53 



(il'jtho Made to secure it in the scabbard. Two lining strips of wood 

 liekl between the mouthpiece and the si(k\s of the scabbard, protect 

 the point in slieathing the saber. The scabbard is nickel plated. 



NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS' SWOHD. 



(Plate XX.) 



The only straight sword now in service is that for noncommis- 

 sioned officers. 



The blade, of sliear steel, is 32 inches long, -| inch wide at the 

 shoulder, tapering gradually to the i)oint. The knob and grip are 

 of brass, cast in one piece. The guard, also of brass, consists of 

 the curved branch, crosspiece, and plate. 



The grip and guard are first assembled and then fastened to the 

 blatle and to each other by the tang, which passes through the hilt 

 and is headed at the top of the knob. 



The body of the scabbard is sheet steel formed to shape and 

 brazed. A brass ferrule and hook for carrying the sword in the frog 

 is secured to the upper end of the scabbard by a brass screw\ A 

 brass tip is similarly secured to the lower end of the scabbard. 



CAVALRY SABER AND SCABBARD. 



(Plate XXI.) 



The parts are nearly the same as for the officer's saber, but all 

 are much heavier, and the scabbard has no w^ood lining strips. 



The blade of steel is 36 inches long, wdth a moderate degree of 

 curvature, as it is intended for both thrusting and cutting. The 

 guard is of steel and has three branches instead of four, as in the 

 officer's saber. 



The pommel is of malleable iron brazed to a sheet-steel ferrule, 

 which extends part way down the grip. The grip is of wood, cov- 

 ered with leather and wound with brass wire. The hilt is secured 

 hj the tang, wliich passes through the guard, grip, and pommel, 

 being headed down on the latter. 



The scabbard is formed and matk^ in the same manner as that for 

 the officers' saber, but browned l)y the same process used for rifle 

 bairels, instead of being nickel plated. 



LIGHT ARTILLERY SABER AND SCABBARD. 



(Plate XXI.) 



The light artillery saber has a heavy 32-inch blade of considerable 

 curvature, as it is essentially a cutting weapon. For the same rea- 

 son the hilt is made light, the guard having a single branch termi- 

 nating in a scroll or hook. The grip, pommel, and method of secur- 

 ing the blade to the liilt are practically the same as for the cavalry 

 saber. The scabbard does not differ in any essential detail from 

 that for the cavalrv saber already described. 



