Forum: European Armoury
8th March 2025, 04:26 PM
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Replies: 5
Views: 3,705
Mexican arms and armour
Hi Jim. Interesting question about an episode I know nothing about, so it begs the next question: are there arms and armour societies in Mexico?
You probably can't pop over and scope it out right...
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Forum: European Armoury
8th January 2025, 03:18 PM
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Replies: 15
Views: 26,331
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Forum: European Armoury
7th January 2025, 10:27 AM
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Replies: 16
Views: 32,556
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Forum: European Armoury
7th January 2025, 10:16 AM
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Replies: 15
Views: 26,331
PS
Just a note: I love this sword.
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Forum: European Armoury
7th January 2025, 10:16 AM
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Replies: 15
Views: 26,331
Thank-you Ulfberth
Thank-you for that information, which is all new to me.
Did you notice that there are the remains of additional lettering above the ANNA on one side.
Any clue as to what they might be.
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Forum: European Armoury
6th January 2025, 09:43 PM
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Replies: 15
Views: 26,331
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Forum: European Armoury
6th January 2025, 09:33 PM
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Replies: 13
Views: 25,555
correction
Sorry, that was the wrong shell image; here is the correct one.
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Forum: European Armoury
6th January 2025, 09:27 PM
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Replies: 13
Views: 25,555
Smallswords in North Britain in the 1600s
Those two smallswords were forged by Adam Oley in Shotley Bridge in c.1688.
They were hilted by a cutler in (The Side) Newcastle, name of Thomas Carnforth.
It is suspected, but as yet unconfirmed,...
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Forum: European Armoury
5th January 2025, 02:41 PM
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Replies: 13
Views: 25,555
mea culpa
Yes, I absolutely mean 600 and 650gr... what was I thinking?!
Those are exactly the kind of early smallswords we find predominating up in the North of the British Isles. They were made in Shotley...
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Forum: European Armoury
4th January 2025, 11:42 AM
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Replies: 13
Views: 25,555
something completely different - but...
Up here in the North of England, and over into Scotland, there existed (I know this because many still do) a lot of smallswords with narrow double edged blades.
It seems that, at first, the hollow...
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Forum: European Armoury
4th January 2025, 10:42 AM
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Replies: 13
Views: 25,555
weight
One thing I didn't indicate was the weight of the two swords:
the hollow blade French smallsword is c.35g
the rapier blade Portuguese smallsword is c.40g
So, a little heavier, which is apparent...
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Forum: European Armoury
3rd January 2025, 09:36 PM
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Replies: 13
Views: 25,555
length and balance
Well… so much for my theory!
I compared the Portuguese, rapier bladed, smallsword with a typical silver-hilted French hollow blade smallsword and surprise, surprise: both have 32" blades and both...
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Forum: European Armoury
3rd January 2025, 08:50 PM
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Replies: 3
Views: 15,933
navaja
Hey Jim, these have always intrigued me. I often see them up to auction or for sale.
They remind me of Scottish dirks - in as much as they can be as deadly as a sword yet remain within the...
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Forum: European Armoury
3rd January 2025, 01:57 PM
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Replies: 13
Views: 25,555
Weight
One thing is for certain, and that is the balance/weight of the rapier blade in a smallsword hilt: it is much further forward compared to a trefoil blade. This will certainly influence the style of...
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Forum: European Armoury
2nd January 2025, 01:27 PM
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Replies: 13
Views: 25,555
repurposed rapier blades
Hello Folks; wishing you all the best for '25.
Hi Jim. You will recall that just last week I suggested that the Portuguese and Spanish appeared to prefer their slim rapier blades on small-sword...
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Forum: European Armoury
7th December 2024, 12:10 PM
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Replies: 5
Views: 5,084
Pencil
You can see it starts as pencil; is perfected - no doubt with much erasure use - then carefully inked over; still needs care and attention to detail... no coffee that day for sure.
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Forum: European Armoury
7th December 2024, 12:02 PM
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Replies: 5
Views: 5,084
blow-ups
Thank-you, that is much appreciated.
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Forum: European Armoury
6th December 2024, 06:25 PM
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Replies: 5
Views: 5,084
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Forum: European Armoury
30th November 2024, 12:08 PM
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Replies: 5
Views: 4,938
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Forum: European Armoury
18th November 2024, 10:49 PM
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Replies: 351
Views: 516,601
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Forum: European Armoury
17th November 2024, 05:28 PM
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Replies: 21
Views: 17,125
Science
There is a limit to how much metallurgical science I can assimilate, and... truth be told - need to.
I felt Al Pendray's successes, and the accompanying history in the video, fulfilled my quest for...
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Forum: European Armoury
16th November 2024, 02:38 PM
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Replies: 21
Views: 17,125
The Secrets of Wootz Damascus steel
'The Secrets of Wootz Damascus Steel'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP8PCkcBZU4&list=WL&index=1
I have now twice watched this brilliant documentary from six years ago, and realised that, while I...
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Forum: European Armoury
15th November 2024, 10:23 PM
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Replies: 21
Views: 17,125
Jordan mine
Saladin considered the source of the miracle metal so important he built a castle to guard the mine. What I meant when I said "the Germans would probably not have access to it" was the mine and its...
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Forum: European Armoury
15th November 2024, 12:28 PM
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Replies: 21
Views: 17,125
and the answer is...
Wootz is wootz, regardless of where it comes from; I think that has now been firmly established thanks to modern blacksmiths replicating the formula and techniques.
Damascus means simply: 'Made in...
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Forum: European Armoury
14th November 2024, 11:47 PM
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Replies: 21
Views: 17,125
wootz or not wootz
Thank-you for those links, it is much appreciated.
I will continue this discussion tomorrow as I am needing my bed right now,
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