted in Eastern Europe and Asia. In the 14th century, these varieties began to spread throughout Western Europe, displacing straight swords.

checker

Bladed melee weapons no more than 1 meter long. The most common modifications are 81-88 cm. It has a single-edged sharpening. One and a half is extremely rare. The tip of the product has a double sharpening. The bend of the blade is noticeably less than that of a saber, or may be completely absent.

Checkers began to be used as cavalry weapons in the Caucasus - you can buy or order a souvenir Caucasian checker (dagger). During the conquest of this region, it was adopted by the Circassian and Kuban Cossacks. By the end of the 20th century, she replaced the saber in Russian army and was in service with the Red Army of the USSR until the 50s.

Differences in the handle

The most significant difference between a saber and a checker is the structure of the handle. Ephesus, guard and other protective elements were mandatory attributes this weapon. They protected the fingers and allowed the use of the techniques of popular European fencing schools, which are characterized by the presence of constant blade contact in battle.

The handle of the checker is devoid of a guard or hilt. It ends with a forked head, which serves to remove the product from the sheath and conveniently hold it in battle. The absence of a guard is due to the technique of using this means of attack and defense. In most cases, it served to deliver an unexpected decisive blow.

Technique of use

Sabers were focused on fencing. They provided the opportunity to wage a protracted battle. Checkers were easier to use. This contributed to the popularization of this option in the regular troops. For example, in the Red Army, beginners were taught 7 strokes. This made it possible to quickly prepare relatively combat-ready units of recruits. For Russian troops the presence of the so-called "dragoon checkers" was characteristic. She had a guard or hilt, but was worn as usual (Cossack or Adyghe).

Due to the balance (weighted base or point), it was more convenient for the saber to deliver stabbing blows, which often ended fights. The checker had a heavier tip. This made it possible to inflict strong chopping blows, which are the main ones in combat with this weapon.

Wearing method

A characteristic difference was the way of wearing sabers and checkers. He quite clearly characterized the features of the use of these types of weapons in combat.

The saber was worn on a belt harness (less often a shoulder harness) with a ring or rings for attaching the scabbard on the concave side. Sometimes the scabbard was not used at all.

The checker was placed with a bend upwards and fixed on a shoulder harness. Often the handle was positioned almost at chest level. The presence of scabbards was mandatory. Mounting rings were located on the outer bend. This made it possible to draw the blade with either hand and deliver an unexpected blow in one smooth movement, after which the metal blade was sent to the sheath. This is reminiscent of the technique of using Chinese swords - katana.