African Brass dagger/Subsaharan

Ahriman · 18th September 2005, 02:08 PM

I'm sorry to inform you that most blades were made with almost no heat...

The exceptions are those of the nobles and of the rich. A quite good example are europeans sword"smiths". They could make a razor-sharp, extremely good blade only with a little coal, a hammer, and an anvil, but they mostly made blades from machine-hammered slabs of steel which were later ground by grinders. This way one can make dozens of swords in a day for the same amount of money one'd get for a noble's blade, on which one'd work for weeks. And btw, they had water mills - they used it.
You know, even I could make a good katana blade without modern tools in a month, but instead, I make a dozen messers in a week... for the same money.

This means that a common soldiers blade, everywhere, even in africa, would be made with as little heat as possible, as, you're right, fuel is expensive, while files are not.

And on fancy forge: if you're a noble powerful/rich enough, you can eat ice-cream even in the sahara...

Ahriman · 18th September 2005, 02:12 PM

zalmoxis: good summary indeed, and nice arms, but I beg... don't use the word "chain mail" anymore... it drives me crazy. It means chain mesh of chains...

(((and I'm quite crazy about armour names, especially when there's no such debate like the greave-vambrace thing.)))

Tim Simmons · 18th September 2005, 05:55 PM

Yes knives can be ground. Looking at my knives from the Sahara, they have all been forged. Water wheels in the Sahara

Coal from the Sahara

Charcoal from wood maybe, forrests in the Sahara

I think even humble knives made in such an environment would be cared for things. Tim

Ahriman · 18th September 2005, 06:11 PM

Then they were possesions of a richer man...

Not only knives... swords as well. See the article on myarmoury.org.

18th September 2005, 05:55 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,925	Yes knives can be ground. Looking at my knives from the Sahara, they have all been forged. Water wheels in the Sahara Coal from the Sahara Charcoal from wood maybe, forrests in the Sahara I think even humble knives made in such an environment would be cared for things. Tim Last edited by Tim Simmons; 18th September 2005 at 06:04 PM. Reason: SPELLING!!!Spelling SpellingSpellingSpelling

18th September 2005, 02:08 PM	#1
Ahriman Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Hungary Posts: 72	I'm sorry to inform you that most blades were made with almost no heat... The exceptions are those of the nobles and of the rich. A quite good example are europeans sword"smiths". They could make a razor-sharp, extremely good blade only with a little coal, a hammer, and an anvil, but they mostly made blades from machine-hammered slabs of steel which were later ground by grinders. This way one can make dozens of swords in a day for the same amount of money one'd get for a noble's blade, on which one'd work for weeks. And btw, they had water mills - they used it. You know, even I could make a good katana blade without modern tools in a month, but instead, I make a dozen messers in a week... for the same money. This means that a common soldiers blade, everywhere, even in africa, would be made with as little heat as possible, as, you're right, fuel is expensive, while files are not. And on fancy forge: if you're a noble powerful/rich enough, you can eat ice-cream even in the sahara...

18th September 2005, 02:12 PM	#2
Ahriman Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Hungary Posts: 72	zalmoxis: good summary indeed, and nice arms, but I beg... don't use the word "chain mail" anymore... it drives me crazy. It means chain mesh of chains... (((and I'm quite crazy about armour names, especially when there's no such debate like the greave-vambrace thing.)))

18th September 2005, 06:11 PM	#4
Ahriman Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Hungary Posts: 72	Then they were possesions of a richer man... Not only knives... swords as well. See the article on myarmoury.org.