Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

To: Notoriously Conservative
Hard to know where to begin with this. So much of the info is extremely generalized, or flat wrong. A couple of comments:

Medieval knights used two types of swords: a short sword with a pointed end that was used with one hand and a heavy two-handed sword with a rounded end.

The authority on sword typology, Eward Oakeshott, classed many sword types of this era. Check out this. The two-handed "rounded ended" swords seen in many museums, such as the Tower of London, are execution swords. Those used in battle, such as the zweihander, would have a point.

"Damascus" is usually another generic term for a pattern welded blade. These are made by layering different steel alloys in the billet, which is then forge welded and twisted/folded repeatedly to form various patterns. Damascus was an early trade center for these, but there were several areas that did this, including the Vikings, Indians, and Persians.

19 posted on 05/04/2009 2:13:10 PM PDT by LexBaird (Tyrannosaurus Lex, unapologetic carnivore)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: LexBaird

I am currently making a silver hilted dagger using a blade of pattern welded steel crafted by a master American blade smith. He makes the Damascus blades for a living and has a many month waiting list. He doesn’t make swords though.

His blades will cut nails with no ill effects to the blade


32 posted on 05/05/2009 4:43:38 AM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 . Crucify ! Crucify ! Crucify him!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson