British Midshipman’s Dirk – Universal Swords

In the Age of Sail, the midshipman of a British or American ship would be expected to fight in a boarding action, and like the officers of higher ranks they would carry weapons emblematic of their status to separate them from the crew. In the Napoleonic Era most candidates for midshipmen came from well-to-do families and these boys would have been outfitted with blades fit for young gentlemen. By the Victorian Era these blades, like the rest of the swords and dirks used in the rest of the Royal Navy, became standardized. Midshipmen by this time were essentially junior officers and they came from the Naval schools to serve on a vessel for several years before taking their lieutenant exams.

Long enough to be thought of as a small sword, this Royal Navy Midshipmans Dirk is of the 1856 pattern. It has an unsharpened blade of high carbon steel that is embossed with the iconography of the Crown and the Royal Navy. It has a blank section that is ideal for etching. The hilt is of brass and the grip is of faux rayskin inlaid with strands of twisted brass wire. The scabbard is of black leather and is capped with a throat and chape piece of brass with two hanging rings. The scabbard has a simple locking mechanism that slides into the guard, locking it into place. It is released with light pressure on locking lever.

Please note that it is common and standard for this item to have patination / light corrosion where the leather tab is in contact with the guard and base of the blade. It can be cleaned with polishing paste or careful use of scuff pads.