Not having sufficient knowledge in the field of cold weapons, people often confuse sabers and checkers. Nevertheless, it is obvious that these are completely different types of weapons, differing both in their design and in various features of their combat use. By now, both types of weapons have managed to move into the category of ceremonial samples, but some related issues remain relevant. First of all, there are ongoing discussions on the potential of the two types of blades. Sometimes the disputants are trying to figure out which type of weapon is better, although everything has been determined for a long time.
It should be remembered that a variety of edged weapons can be hidden under the names of sabers and checkers. Both types of blades have come a long way over many centuries, as a result of which a large number of weapons have appeared with various differences and a number of common features. Probably, it is for this reason that not specific samples are often compared, but only their main features. However, this comparison has both advantages and disadvantages.
Edged weapons in the museum. On the edges there are sabers of different types. Photo Vitalykuzmin.net
Historical blades
It is believed that the first sabers were created by Turkic armourers around the 7th century AD. This weapon was actually a modified broadsword, which received a slight bend in the blade. The single-edged blade of a curved shape, having sufficient dimensions, was quite light, and thanks to this it showed certain advantages over the swords of that time. Such weapons were primarily intended for cavalry and in practice proved to be a good tool for fighting foot soldiers.
At the turn of the two millennia, sabers became widespread and were used in the armies of different regions. The warriors of Ancient Russia were among the first to master them, and then such weapons came to Eastern Europe and the Middle East. As they spread, sabers changed. The new operators assumed the use of such weapons in different types of troops and for different purposes, which led to certain modifications of the appearance, including significant ones.
The development of sabers, aimed at optimizing their characteristics for different tasks, continued until the 19th century. The gunsmiths tried different blade configurations, created new versions of the hilt, and also experimented with the size and weight of the weapon. As a result, a great many varieties of sabers appeared, having their own appearance. At the same time, some subclasses are similar to each other, while others differ so much that it is not immediately possible to recognize them as related.
Russian saber from the middle of the 18th century. Photo Wikimedia Commons
So, the European sabers of the modern era had a blade with a length of about 850-900 mm and a bend of at least 30-40 and no more than 50-60 mm. Such weapons were used by infantry and cavalry. The fleet, in turn, used the so-called. boarding sabers are weapons with a blade no more than 500-600 mm long and a powerful hilt that provides maximum protection for the hand. In general, a large number of historical varieties of sabers are known, which had certain differences due to the specifics of their application.
It is simply useless to list all the countries that were armed with certain variants of the saber. Such a weapon was available in almost all armies that followed modern trends in the arms business. Accordingly, sabers were regularly used on the battlefield and contributed to the course of many armed conflicts, almost on all continents.
The first mentions of sabers date back to the XII century, and again a promising weapon was created by Turkic blacksmiths. As in the case of sabers, checkers developed and changed in the future. The final appearance of modern checkers was established already in the New Time. In the distant past, such weapons were used by some Caucasian peoples. Later, from them, the saber got to the Terek and Kuban Cossacks. By the middle of the 19th century, such weapons officially entered service with some Russian structures. A few decades later, the saber appeared in the army, seriously displacing the saber. The role of the latter was significantly reduced, and in a number of cases it was now only a ceremonial weapon.
It should be noted that the replacement of sabers with checkers took place only in Russia. Other countries continued to use sabers of existing designs, in some cases modifying and modifying them. Whether this was a consequence of the progressive views of the Russian command is a topic for a separate discussion.
American boarding saber M1860. Photo by Missouri History Museum / mohistory.org
Checkers managed to take part in all the major wars of the 19th century, and also found application in the battles of the last century. The last conflict with the noticeable use of checkers - as well as edged weapons in general - was the Second World War. By this time, the development of other types of weapons made blades, at least, not the most convenient and useful weapon. In the future, edged weapons finally passed into the category of ceremonial or award weapons without any chance of returning to their previous status.
Technical Issues
During its existence, sabers and checkers have changed several times, which led to the emergence of a mass of subclasses and types of cold weapons. As a result, direct comparison of different samples can often be difficult. To simplify the search for an answer to the traditional question "which is better?" quite often it can be used to compare not specific samples, but the general features of the concept. For all its problems, such a comparison allows you to see the main differences between weapons, as well as understand why one of them gave way to another.
By the time checkers were adopted in our country, sabers of the European type were used - equipped with a relatively long blade with a significant bend. Such a weapon could have a total length of more than 1 m with a curvature of up to 50-60 mm. The mass of such a saber could exceed 1 kg. Most often, the saber was balanced in the middle of the blade, which made it possible to increase its chopping effect. Such weapons were intended for use by cavalrymen and foot soldiers of various types of troops.
Russian checker 1829 Photo Livrustkammaren / emuseumplus.lsh.se
The main feature of the saber, which distinguished it from weapons of older classes, was initially the bend of the blade. Due to this, the saber is capable of exerting both chopping and cutting action on the target. During the slashing blow, the bending causes the blade to literally slide over the target, resulting in cutting. An increase in curvature leads to an increase in cutting action, but at the same time reduces the cutting power. In sabers of different countries and eras, a similar balance of characteristics was used in its own way, which led to the appearance of weapons of different shapes.
The checkers of the 19th century were noticeably different from sabers, although they were to a certain extent similar to them. With the same dimensions and a similar curvature - and therefore a similar cutting and chopping action - they did not have a guard, and also differed in the configuration of the blades. On checkers, a pronounced edge was usually not used, but there was a one and a half sharpening. In addition, the center of gravity of the checker was shifted towards the tip. Based on the speed and ease of use, the saber was often carried in a scabbard with the blade up, which simplified the process of removing it with the subsequent application of a chopping blow.
One of the main differences between checkers and sabers lies in the method of its use in battle. The saber was intended both for striking blows and for protecting against the enemy's blade. This gave certain advantages, but to a certain extent made it difficult to train a fighter. In the case of a saber, the use of weapons was limited to a stabbing or chopping blow, while protection with a blade was not provided.
Checkers handle 1846 Photo Livrustkammaren / emuseumplus.lsh.se
It is the ease of use, and therefore the simplicity of training a soldier, that became one of the reasons for the gradual abandonment of sabers in favor of checkers. So, the Red Army cavalryman had to master only four pricks and three strikes in different directions, after which he could effectively use his saber in battle. Fully learning saber fencing would take much longer.
Logical replacement
At the end of the first third of the 19th century, in some army formations of the Russian Empire, the existing sabers were replaced by sabers. Further rearmament, however, was carried out rather slowly and took several decades. Only in 1881 it was decided to re-equip the bulk of the troops with sabers, replacing sabers. Cavalry units, an officer corps and artillery were re-equipped. The number of sabers declined sharply, and this weapon, in general, retained its ceremonial role.
Different blades were intended for different types of troops, the configuration of which corresponded to the assigned tasks. First of all, the weapon differed in the length and curvature of the blade, as well as the number and location of the lobes. Also, different shapes and materials of the handles were used, although their shape, in general, was common to all samples. Later, new replacements of edged weapons were carried out several times, but the saber still remained the main armament of the cavalry.
The reasons for the gradual abandonment of sabers in favor of drafts are well known. Already in the middle of the 19th century, it became obvious that the main weapon of modern armies is firearms, and the cold now gets a secondary role. Even when they got close, the infantry had to use rifles and bayonets, and therefore the need for weapons with a long blade was reduced. At the same time, the cavalry still needed such means, and the specifics of its combat work made it possible to do without fencing skills. As a result, it was decided to equip the cavalry, and after it other types of troops, with an easy-to-manufacture and mastery saber that fully meets the existing requirements.
Checkers at the 1945 Victory Parade Photo Wikimedia Commons
What's better?
When studying different types of weapons, the expected question necessarily arises: which one is better? In some situations, it does not make sense, and in others, the wording of the question is more correct, taking into account the conditions for the use of weapons. This is exactly the case when comparing a saber and a checker. And if you take into account the requirements, application features and other factors, it turns out that both classes of weapons are good in their own way.
The saber appeared many centuries ago, when the long blade was the main weapon of the soldier. With the help of the saber, it was possible to inflict various blows, and in addition, it helped to block or repel the enemy's attack. The saber in its various forms was used in the infantry, in the cavalry and in the navy. By changing the configuration of the weapon, it was possible to obtain the maximum effectiveness of the battle under the given conditions.
However, in order to effectively use his weapon, a fighter had to spend a lot of time on training. The preparation of a swordsman capable of attacking and defending was a complex and lengthy process. A similar situation persisted for several centuries, until the emergence and widespread dissemination of fundamentally new weapons and related tactics.
Now the army's long-bladed edged weapons can only be seen at parades. Photo of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
By the beginning of the 19th century, firearms were firmly entrenched on the battlefields, and by the end of the same century they became the main weapon of all advanced armies. Melee weapons, including sabers, faded into the background. In such a situation, the long-term training of a soldier to handle blades simply did not make sense: he had to be taught to handle a rifle, which led to obvious consequences. Cold steel retained its potential only in the cavalry, the combat work of which had its own characteristics. In addition, it could be used in some other structures that are not directly related to an open clash with the enemy army.
In the face of a sharp reduction in the number of fights with melee weapons, cavalry and other types of troops were able to choose weapons that were easier to manufacture and use. They were checkers of several varieties, which entered service at the end of the 19th century.
It is not at all difficult to notice that sabers and checkers were used at different times and in different conditions. This allows us to assert that both of these classes of edged weapons have sufficient characteristics and are optimal for their conditions. While the blades dominated the battlefield, the cutting and cutting saber remained in service, and the difficulty of mastering was compensated by the results of its use. In the future, the command considered it beneficial to switch to a checker.
The evolution of edged weapons lasted for many hundreds of years and led to the emergence of a variety of samples for various purposes, differing in characteristics and capabilities. In the course of these processes, gunsmiths from different eras and countries created a great many varieties of sabers, which remained in service until the recent past. However, in the case of the Russian army, sabers eventually gave way to checkers. Conditions changed and the soldiers needed different weapons.
