Steampunk swords?

[The Inventor]

I am planning on wearing an Arabic 1918 Cavalry sword I got from a former employer after
a job he couldn't pay me for in cash.  On the theory that I ride around the world as an inventor
in my Air ship. Looking for adventure and what not...
So in the spirit of Cavalry and Naval forces would wear such a tool.
I'd say some swept blades would be a good place to start.

[Vagabond GentleMan]

So, with all due respect, I'd have to argue that neither was the sword useless against plate, nor was its use necessarily neglected in favor of other, odder weapons. 

I'm going to respectfully somewhat disagree with you here, good sir.

I don't exactly see what you are disagreeing with here, good sir.  You made a number of good points that I agree with whole-heartedly, but my point, above, was simply that neither was the sword useless against plate, nor was it necessarily neglected in favor of other arms.  Were there better weapons to use against plate?  Well, of course!  The 'giant can-opener' polearms were designed to do just that!  But was every swordsman gonna grab up a polearm for battle in lieu of or in addition to his sword?  Well, no.  That's all I was saying...

About the Shakespeare:  You make quite excellent points here.  So good, in fact, that I might just retract my assertion that it was relevant.  Although I am certainly aware of Silver (I have read a couple of translations, have an attempt at a practical training guide on  my bookshelf, and train twice a week with the man responsible for the translation on the ARMA website) and his opinions regarding what we think of as a 'rapier', I hadn't really considered that Shakespeare himself might have just simply been using different terminology.  But of course he could be!

About the sharpness:  I wouldn't presume to deny you your opinion, my friend (oh, certainly not), especially seeing as how you very effectively displayed a good knowledge of the subject, but I am gonna stick with Clemment's opinions.  He's quite convincing, especially in person.
The center third of the blade I do believe to be as you said...sharpened, but without a steep angle.  The center third is sort of the 'cleaver' part of the sword, sort of the 'sweet spot'.  It doesn't need a razor-edge, as you implied. 
The feeling is that the sharpened third closest to the point was sharpened almost exclusively for 'blossfechting', i.e. it was used for draw-cuts when fighting un-armored.

[Mr. Boltneck]

And just to add to the confusion, there's the heavy, diamond cross-sectioned weapon for which we now reserve the word estoc. All point, no edge, and usually said to have originated as a cavalry weapon for finishing off armored enemies, although this may be another one of those uncorrected antiquarian ideas. Writers in the late 16th and early 17th Centuries, at least in England, seem not always to have distinguished between the estoc and the rapier in their descriptions, and it is unclear to me whether this signifies a lack of discrimination on the part of the writers, or if actual users found the two somewhat interchangeable, since the intricate methods we now think of as fencing were still in their infancy.
Just as a bonus of steampunk relevance, an estoc would be an excellent personal weapon for disabling machinery or destroying feedwater lines. You'll thank me for this thought after the rise of the Steam-Droids.

[Sarah Amelia Azote]

Having fenced (foil) for six years and being friends with a group that does historically accurate 14th century combat my biggest suggestion is think about the character you are creating and what they are trying to use the sword for.To steampunk swords the best choice is probably to either get one with a very decorative hilt or add the steampunk elements to the hilt or scabard rather than the blade, unless you are looking at etching or engraving the blade. Blades like rapiers , main gauche, epee's etc. were created for precise destruction, fast movements, etc. so if your character needs to be mobile or of a wealthy class these are a great choice. If you are a character on an airship for example and there is a potential to be fighting in a confined space then look for a shorter sword - cutlass, calvary sabre, etc., especially if you want something you cant slice/ slash as well as pierce with. If you are a wandering swordsman any sword, eastern or western is an option for you but keep in mind that each blade requires a unique skill set. For demonstrations of what various blades are capable of "Deadliest Warrior" has some facinating demonstrations - including a claymore expert who was able to swing his large sword to take off the head of the target in eight seconds (so much for large swords being slow). The blade of any sword is usually intended to do one of the following: pierce, slice, bludegon or grate (check out the shark teeth spears of the south pacific for the latter). Make certain that whatever your mod the blade of the sword still looks like it is capable of at least one or more of these as that will maintain the realistic/ functional aspect, even if the sword isn't sharp. Respect your sword and your own body - don't do mods that could hurt you or anyone else, even by accident.   

[inigo jameson-gatling]

Steampunk swords indeed. There were some pretty impressive dagger/pistol combinations, but I swear by my katana and wakizashi.

[Thorinis]

Not sure what others have said in regards to having a sword for there uniform, however being the time frame that we are talking, sabers were amongst the most common. A saber depending on its owner was based on what its function was. A sailor, or someone in air corp would carry a heavier, short version of the saber as fighting on board ships of any sort needs to fight in a tighter quarter. A Calvary soldier had a heavy blade saber, but one that was longer to fight both on his feet and from horse back he was allowed a longer version due to the area larger in size as compares to a ships hull. Common citizens were also able to carry lighter versions of a saber, although much lighter then the military versions.

[The Mysterious Mr Murphy]

On the longswords.

Having seen many extant examples and having been extraordinarily lucky enough to handle five or six extant examples..... These weren't bearing swords or display weapons, they were fighting swords (just to make that clear) and the ricasso was completely unsharpened for about the first foot of the blade from the hilt, specifically for gripping. I didn't want to sacrifice any fingers but the point and first foot and a half of the blade appeared still quite sharp, four hundred years later, and was obviously edged. Further back they were still edged (sharpness unknown).

With a heavy glove on, it wouldn't matter where you grabbed it as long as you didn't slide your hand.


On the steampunk side, a saber or a schiavona would be appropriate as would most daggers. Maybe add some items to the sword harness (compass in pouch, brass telescope) if you wanted to accentuate the 'steam' bit.

Cavalry officers carried a sabretache, more or less what later became map cases, for the exact same reason (maps, writing utensils, for writing out orders etc) which gives you more things to customize and modify.

[Dr. Madd]

My blade would be a longsword derivative with a poison bottle in the handle with an opening down the fuller of the blade, all the better to deliver its toxic payload.

[Johnson and Co]

Maybe not quite steampunk, but there was a bayonet developed for the British army issue Webley revolver in WW1, I think it was invented by a chap called Pritchard.

[Dante Coal]

character and persona aside. a good blade is a good blade. though the style, as it has been said before, rests on who you are and what the blade is used for.
 
however, modification of the base design is not really recommended, best to just add things on if you'd like or simply change the style of it. brass and copper in place of gold, an aged look perhaps.
im not a huge fan of pointless gears but if its your thing go for it, it would be a fitting motif for a engineer or the like. perhaps feathers or a wing pattern for someone in the air corp, things like that.

in terms of adding components, poison and electricity has already been mentioned but there are many ways to do that so get creative. perhaps some wires from the hilt back to a gauntlet or pack.

-Dante

[Mr. Boltneck]

I suppose that there might be some way to make the blade reciprocate under power, essentially making a kind of giant Sawzall/claymore. It slices, it dices, it makes calimari rings out of pesky kraken. While this approach might lack finesse, it could make up for that in sheer crowd-pleasing mayhem.

[akumabito]

One has to wonder how a sword in a fantasy SP setting would differ from ordinary swords. I'm not a big fan of mechanized swords, really.. the reason swords have been in continuous use for several millennia is because they're so simple and rugged.. Not much to go wrong on a sharp pointy stick! How would they be different then? Well, I think in the way they're used.. the SP universe seems to be filled with balloons and airships, submarines, ironclads and generally steam ships of every description, etc.. What all these places have in common are confined spaces.. narrow corridors, low ceilings, that sort of stuff.. If you want to carry a metal pointy stick, you'd have to have one suitable for use in such tight quarters. Big heavy slashing swords are out.. Ooohh, I have to think this one over some more, but I think I have some ideas brewing..

[Dave Leppo]

I have to entirely agree with Mr. Akumabito, with the possible exception of the Light Saber.

[Darkhound]

Surely the cutlass was designed for just such environments, Mr. Akimbuto? Sailing ships decks were crowded places! The gladius, hirshfanger, hanger and epeé also seem to meet the requirements.

[Col. Aleksander Montfort]

Since my Steampunk character has traveled the world (and time!) I carry a ceremonial Ninja type Katana sword, very ornate, that I found online for around $30. It also came with a very sharpened blade. It cracks me up whenever I go to gatherings where security is more concerned about my Steampunk plastic pistol with lights in my drop down holster, rather than the deadly sword sheathed at my hip. Again, to each his own!

Col. Montfort, at your service!

[MWBailey]

longswords, sabers, katanas, claymores, boar swords, all are great for looks and such, but for utility I'll choose a shortsword or fighting knife (or a rapier in a pinch) every time.
Why?

Physics.

Think about it.

[Dante Coal]

in all honesty id take a nice dagger or knife in a confined space over most any sword.

[Aleister Crow]

Another vote for dagger. Preferably in the dark, with the recipient facing away from me.

[Virginia Ash]

There was an episode on Spike's Deadliest Warrior, Green Beret vs Spetsnaz. The special weapons were the Green Berets' E-tool vs the Spetsnaz Ballistic Knife.

The Ballistic Knife is kind of steampunk but it is kind of a last defense to actually fire it. I mean you just shot your blade at your opponent. But when all else fails start throwing things, right?

I'm pretty sure they're illegal in the US anyway.

[Professor Bevel]

Hmm.  I have a rapier, and no small skill with it, and was thinking of using the scabbard and hilt to make a prop sword (wandering about in public with live steel is contraindicated under the laws and ordinances of the United Kingdom) - no blade, simply a pair of rods and possibly some kind of effect to look a bit like a jacob's ladder between the two.  Anyone seen that done before?

[greatestescaper]

This sword has been laying under my grandparents bed for some years now.  We had no idea of its authenticity until we saw it's likeness behind the glass at an exhibit at Gettysburg.

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It also bears the marks of use.  It has its fair share of dents and the like.

[Darkhound]

Greatestescaper, that appears to be a United States Army Model 1840 Non Commissioned Officer's sword. They were made in great numbers and widely carried through the Civil War. In fact, the same pattern may still be worn by a US Army sergeant in dress uniform, which means the 1911 pistol is not the longest serving sidearm in US history!