Hubby's Clothing :-)

[The Major]

dawnluckham said:

Thank you dear Major. ;D

Indeed, I didn’t think about the American love of weapons (that’s not a ‘swipe’ by the way). If I had considered the whole “right to bear arms” thing I would of course realize that in the US one would wear a sword whereever one pleased.

It also makes perfect sense that in any of ‘The Colonies’ the practicality of one’s safety would override fashionable etiquette in London. I imagine that sword wearing in Lower and Upper Canada would take on a more ‘functional’ nature here as well.

I still wish I could recall that tiny bit of info in the back of my mind. It’s “niggling”. I can also see how in “polite society” the open wearing of a sword would be aggressive and possibly inappropriate at the gaming tables for example, or in a ball room, or in doing business in a refined place.

So your ancestors were from Connecticut, were they? I completed my final two years of high school in Brookfield Center. My parents owned one of the early (pre Federal era) inns built directly across from the Village Store. Huge walk in fireplace and massive kitchen in the basement and another huge walk in fireplace and bake oven in the ‘assembly room’. It’s a place full of neat and interesting history! (And ghost stories! )

I did not take it to be a swipe of any kind. I should have been more clear that I meant America and not England. I need to do a better job that, especially considering this is a 'Regency' site which is primarily England. I need to do a better job of making that distinction.

I believe you are still correct about carrying a sword in polite society, military aside. I would imagine that social events and places - Balls, gaming places, and the like - would probably not find many gentlemen wearing their sword or would at least have a place to check them upon entering (much like what we are doing at our Ball this weekend).

I've only been to Connecticut once a long time ago. It was beautiful country, but I didn't get to spend much time there. I would really like to trace more of my roots there someday.

[dawnluckham]

To be perfectly honest, just about every sword cane I've seen is fairly worthless for self defense unless the attacker has no weapon at all. But then that could be the military man in me, the one that carries a 36" field grade officer's sabre.

LOL! You could be quite right. I have no idea. I've only ever seen one sword cane. My father owned it. It looked impressive enough to me. Long sharp pointy thing that could hurt someone!

[lauren]

Too funny :-) My hubby was looking at canes yesterday and he wants one with a sword in it.

LOL, he cracks me up. I'm still so surprised he is getting into the Regency as much as he is. We got his frock coat in the mail yesterday and, of course, the arms were short. So I bought some very close fabric and made cuffs for the sleeves. He was so excited as soon as he got home he put his coat on over his scrubs, looked at his sleeves, and said "I want buttons on them." I just about died laughing. So we found some buttons that are close to the ones on the front of the coat and now he is very happy.

[Mme de Beaufort]

Technically, sword-canes (the real ones) are not legal in the US. My husband purchased a less than stellar quality one online for about $20; which doesn't count as a real sword-cane because the blade probably wouldn't cut butter.

There are higher quality ones that are still within the legal parameters on various sites, and they range from about $40 - $120; some are very nice indeed. The really high-quality ones have nice thin cane-sticks as opposed to a fat, clumsy one to put the sword part in. My husband got one of those push and twist ones, and the mechanism broke on the fifth or sixth use. Don't expect high quality goods here.

www.armorysupply.com/merchant.ihtml?&lastcid=164&pid=46888&Step=4

www.888knivesrus.com/category/.swordcanesumbrellas/

www.thecollectorsedge.com/products.asp?dept=1018