Cold Steel 88CS 1917 Cutlass Handle with Leather Scabbard, Black

This makes a great addition to my collection. I own several cold steel swords, knives, tomahawks, and even a spear. But this is by far the most well built of all of them. And that's saying something. Of all the cold steel products I own this is my first choice for a larger survival blade. It's good for defense in closed quarters and has enough reach to be effective in open areas as well. It also doubles as a machete. The only down side is that it is a bit on the heavy side and the point of balance is almost 6 inches from the guard. Which makes it hard to wield for long periods of time. But that weight adds power too. Also if you intend on using this I recommend you watch cold steels saber training videos on youtube. The main reason being that most people swing a sword like a bat and use too much wrist movement. If you have the right technique the weight is much less of an issue. Personally the point of balance is much more of a concern when it comes to swords. Too close to the guard and you have no power. Too close to the tip and you are off balance. But I would rather have the POB closer to the tip rather than closer to the guard. After all you can always compensate for the in-balance with good technique. The sword itself came well greased and packaged separately from the scabbard. It also had a nice edge to it with the exception of the last few inches by the tip. Which was easily fixed with a file and a stone. The blade and guard also have a nice even bluing. Also please keep in mind this is not a knife. If it is too sharp it will chip or fold when used. This sword in particular has a very hard temper and can have more of an edge to it than longer or thinner blades. But it should not be razor sharp, nor does it need to be. To be honest some cold steel swords I have bought came too sharp, requiring me to dull them with 0000 steel wool. Additionally, one of the rivets in the grip was not as tight as the others and stuck out a bit. So I tightened it with a flat head and used a file to smooth out the male end of the rivet to match. I also covered the handle in masking tape to prevent scratching while I was filing down the rivet. Now for those who don't buy or collect a lot of swords this may sound like a lot of work. But I assure you it is not. Swords are hand made unlike most cold steel knives so they will have some imperfections. But for the money cold steel makes great stuff. If I had to do this kind of thing with an Albion that I paid $1,500 for then I would be a bit disappointed. But for $150 I have no complaints. To be honest I have gotten swords from cold steel that were (relativity speaking) perfect. Which goes to show you just how good cold steel is. Furthermore, the sword came with a dark brown scabbard rather than the tan one. Which may be historically inaccurate in terms of color but the quality is still there. To be honest I was actually quite impressed by the quality of the scabbard. It fits well and is made very nicely considering the overall cost. Also I personally find the dark brown scabbard to be much more attractive than the tan one. All in all with the proper care and respect this sword will be around for generations. P.S. For those who are interested I will be uploading photos of my sword to amazon for all to see. UPDATE: April 2015 So I've had this thing for about a year not and I've got to say my opinion has changed a bit. After all I have swords from windlass, hanwei, darksword, and I even just got an arms and armor rapier. Now I won't bother comparing this $150 sword to a $1,200 or even $600 sword. That would be dumb. I will however compare it ti every other sword I have. Don't get me wrong It's still durable and well made but there are a few issues I have with it. First, it's too heavy. Yes, this cutlas was made to be on the heavy side but mine is a bit overly so. Now that being said a few friends have bought this and none of them weigh the same. Mine, as luck would have it, is heavier than the other two by as much as 9oz. That's over half a pound. In the sword worlds that's a lot. Second, the secondary beveled edge is too steep. What I mean by that is where they sharpened it is at to great an angle. As a result it doesn't cut well as is. I have re-profiled the edge twice using a belt grinder. However it took some doing to get it up to snuff with my other swords that cost about the same. Even the 1917 cutlas machete from cold steel cuts better out of the box. Even not the cutlas is so thick that it's almost as good as the machete was when I got it. Long story short every cold steel sword I have, with the exception of the Italian long sword, required a lot of work to get it up to par. None of my other swords from other companies have required any work done to them. If you don't mind doing the work this is probably just as usable and durable as my darksword or arms and armor. Now that's assuming the Q.C. doesn't miss a tempering issues or what not. In the end I still like cold steel. However, I won't be buying swords from them any more. I will buy their knives, machetes, training swords and axes. I even have a few items from their 2015 catalog on the way right now. But none are swords.

I received my order in 2 days and it arrived in perfect condition. I was immediately impressed by the quality of the workmanship. The fittings and finish were both excellent. Cold steel did a good job all the way around. I am impressed. This sword appears to be a very faithful and historically accurate replica of the 1917 naval cutlass issued to US sailors as late as the 1930s. It's a style of blade that came into fashion as early as 1700 with both navy and army units once everyone stopped wearing heavy armor. The philosophy of use for the 1917 cutlass was simple, provide the troops with a tough, deadly weapon that anyone can use effectively and wasn't as cumbersome or expensive as a longer sword. You can apply the same techniques you would use with a sabre. It's not as agile as a sabre, but the front heavy design gives you a lot of cutting power and the point is somewhat easier to use. You might have a challenge fencing against a sabre or rapier, but for a brawl inside a building or knee deep in mud, this design is perfect. First the dimensions. The blade is ground from heavy 3/8 inch stock 1.5 inches wide. The blade is about 25 inches long and gently curved. This is not a machete. It's a heavy blade capable of delivering a lot of momentum and soaking up tons of abuse. This sword is build to dish it out and take it. The temper appears to be perfect. It comes with a signed document called a "British proof test" that outlines a series of six tests performed on the sword at the factory consisting of striking a block of wood from all angles and flexing the blade 5 inches to each side to prove the temper is correct. Truthfully, I have not been able to test this myself. The blade is too rigid to bend more than an inch or so without a vice. The edge is a fairly conservative sabre grind, which is a convex shape made to take a lot of abuse. It comes with a sharp edge from the factory capable of cutting a steak or slicing bread. It's sharp enough to send you to the emergency room if you get careless. It comes to a wickedly aggressive point, but has a lot of metal left in it almost to the tip, making it a very tough, durable point. If you abuse and ruin the tip (by stabbing it into bricks or something), you will still have a very functional weapon until you can grind it to a sharp point again. The cold steel videos show this blade plunging through car hoods with ease. After holding it, I believe it could do that without damaging the point at all. This is one tough blade. The handle is full tang with scales of well finished hardwood held in place by screws so you can remove them. The fitting of metal to wood is perfect. You can barely see a seam. The screws are polished brass and look nice. It's comfortable to hold and use and very handsome. The guard is historically accurate and built to take it. You can confidently stop another blade or a ball bat with this guard. It may bend slightly if you catch a very heavy blow, but it will protect your hand. You could punch a brick wall with it without any real damage. The scabbard is a work of art. I didn't expect much and I was pleasantly surprised. It's tough leather with heavy stitching, a nice polished brass chape and a very sturdy belt loop. This scabbard is a good replica of the issue scabbards dating back to the 19th century and designed for the rigors of campaigns. It holds the blade securely and protects you from the sword. It looks like it will hold up well. Over all, this is an amazing product for the price.

(pics show frog thingy and handguard removed, i use it as a big knife/machete)ok, so this is a real cutlass. I beat the crap out of it and it is as good as when I bought it. It looks beautiful out of the box, matching brown leather and brown wood, brass screws and brass sheath fittings, and black/blued handguard and blade. its full tang like modern fighting knives, the tang is as cared for as the blade (unlike cheap knives and swords) the screws for the handle are beautiful and strong but i did have a shard of threading break of during heavy use and cut my finger, no big deal just disassemble and file/sand the threads a bit. the sheath is more rugged than I could have imagined, its beautiful, a work of functional art. the frog can hang from the belt and you can pull the sheath out without removing the frog from your belt. it came sharp, but with a nice wide angled edge that allows you to sharpen it to your style. i chose to narrow the angle because i cannot replicate such a fine edge, so i gave it the same edge as my fighting knives. I'm cutting vegetation and maybe people, not armored sword bearing opponents so i can have a more delicate edge than they provide. The first test was 200meters of thornbush, poke weed, and vines. it handles them nicely and if you swing into your leg you can turn the blade and the curve will allow it to bounce off without slicing your shin. on meter 25 i swung it with all my might through some weeds and struck a big steel fence post and dented the post and messed up my edge a bit but much less than expected. it sharpened right out. so did an accidental full force concrete strike. still made me sad, lol. I enjoyed the handguard, it does get a bit loose and it is pretty important to your grip, but I removed it by taking the wood off and slipping it over the tang. it is very slick that way and I recommend not swinging it in anyone's direction with a tired hand, i threw mine 30 feet on accident after an acre of hacking. it is out standing, it stabs very easily, it can hold a hell of an edge, it withstands chopping wood and barbed wire and hitting it on everything. i love it, it's amazing. I bought it as a long knife/machete, something I could reasonably rely on as a tool and weapon. i would grab it before i grab my bersa thunder .380 for home defense, and before my wife's sythe for weeds. light enough to replace a machete. the finish wears off, but in my opinion it looks weathered and distinguished, and the brass is a subtle touch that goes well with anything from half naked filthy pirate to well dressed chief petty officer. it's perfect, i love it. the one bad part is you will need to find a way to secure that handuard. it's comfortable, but the screw needs lock tight and maybe some shimming on the top to mitigate rattle. i beat the crap out of this thing, and its holds an edge like a razor and looks majestic. its an unobtrusive blade that is more classy than a machete. anyways, if you are drooling, buy it. just don't be a nitpicky sour puss. no knife comes free of flaws. there is always something you will have to change to make it your own. and cutlasses got beat to hell, they were for conscripts and enlisted idiots who break every thing. this is nicer than many real ones would have been. PS the frog and handguard are real nice too, sorry for no picture.

Pros: Basically an authentic 19th century dutch klewang(one of the most effective swords EVER designed), well made, sturdy, sharp, affordable, hyper-battle-ready, very attractive, an excellent addition to anyone's 'Zombie Apocalypse Bug-Out Bag' Cons: Sheath on the one I got does not quite fit the sword (curve is different), balance is VERY blade heavy (Historically accurate though) Bottom Line- BUY THIS. Seriously, I fence and this cutlass is as I mentioned totally blade heavy, which is historically accurate. And while it does suck for fencing, in actual combat the heavy blade of the cutlass and klewang were DEADLY. This isn't some light bladed rapier. It's definitely too heavy to swing with the wrist alone. Plus the balance is far enough forward that I couldn't call it a 'quick' weapon AT ALL. But that's all very abstract and really unfair. It really wasn't until I swung this particular sword that I realized that these heavy swords I as a fencer so disdained were simply 'perfect' for fighting more than one opponent, especially in close quarters. These short heavy blades were historically some of the deadliest weapons EVER designed. The Japanese even seized and re-purposed thousands of used dutch klewangs almost exactly like this in the pacific during World War II, grinding of the guards to make them appear more like katana and re-issuing them to their soldiers. While the klewang isn't the weapon a fencer might choose, it's record in combat is to say the least impressive. The truth is, this sword will kill. That's what it wants to do. It was built to hack and slash. It wasn't designed to duel one person. It was built to fight off hordes and destroy anything that is in it's path. It's not for fencing, It's for hacking down fencers. The Rub- On the one I got, the sheath while pretty, doesn't have quite the same curve as the sword. So the brass cap on the end twists when the sword is sheathed and pressure is placed upon it. It is entirely possible that this is a QC problem and not a design issue. I like the sword so much I can live with that one quirk. I'll definitely buy another. If it's sheath is better I'll update the review.

This sword is made by cold steel, and as per their standards its nigh indestructible. I did have a few problems with it however. It comes with a sheath as opposed to a scabbard (no wood inside it) and as a result after only a few times drawing the sword it fits very loosely. Originally it was so tight I thought I was going to end up cutting the sheathe trying to get it in, but quickly the sheath loosens dramatically. It does however come with a loop so no frog is needed. Also the blade has a good edge, but is not sharp in the least. The thing cannot cut through office paper as is and cannot cleanly cut all the way through a simple water bottle. These are about my only complaints however and I do believe it is worth the price. $150.00 for a sword of this caliber is an amazing deal. A few things to note however: this is on the heavier side for cutlasses and has a lot of hand protection which leads to more weight. The point of balance is about 6 inches from the handle which is about the maximum for a cutlass as well. The result is the sword is very powerful but is a bit hard on the wrist. Once sharpened I believe it will cut quite well. Also this is the right handed model, so ensure you use a sword with your right hand before ordering.

Firstly, this sword comes sharper than Lucifer's turgid member, at least by sword standards. Both the tip and the edge will draw blood right from the box (at least mine did) but it is covered in a thin layer of cosmoline. This is to protect both the sword and the leather scabbard from the presumed salty, wet, Naval environment this sword was meant for. A couple swabs of Simple Green, a few coats of WD-40. and some synthetic neatsfoot oil for the sheath, and I was good to go in under 10 minutes. The handle is a no frills double wooden scales bolted to the full tang of this beautifully blued blade. The hand guard is a generously shaped, 2 ml thick piece of stamped, blued steel that will protect your hand from everything to another sword, to a blow to someone's head. Just don't expect it to stop an axe from taking your fingers off. As for the blade itself, like I mentioned before; it is richly blued and sharp as can be. The sword is very, very blade heavy, at 5/16" (5 mm) and 25" (63.5 cm) it just about smashes through anything; be it an opponents defense maneuver or anything else that is unfortunate to get in the way of the swing. This is not an elegant weapon used for single combat, even though hit would make an excellent choice against a single opponent. This is a short, heavy, wickedly sharp sword used to batter aside multiple foes in a relatively enclosed space, delivering vicious cuts and furious stabs left and right. You can smash it against other swords, you can hew down a small tree with it, running a man though takes no more effort than delivering a straight punch, and the whole thing can be brought to fighting condition within 20 minutes, no matter the beating it took otherwise. The scabbard is above par, but not perfect. The whole grain leather is thick, stiff, and includes a frog by which you can carry the blade upon your hip without discomfort. The brass fittings are, as far as this one can tell, top notch and are fastened beautifully. The only problem I have scabbard stems from it's very construction material itself; leather. Leather traps moisture against the blade, besides doing all manner of unfavorable things after it dries. If you keep the blade in cosmoline or well oiled, there should be no problem keeping rust from the metal, especially considering the rich blueing that Cold Steel gave this sword. In short, this is a bastard sword made for bastard people. If you want a sword that is tough as a Marine, and completely no-nonsense, this is your sword.

I bought this as a gift for my best man at my wedding. Cold steel makes excellent products, I've found them to be consistently reliable and durable. This cutlass is no exception. I'm a relatively small man, and wanted a sword that could slash, cut, parry, and stab while being wielded one handed. The cutlass was perfect, well balanced and not too heavy that it would exhaust me after prolonged use. The edge came sharp, and did not need any further work. The black coating on the blade is a nice touch to prevent against moisture and dust. Cold steel made an improved version of this model (with a different basket) but it isn't worth the additional cost. The scabbard is decent quality leather, and has a small plaque that can be engraved. My only recommendation would be to put some grip tape or leather straps on the grip to make it less slick. The packaging was a little banged up, but the sword and sheathe were both intact. The blade is coated in some kind of grease for long term storage, but that is easily removed. Overall, a beautiful weapon.

It's blade heavy, but in a good way for chopping and slicing. Arrived with a nice edge that was sharp and we'll formed. The scabbard is excellent quality, with nice leather and a nice belt loop on the frog. I gave it a few good swings on a woody shrub in the yard, and got some good bites into a tree. The edge held up great and it looks great after cleaning up. I would recommend this for live steel combat or as a dress piece.

Ich kann mich meinen Rezensions-Kollegen CrazyCat nur anschließen! Bei dem 1917 Cutlass wurde besonders Wert auf historische Akkuratheit gelegt. Es gibt jedoch einige Dinge zu beachten. + Die Schwere, das allgemeine Gewicht sowie die damit einhergehende Balance ist bei diesem modernen Modell höher als bei einem historischen. + Die Stahlqualität und Verarbeitung dürfte damit die historische übertreffen!

Seems well made, British proof test means you can get pretty mean with it. Will definately remove an arm in one fell swoop.

good sword

A few critiques here: - I feel that a sword should either come sharpened well, or it should not come sharpened. This is technically sharpened, but badly (fails paper test and fingernail test). - I measured the center point of this sword just under 17cm from the guard. That's cutting power, but when it's that top-heavy it's a chore to draw back. So, great at slicing (when it is sharpened), but not as great at sustained use (for example, fencing). The second point isn't really a "bad" thing necessarily, but something to keep in mind when picking out a sword.