West Point USMA Cadet SWORD & SCABBARD, Bag, factory Papers ("WKC") MINT NOS!!!

Description

West Point U.S.M.A. "Regulation" Issue CADET SWORD/SABER
("W.K.C.")
and SCABBARD with the ORIGINAL Cloth Draw-string
"W.K.C."
STORAGE BAG, factory HANG-TAG on a BULLION WIRE
still attached to the Pommel
, factory PAPERWORK, STICKERS, and plastic PACKAGING MATERIALS
Mint NOS Unissued!!! Untouched factory condition!!!
SCARCE! SCARCE! SCARCE!
(NOTE!!  The Uniform and Sword Sling, and Baldric are NOT a part of this sale.  The Sword Sling and a West Point Uniform are listed separately on this site.)
ORIGINAL!  This is NOT a generic military school sword with the BLANK oval on the cross-guard, or the  initials of a Jr. ROTC program's school, or the letters "M.A."!
SCARCE to find with the Academy logos of Athena's Helmet!!!
This is the sole
AUTHORIZED ISSUE
model with the Academy crest of the right-facing
"Athena's Helmet"
on the Cross Guard, and the letters of the Academy,
"U.S.M.A."
etched on the Blade.  This is a
"controlled item,"
i.e. sale/issue of this sword is
STRICTLY LIMITED to
current
Corps of  Cadets
of the
United States Military Academy
and its graduates.
There is
NO
dedicatory engraving on the reverse side of the blade, only the ornate floral scrolling, and, of course the distinguishing
"U.S.M.A."
on the obverse side in 'Old English' font.
This a genuine current issue
WKC
contract swords made by
W.K.C.
(
WKC Stahl-und Metallwarenfabrik
),
Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Cie.
This blade is a superior grade steel with the correct ratio of flexibility and capability of holding an edge.
This is
NOT
to be confused with superficially similar swords manufactured for military schools, and commercially available, that have either the letters
"M.A."
or a 'blank' oval in the place of the Academy's crest:
"Athena's Helmet."
ONLY
the
United States Military Academy
contract swords will have the letters
"U.S.M.A."
on the obverse side of the blade.
* As mentioned, this particular sword has never had a dedicatory engraving on the reverse. It was
NEVER USED!!
* The
reverse ricasso
i
s stamped with the twin logos of the Crowned Prince, and the Helmet letters of the famous Solingen blade-maker,
"W.K.C. / GERMANY / Stainless / Est. 1883"
the only currently authorized contractor for the
Corps of Cadet Sword/Saber.
Blade Length:
29 3/4" (Standard Length)
Overall Length:
35 1/2"
*
The
Perfect BLADE EDGES
are free of dings, burrs, scratches, or corrosion. Since this was designed for
CEREMONIAL USE
, not combat, although the Steel is of such quality for such, the
EDGES
were intentionally left unsharpened, with only the
POINT
sharply honed. The
BLADE
is Nickel-plated Stainless Steel with a
ROCKWELL HARDNESS  (HCR Rockwell)
that is a perfect balance that provides for flexibility, strength, as well sufficient 'hardness' to hold an edge.
* This ceremonial version of the
USMA
Cadet Sword Blade from
W.K.C.
is hand-forged, well-tempered, hand-polished,
hardness
ca.
48-52 HCR Rockwell
stainless-steel blade. The acid-etched with the "U.S.M.A." letters and scroll pattern, so deep one can feel it with a fingernail.
* Perfect
dangerously sharp
POINT.
* Perfect  PAD
below the cross-guard.
* Perfect
finish on the
"German Silver"
of the faux wire-bound
GRIP.
* Perfect
condition
Brass Eagle-head POMMEL.
* Perfect
Lacquered finish on the
Gold-plated Brass QUILLON (Cross-guard)
* ZERO
dents, scratches, or pitting/corrosion to the
Nickel-plated Steel SCABBARD.
* Perfect
Lacquered finish on the
Brass FITTINGS
and
DRAG.
* Perfect
blue cloth Drawstring
"W.K.C."
STORAGE BAG.
* All
of
ORIGINAL
paperwork and "care instructions" from the
"W.K.C."
factory and from the sole distributor  of the
USMA Cadet Sword,
"MARLOWE-WHITE"
is included and in perfect condition
*****
KC Stahl- und Metallwarenfabrik
("W.K.C. Steel and Metalwork Factory")
, formerly
Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Cie.
, is a German sword manufacturing company located in Solingen, North Rhine-Westphalia.
The company was founded in 1883 with the merger of two major Solingen sword-making companies,
Weyersberg
and
Kirschbaum.
In 1900 the company was the largest in Solingen, employing around 1,200 workers. The company supplies over 50 militaries, military academies and police forces worldwide with ceremonial swords.
History:
Weyersberg, Kirschbaum, and Cie.
was founded in 1883 with the merger of two family-owned sword manufacturing and marketing companies in Solingen, Germany:
Gebruder Weyersberg
, founded by Wilhem, Peter, and Johann Ludwig Weyersberg in 1787 and
WR Kirschbaum & Cie,
founded by Wilhem Reinhordt Kirschbaum. The newly founded company used traditional techniques for sword making and each of their then employees specialized in one task in the sword making process. This was in accordance to the Division of Labor act devised by the Sword makers Guild of Solingen.
Prior to the merger Fritz Weyersberg had purchased the patent for a blade roll forge invented in England. This machine allowed the sword manufacturing plant to significantly increase blade production. By 1900
W.K.C.'s
production was such that it employed around 1,200 workers and was the largest company in Solingen. At this time the company not only produced swords but weapons, motorcycles and bike parts as well.
In the year 1922,
W.K.C.
was bought by the company
"Siegen Solinger Gussstahlverein"
who was a previous supplier of theirs. The company continued to flourish until the Great Depression. During this time like most companies in Germany, WKC suffered greatly and worsened as during WWII, the company was a target of Allied bombardment. These bombings resulted in almost all of the buildings and equipment owned by the company at the time being destroyed and so all operations there ceased.
In 1955 the company again changed hands with Hans Kolping, a Solingen knife producer, buying the company. He restarted the company and produced swords, knives and pistols. Soon after he discontinued the production of pistols and concentrated on ceremonial sword production and so the company established its own blade etching plant. The company's first orders at this time came from the
US Navy
and the
US Marine Corps
.
On 1989 Hans Kolping died and left the company to his life partner, Margard Willms. Soon after the company changed ownership and Joachim Willms undertook large investments in the buildings and the equipment so as to further grow the company. In 1995, André Willms, the current owner, joined the company.
In November 2005 the
Wilkinson Sword
factory closed. In order to facilitate production of British ceremonial swords
Wilkinson
held a sealed bid for its assets.
W.K.C.
participated and acquired the majority of Wilkinson's tools, spare parts and their roll forge. These items were transported to Germany and implemented in
W.K.C.'s
production process. This allowed the company to produce a greater number of sword types and to supply more countries.
W.K.C.
won the contract to produce the Model 2011 Sword for
Corps of Cadets
at the
United States Military Academy
, West Point, New York.
*****
NOTE!! Any overage in shipping/postage will be refunded!
*****
What Is Rockwell Hardness?
The most straightforward answer is tha
t Rockwell hardness
refers to how resistant a metal object such as a knife blade is to penetration and permanent deformation from another material. It’s a measuring system of non-destructive metallurgical testing that determines how hard and strong steel such as that used in knife-making truly is. To accurately express metal hardness, engineers use a standard process called
Rockwell
testing.
In the knife blade manufacturing business, hardness ratings follow a predetermined chart which is commonly called the
Rockwell C scale.
The higher the number on the
RC scale
, the harder the steel is. Conversely, the lower the
RC scale number
is, the softer the steel. Most alloys in knife blades range from soft steels in the
RC45
range to hard metals rated in the
RC60
category.
It’s a misconception to think
high RC
ratings mean better-quality knives.
It depends entirely on a blade’s intended use as to what hardness knife makers specify for their steel.
As a rule of thumb, softer steels such as those rated at RC45 are more durable and withstand impact better than hard steel rated at RC60.
Hard steel blades hold their edge longer than soft material. However, they can be brittle and tend to chip or even shatter under impact.
Experienced knife blade manufacturers design their products to match their purpose.
They strive for a balance between soft RC-scale steel that remains durable and a hard RC-scale material that keeps a sharp edge for a long time
. To get the right steel for the intended application, quality knife manufacturers prescribe a specific steel strength. Then they test it to ensure the blade meets an exact number on the
Rockwell hardness scale
.
*****
West Point Cadets' Sword
The
West Point Cadets' Sword
is issued to cadet officers of the
United States Military Academy
, West Point, New York or use during their formal functions parades, inspections and graduation. It is also used during drills. The swords are issued on their appointment and returned to the
Cadet Store
after graduation.
The
Ames
model 1850 seems to be the grandparent of this type of Academy sword. The Academy added trademarks to their sword starting in 1872. Other academies customized their swords, but now only 2 remain. The
West Point
trademarked
Cadet Sword
is sold only to current cadets and alumni are the only authorized buyers. The basic cadet sword might not be made from the same materials specified by the Academy and is sold without trademarks. It can be purchased almost anywhere. The basic cadet sword has been or is made in Germany, West Germany, India, Spain and China, but not all swords are of the same quality. This sword is similar to those used at
The Citadel
and other military academies worldwide.
Wear and mounting
In full dress or while under arms the sword and scabbard are worn mounted from a cotton sword shoulder belt that is hung from the right shoulder to the left waist, and a red silk sash is worn round the waist. A
breast plate
is worn centered on the breast. This uniform is formal and is worn on parades and
Honor Council
meetings by the
Color Guard
,
Drum Major
,
Officer of the Day
and
graduation .
The sword is also used for drills or less formal military formations, when it is worn on the cotton sword belt alone.
In 1841, the superintendent of the Academy ordered that sashes were to be worn with the sword. US Army generals continued to wear silk sashes in full dress until 1917 when this practice ceased in the
US Army,
but it has continued at the Academy.
In 1955, Frederick P. Todd note that today the
West Point
cadet officer is the only person in the Army who wears a sword and sash, and is the sole guardian of the tradition.
Design
The sword is based on that used by the
U.S. Army
when
U.S.M.A.
and peers were established. The first swords used were legacies from the Army following the formation of the Academy in 1802 and are believed to have been similar to the 1767 French Grenadier Sergeant's sword used in the Revolutionary Army. The first swords procured for the Academy were delivered in 1838.
Custody and control
Swords used at
USMA
have copyrights and trademarks. They are controlled by the
Directorate of Logistics, Cadet Services
Division, Supply Branch and Service and Issue Center
which now manages the maintenance of the swords, and their issue to qualified cadet officers.
The
Cadet Store
manages the sale of swords to cadets, alumni members and other authorized Cadet Store patrons.
Damaged and defective examples may be repaired or broken down and the components re-used.
Swords were ordered from the
Springfield Armory
until 1920, after which they were subject to competitive procurement.
Models
Model 1802
These swords were issued to cadet officers and non-commissioned officers between 1802 and 1839. There are no known surviving examples
Prior to the founding of the
United States Military Academy
in 1802, cadets served an apprenticeship in the field with the troops. After 1802, the only cadets covered by Army regulations were those at
West Point
. Army cadet swords before 1802 are mentioned in three existing sources:
On March 30, 1800, a General Order required cadets to wear a sword with a cut and thrust blade between 28 and 32 inches long and with a gilt hilt.
On September 22, 1800, the Superintendent of Military Stores, Samuel Hodgdon, wrote to John Harris, a military storekeeper, that cadet and non-commissioned officers' swords should be brass mounted with cut and thrust blade 30 inches long.
In 1801, a set of regulations was published stating that cadet swords should be the same as platoon officers' swords, 28-inch cut and thrust blade mounted according to the branch of service.
Most of the first cadets at the
United States
Military Academy
were from artillery and engineer organizations, and so it is presumed that yellow mounted swords were almost universal. On September 4, 1816 a General Order specified that cadet swords were to be "cut and thrust, yellow mounted, with black grips, in a frog belt..." These specifications were repeated in the Regulations of 1820, 1821, and 1825.
There is no further mention of cadet swords in the Regulations until 1839, when it was stated that they were to be of the type worn by the Pay Department, which then carried gilt mounted small swords with black scabbards
.
...
The first pictorial evidence that can be found of the use of the sword is a photograph of a group of cadets from the class of 1875. It is known that this pattern was not used in 1870, but the exact date of the change between this model and the previous one has not been determined. In 1872 there were many other changes in the sword regulations for the Army, and so this has been tentatively selected as the date for the change in the
West Point
sword, although it actually could have occurred as early as 1871 or as late as 1875.
The straight blade is diamond-shaped in cross-section and tapers evenly to the point. It has a strong square ricasso, the obverse side of which is stamped
"U.S. ARMORY/SPRINGFIELD."
The grips are cast to resemble wire wrapping, and apparently the same mold was used as that for the 1840 non-commissioned officers' sword. There are ferrules decorated with floral scrolls at both ends of the grips. The pommel is an inverted section of a cone bearing an eagle with arrows and palms in low relief on both sides and a scroll at the top pierced for a sword knot. The guard consists of straight cross quillons with eagle head finials on both ends and an oval cartouch in the center of the obverse side which is surrounded by floral sprays and bears the letters
"MA"
in old English script. The entire hilt is cast brass. The scabbard is iron which may originally have been blued, but which is now bright. There are a throat with a stud for a frog and tip with an asymmetrical drag, both of brass.
There are several minor variations in this pattern. Some are made by private makers such as
E&F Horster
(Germany),
Meyers
,
Rock Island, Ames
, as well as the swords of the Springfield Armory, and are etched
"U.S.M.A."
in a cartouch on the obverse side of the blade.
At one time there was an attempt to issue the plainer Armory products to the non-commissioned officers of the Cadet Regiment and the fancier models to the officers, but this was abandoned and the swords were then issued indiscriminately.
Adding to the confusion is a Frederck T. Chatman illustration dated 1885. It shows two cadets, the first in Summer and Full Dress, the other in White Fatigues. Both cadets' swords are well displayed and parts of the swords predate the first orders from 1872 with parts from a model 1839 issued sword.
A total of 253 swords were produced by the
Springfield Armory
between 1868 and 1914 with a subsequent order for scabbards in 1920.
Armory records show that between 1868 and 1920, the following numbers of swords were accepted:
1868 - 36
1874 - 25
1876 - 28
1880 - 14
1882 - 50
1893 - 50
1914 - 50
Total - 235
Plus 100 scabbards
The
Supply Section at the Academy
frequently uses parts from one sword to repair another, which is a source of considerable confusion.
Peterson on page 181 shows a photograph of Cadet M.M. Kimmel,
U.S.M.A.
, Class of 1857, with a sword of this type that postdates the model by 10 years, and Todd points to an illustration by Fredrick T. Chatman on page 60, dated 1885, showing cadets under arms carrying swords that predated the model by 20 years. The rebuilding of the swords continues today.
Model 1922
At some time after 1922, the
West Point
sword was modified to carry the seal of the Academy representing the Athenian helmet of Greek mythology, reflecting the adoption of this into the Academy's coat of arms, instead of the letters
"MA"
on its guard. The seal as adopted about the turn of the present century was designed with the classical helmet facing left. In 1922 it was pointed out that this was counter to the best heraldic usage, and the helmet was turned to face right. All swords bearing the crest that have been examined have had the helmet facing right. The earliest examples of these are well made with brass grips. The straight blade is double-edged with a wide central fuller on both sides running from the ricasso to within 8 inches of the point. It is etched on the obverse side of the blade
"U.S.M.A."
The hilt resembles that on the previous specimen except for the changes in the propor­tions of the elements, the use of white metal for the grips, and the use of the seal instead of the letters
"MA"
on the guard. The scabbard is exactly the same except that the body is chrome plated.
Past makers, distributors and exporters
Ames Mfg. Co
. -  Maker, distributors
Ames, Lilley Company -
Maker, distributors
Horstmann Company,
Philadelphia PA - Maker, distributors
M.C. Lilley & Company
-
Maker, distributors
Lilley-Ames Company
, Columbus, Ohio - Maker, distributors
E.F Horster,
Solingen Germany - Maker
Henderson-Ames -
Maker, distributors
V. H. Blackinton Company, Inc.,
Attleboro Falls, Massachusetts - Maker
N.S. Meyers,
N.Y.C. N.Y. - distributors
Gemsco Inc.,
New York - distributors
Eickhorn,
Solingen - Exported custom made swords to distributors
WKC
- Maker today's West Points Cadets Sword
******
Field Manual 3-21.5
F-2.     STANDING MANUAL OF ARMS
Execute
Standing
with the saber (sword) using the following procedures:
a.
Attention.
This is the position before the command
Draw
, SABER (SWORD)
and after the command
Return, SABER
(SWORD).
The hands are behind the trouser seams and the thumbs touch the first joint of the forefingers.
b.
Draw Saber (Sword).
(1)     At the preparatory command
Draw,
grasp the scabbard with the left hand turning the scabbard clockwise 180 degrees, tilting it forward to form an angle of 45 degrees with the ground. Take the saber (sword) grip in the right hand and pull the saber about 6 inches from the scabbard. The right forearm should now be roughly parallel to the ground.
(2)     On the command of execution
SABER (SWORD),
the saber (sword) is pulled out of the scabbard and held in the position of
Carry Saber (Sword).
The saber (sword) should be held with the inner blade-edge riding in a vertical position along the forward tip of the right shoulder.
c.
Carry Saber (Sword).
The
Carry Saber (Sword)
position is assumed under the following situations:
To give commands.
To change positions.
By officers when officially addressing (or when officially addressed by) another officer, if the saber is drawn.
By NCOs when officially addressing a Soldier, or when officially addressed by an officer, if the sword is drawn.
Before returning the saber (sword) to the scabbard.
At the preparatory command for (and while marching at) quick time.
(1)     At
Carry Saber (Sword)
, the officer (NCO) is at the
Position of Attention
. The saber (sword) is held in the right hand; the wrist is as straight as possible with the thumb along the seam of the trouser leg. The point of the blade rests inside the point of the shoulder and not along the arm. The saber (sword) is held in this position by the thumb and forefinger grasping the grip, and it is steadied with
(2)
Present Saber (Sword)
may be executed from the
carry
when serving in the capacity of commander of troops or serving in a command that is not part of a larger unit. On the preparatory command of
Presen
t,
the saber (sword) is brought to a position (at the rate, of two counts) approximately four inches from the nose so that the tip of the saber (sword) is six inches from the vertical (1). At the command of execution
ARMS,
the right hand is lowered (at the rate of two counts) with the flat of the blade upward, the thumb extended on the left side of the grip (2), and the tip of the saber (sword) about six inches from the marching surface.
(3)     On the command
Order
ARMS,
the saber (sword) is returned to the position of
Carry Saber (Sword).
d.
Parade Rest.
This position is assumed without moving the saber (sword) from the
Order Arms
position. At the command of execution, the left foot is moved about 10 inches to the left (of the right foot), and the left hand is placed in the small of the back, fingers extended and joined, palm to the rear. At the command of execution
ATTENTION,
the left hand and foot are returned to the
Position of Attention.
e.
Return Saber (Sword).
This movement is executed from
Carry Saber (Sword)
in three counts.