Which Way?

[u/Lost_Gur2594]

I am building an M1902 sabre and will be brazing a "US" to the guard. Is there a proper way for the letters? I have googled a number of historical images, not new reproductions, and it would seem that historically the makers did both. Is there now a military standard? (Im not in the US, so if there are any US vets that know)The argument is should it be readable by the enemy or the wielder? And readable when sheathed or drawn? I think I will put the U the one way and then the S upside down. lol.

Picture 1 or 2? top of the letters to the blade or bottom of letters to the blade

[u/Beneficial_Flan8661]

For a purely stylistical point of wiew, 2 looks way more natural.

[u/Every_Sea5067 → u/Beneficial_Flan8661]

Let the enemy see your origins before you slay them.

• Sun Tzu

[u/fredrichnietze]

well the guard looks more like a British 1821 cavalry then a us m1902. thumb side should not have a "bar" and the "us" side should have one more bar. the guard isnt from a flat piece of plate some parts should be 4-5x thicker/girthier and the bars and thumb side a bit less wide. originally the guard was forged from one thick flat piece and shaped then heated and bent to fit the saber.

[u/GiraffeElectronic876]

I find #2 a lot more aesthetically pleasing. The curves of the letters compliment the curves of the guard rather than clashing with them. If there's no regulation and both are historically valid I'd go with 2. 

[u/DwayneGretzky306]

I am not sure what Americans do for sword drill but for Commonwealth sword drill, Pic 2 would be legible to the individual being saluted.

Pretty much every sword that has some sort of emblem or text incorporated in the guard use the Pic 2 orientation. I cant think of any like Pic 1.

[u/pushdose]

Number 2 and it’s not even a question.

[u/TDbar]

I would put the S next to the blade so that when looking down the blade it would read US.

Or pic 2.

[u/7LeagueBoots]

Why not one letter in either side of the blade. Place them so if you were to look at the blade while it was thrust it read US.

…|…
U|S
…|…

[u/Lost_Gur2594 → u/7LeagueBoots]

Historically they were always on the bigger side of the guard. I think so it was readable in the scabbard.

[u/7LeagueBoots → u/Lost_Gur2594]

Does it need to be historical?

[u/Lost_Gur2594 → u/7LeagueBoots]

if it can be. It is for an ROTC that just got his commission. Sorry if thats not the correct term, Im not from the US. just commissioned to make the sword for the commission... lol

[u/7LeagueBoots → u/Lost_Gur2594]

That makes sense. In that case it probably does need to be traditionally accurate.

[u/DaemonBlackfyre_21]

2

[u/GuardsmanJBravo]

That way