Champagne sabre

Bailey Bradshaw

Bailey Bradshaw

Joined
Sep 13, 2001
Messages
816
I did a progress thread on this one over on Sword Forums. I have been working on this one off and on for about a month. I completed it last night and am very happy with it.

The blade is from the same billet as the last bowie I made and posted here. It is doen with a ladder patterend edge, and measures 18 3/4" in length. The ricasso wrap and ferrule are sterling silver, guard, pommel and finial are hot blued mild steel. The guard was forged, and features gold line inlays. The pommel is engraved with deep releif scroll work and gold inlays. The ivory handle took the most time by far. The carving is the best I have done and I am looking forward to doing more.

It is a very light feeling blade for it's length. REALLY fast handling, and is more than a match for any champagne bottle I have seen:p

Let me know what y'all think!!
 
I'm not a sword collector, but seeing one like this sure does make me think it might be time to start. What an amazingly fantastic piece.
 
Bailey - Your swords are something else! This one is particularly nice and will undoubtedly be cherished by its owner.

I can testify that owning a Bradshaw sword will confer both fame and fortune. The new owner will be filled with an impulse to fight evil, protect the weak - and also grow a beard.

Late at night, down in the basement, barefoot, wearing only his skivies and his favorite pro-back ball cap, the owner will swing the blade around, stab a couple of pillows and accidentally sever an X-box controller cord. When discovered by his family who "heard something downstairs" he will slowly turn and face them, Bradshaw sword gripped now with two hands and for the first time ever they will listen to him speak, understand his instructions and obey. From deep down and far away the words come like thunder, "Back off, people!" ......and they will. This then, is the power of a Bradshaw sword!

This is mine:
 
Buddy...your killin me!! I thought I was the only skivie clad swashbuckler of the midnight domestic domiscile deffense regiment. It's funny how kids will ignore a shout of their name but sit up at attention to the shrill "kiri-kaze" (cutting wind) of a sword.....:D not that I would do such a thing....
 
That is just a stunning piece of work. The carving on the handle and butt cap are something else. Wow!:eek: I hope the new owner send this one to Coop. Thanks for the pics Bailey - and thanks to Buddy for that pic of his most excellent Bradshaw sword as well.

Roger
 
Bailey,

Awesome thread, as usual. Two questions:

Could you provide a link to the SwordForum thread? And PLEASE give us some info on that monster horn-less anvil!?!

Thanks,

John
 
Bailey,
it just could be that the only thing better than one of your knives is one of your swords...
 
John,

Not sure how to do the link, but the thread is in the general forum titled Champagne sabre. Only a couple more pics. I didn't continue the thread for several days as I needed to get it copmleted and the pictures take a considerable amount of time.

as for my anivl. It is a drop from the center of a die. itis heat treated D-2 and weighs about 270#. I wish it had a slightly narrower section, but the large flat face is so nice to work on. E-mail me and I can aquire one for you if you would like.
 
Wow, that's a master work. Your carving is unbelievable. Had you dropped that edge a little better it would be perfect :p :D :eek: :D .

I thought I was looking at a motorcycle gas tank in your ht shot, pretty cool. A die is not an avenue I had considered before, I'll look around a bit and see what I can find.
 
A fantastic piece, and must echo the sentiment of others on the quality of the carving.

Thinking about the tradition of "beheading" champagne bottles led me to wondering if a champagne sabre has any specific design features to aid the said decapitation or if it is a generic term for a short dress cavalry sword ..... can any one enlighten me? :D

Cheers,

Stephen
 
Stephen F said:
Thinking about the tradition of "beheading" champagne bottles led me to wondering if a champagne sabre has any specific design features to aid the said decapitation or if it is a generic term for a short dress cavalry sword ..... can any one enlighten me? :D

Cheers,

Stephen
Click to expand...

I wasn't aware that there was a tradition of decapitating champagne bottles - could someone enlighten me on that score as well?

Roger
 
RogerP said:
I hope the new owner send this one to Coop.

Roger
Click to expand...

Well, Roger, or to me...Not to photograph it, just cause I want it. :)

I'm not nearly hip enough to say it, but, if I were, I'd say this sword is off the chain. :)

Another great one from Bailey. :thumbup: :thumbup: (2 thumbs up)
 
Roger, cutting the head of a champagne bottle with a sabre is called Sabrage.

The Legends of The Noble Art of Sabrage


There are several legends of the story of Sabrage or Sabering Champagne.

One says that when the officers of Napoleon’s army returned home after a victory, cheering townspeople would hand bottles of Champagne as tokens of their appreciation for their victory and gallantry.

Since the soldiers were mounted on horseback it was difficult to hold the reins of the horse and remove both the foil, wire basket (muselet) around the cork and the cork (bouchon) at the same time, so the soldiers simply took out their sabers and struck it against the lip of the bottle with an upward blow and sabered off the cork. Viola!

Another says Mme. Clicquot (the widow Clicquot), in order to have her land protected, gave Napoleon's officers Champagne and glasses. Being on their horses, they couldn't hold the glass while opening the bottle.

Consequently, they tossed the glasses away, and took their sabers out and sabered off the top and cork and drank from the bottle. Viola!

In more scientific terms, it is the meeting of the glass lip (annulus) at the top of the bottle just below the cork (bouchon) with a firm tap of a sabre's edge and at the weakest point of the glass seam in the bottle. When performed on a suitably chilled bottle of Champagne (shampAn´), the cork and glass annulus fly away, spilling little of the precious Champagne. The pressure inside a bottle of Champagne (100psi) ensures that no glass falls back into the bottle making it safe to drink the spoils.

In either case, "The Noble Art of Sabrage" was born and the rest, they say, is history.
 
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