Hello Everyone, new to the board

pbinns · 2nd January 2007, 11:15 AM

Thanks Jeff, that article was very informative. the phosphoric iron was good enough for low quality axes knives etc but was selected out (or included in when banded and piled with good iron for PW cores) for the higher quality stuff that was heat treated. It points to the diversity of smiths skills and the economic considerations both when in use and when depositing grave goods as possibilities for these various quality differences.

My appreciations for sharing this research with me, although England is full of museums (some would say it IS one big museum ... and will shortly being appointing a Head Curator rather than a prime minister) information like this needs to be sought out carefully from the ivory towers of academia. A bloke smelling of quenching oil and with burn holes in his shirt is not guaranteed an audience in the British Museum!!!.Besides, Im lazy when needing to look things up.

I agree totally with your comments re flexability of blades. Before chrome vanadium heterogenous blast furnace space age steel people did not expect a blade to be bent like a car ariel. If the sword is used edge on and not slapped flat on the sword should not be subject to too much bend stress.

Like you say the only failure that really matters is a sword snapping, which these should not do. Besides in this period a lot of the real fighting was done with spears, swords would come out when the sheild wall broke and the pursuit began, I would think.

Thankyou once again for your assistance matey.. if you are ever in England you must visit. please keep in touch regards paul

2nd January 2007, 11:15 AM	#11
pbinns Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 10	Thanks Jeff, that article was very informative. the phosphoric iron was good enough for low quality axes knives etc but was selected out (or included in when banded and piled with good iron for PW cores) for the higher quality stuff that was heat treated. It points to the diversity of smiths skills and the economic considerations both when in use and when depositing grave goods as possibilities for these various quality differences. My appreciations for sharing this research with me, although England is full of museums (some would say it IS one big museum ... and will shortly being appointing a Head Curator rather than a prime minister) information like this needs to be sought out carefully from the ivory towers of academia. A bloke smelling of quenching oil and with burn holes in his shirt is not guaranteed an audience in the British Museum!!!.Besides, Im lazy when needing to look things up. I agree totally with your comments re flexability of blades. Before chrome vanadium heterogenous blast furnace space age steel people did not expect a blade to be bent like a car ariel. If the sword is used edge on and not slapped flat on the sword should not be subject to too much bend stress. Like you say the only failure that really matters is a sword snapping, which these should not do. Besides in this period a lot of the real fighting was done with spears, swords would come out when the sheild wall broke and the pursuit began, I would think. Thankyou once again for your assistance matey.. if you are ever in England you must visit. please keep in touch regards paul