The sword will be used from horseback and I don't want a antique , I want a new sword similar to the Cold Steel but of better quality and I'm aware that it would probably cost more but as they say "I'm too poor to buy cheep things " . Thank you for your suggestions .
To be truthful, if your feelings towards Cold Steel are regarding quality then you should be as dismissive of the entire market of reproduction sabres. The fact is most are coming from India and the same shops produce for more than one importer. Also and quite frankly, the higher tier of reproductions (including Cold Steel) will exceed the basic build of an original. Where all the producers (and this includes some custom makers) is that they have not handled originals of a specific type (such as the lc 1796).
www.armor.com Arms&Armor can regrind a Cold Steel or sibling source lc 1796 and make it a bit livelier but the issues are not the quality of build so much as the way the originals were ground. This leaves even reworked reproductions lacking in regard of exactly emulating an original. Craig and gang may even be up for trying their hand at recreating the 1796 type and you will probably still be dismayed that they won't do an iron/steel scabbard. You never know though
There are some Czech smiths and consortiums that might be able to at a price with a long wait, ill defined result in quality and long range customer service.
Narrowing down the market to a handful of American smiths,
there is Kevin Cashen
www.cashenblades.com/
Tony Swatton
www.swordandstone.com/
and the guys at
www.dragonsbreathforge.com/saberscurvedswords.html
These are three that have met the visual and historical parameters in copying originals. Others may promise the world and I don't doubt their capability but those three have proven to recreate the 1796 light cavalry types and understand what is going on with the blade grinds of the originals. That is not to say Craig of A&A doesn't know the statistics between an original and the Cold Steel swords he is regrinding but he will be the first to let you know recreating the type exacting as the originals is going to cost quite a bit more than what some will see reasonable.
The basic falling down for all the reproductions is the blade grinds in terms of distal taper. A typical original will be more than 3/8" stock at the hilt, halving that in the first ten inches of blade, then reducing from the fuller to the tip from 1/8"-1/16" and less. Again and in truth, the higher tier of the India made products are doing the best to replicate some of that.
There are many other custom makers out there that will place the same fairly extreme cost of recreating one. Add wait time. Durability wise, many have unrealistic expectations as to what originals went through and their own failings. It is not until the latter half of the 19th century that Wilkinson introduces the patent hilts that are basically full width tangs with slab grips. The original 1796 lc has a tiny wee tang that would shock many if seeing a bare blade and add an iron tang welded to the blade proper
. The saving grace for sabres with a backstrap is the redistribution of force in a blow.
Rather than ramble a bit more here, I will underline that a sound original can be found cheaper than a custom and start looking at the low four figure bracket for a minty Prussian Blucher or British 1796 lc. Customs are going to cost more, honest.
So the choices are entirely yours. The Cold Steel and sibling higher tier 1796 lc types will exceed the needs of most modern collectors and re-enactors. There is no getting around that the same shops in India will be making them. Albion does not offer one, even in custom. A&A might approach the project (for $$$$). The three other American shops I mention I hold in high esteem and capable at least on the sword proper. Whether they would then gear up to do an iron/steel scabbard, well, the sky is the limit. The India advantage is having been geared up to produce the metal scabbards for a couple of centuries under British development. It is that British influence in production that means the basics of the early modern sabres are actually pretty well met.
Cheers and I hope that is helpful
GC
Editing to say I missed your location and the CZ or British smiths may be your best bet.
