Wearing a basket-hilt claymore with kilt...

[Brian Boru]

Salvianus,
Lots of good common sense advise in your post, thank you. I very much agree with you on the "art" of bowing with a sword / sabre on. Having been a Confederate Cavalry Civil War reenactor for more than twenty years I can attest to having good control of your sword in the dismounted fashion to avoid tripping someone or even yourself, or the offhand goose. Been there, seen it done, and have been on the receiving end of it...

Cheers,

Brian

[Zardoz]

Be aware they take some propping up in corners and are prone to pull your chair over as soon as you get up, if hooked on the back. When in confined areas, keep a hand, or wrist in contact with the hilt, (resting on the pommel looks more sensible than holding the grip) to keep it more upright and free from snagging - this is very natural & comfortable. If you bow or lean, it is good practise to keep the sword from doing the same & risk goosing or tripping someone behind you

Thanks for reminding my why I quit carrying any big iron at faire like 20 years ago

[Dale Seago]

Thanks for reminding my why I quit carrying any big iron at faire like 20 years ago

Aye, I can relate. One of the reasons I like the Japanese katana -- just slide the sheathed weapon out of your obi at need and prop it up in a corner or whatever. A bit more complicated with the older-syle tachi when you're wearing yoroi, but still. . .

Though I'll confess to some occasional cultural confusion, and difficulty remembering which century and country I'm in:

[Tobus]

Thanks for the great info, folks!

This is indeed a sharp sword, not a reenactor's blunt version. As for safety, I carry firearms every day, so I have a well-developed sense of safety and spatial awareness. Plus, all the Renaissance Faires around here require edged weapons to be "peace-tied". So blades never come out of their sheathes in public anyway.

I know some folk are of the opinion that a sword is overdoing things with Highland dress, "that's Victorian, not Jacobite" etc.

Actually, doesn't the basket-hilt claymore have a history in Scotland well back into the 1500s? While I do see Victorian-era Scots proudly wearing them in many a portrait, I was under the impression that the provenance was much older. The era of the Jacobites (late 1600s to mid 1700s) would certainly have been the heyday of this style sword, wouldn't it?

I'm probably in the minority, as I do not care for Jacobite-era styles of kilt-wearing. Luckily, our Renaissance festivals are more fantasy faires than anything else. One can wear anything from pre-historic barbarian clothing all the way up to Victorian style clothing, and fit right in perfectly. Since my favourite historic look is from the Victorian era (MacLeay's portraits being ever so inspiring), it might be fun to put together an outfit like one of those, complete with sword and targe. I'm still stewing on that, though!

[Dale Seago]

Actually, doesn't the basket-hilt claymore have a history in Scotland well back into the 1500s? While I do see Victorian-era Scots proudly wearing them in many a portrait, I was under the impression that the provenance was much older. The era of the Jacobites (late 1600s to mid 1700s) would certainly have been the heyday of this style sword, wouldn't it?

You're quite right. There are four "iconically Scottish" things which all became popular in Scotland in roughly the same period: The baskethilt sword, the belted plaid (forerunner of the kilt), the Great Highland Bagpipe, and whisky.

[Tobus]

Got another question concerning the orientation of the clip (locket) in the baldric. As you can see in the pics below, the locket is facing inward (toward the body) for a right-hand draw. I have it this way because it seems like a VERY tight fit into the scabbard with it turned outward. The sword just seems to fit better this way.

Is there any reason the locket can't face inward, provided that I notched the baldric on that side to accept it?

[Woodsheal]

Got another question concerning the orientation of the clip (locket) in the baldric. As you can see in the pics below, the locket is facing inward (toward the body) for a right-hand draw. I have it this way because it seems like a VERY tight fit into the scabbard with it turned outward. The sword just seems to fit better this way.

Is there any reason the locket can't face inward, provided that I notched the baldric on that side to accept it?

The inside locket is a quirk of the Hanwei swords. I think the Chinese swordsmiths were a bit confused when it came to assembling the scabbards! But, there's no reason the sword can't be suspended with an inner-side locket.

[Tobus]

OK, cool. Thanks.

I'm wondering if they did it that way, thinking it was a belt clip. Perhaps they didn't know the purpose of it and just assumed...

[Dale Seago]

The inside locket is a quirk of the Hanwei swords. I think the Chinese swordsmiths were a bit confused when it came to assembling the scabbards! But, there's no reason the sword can't be suspended with an inner-side locket.

I've noticed that about the Hanwei scabbards/lockets too, and I agree with Jamie.

[OC Richard]

I'm wondering how it was typically worn, historically.

Well not just historically, but nowadays! In the Army



and I have been known to wear mine at times...



round the turn of the century in the Army



1855 in the Army



by civilians in the 19th century







Heck, our earliest clear image of Highland Dress, 17th century, shows the basket hilt sword



and in the early 18th century