Category Archives: Handmade Swords

The Best Steel for Forging Medieval Swords

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medieval swords, forging, sword steel

Forging Medieval Swords

By Benjamin Rial

I get asked many questions regarding the construction of swords and one of the most popular is what kinds of steel do I think are best? If we are talking about a European medieval sword, which we usually are, then the characteristics of an alloy should satisfy several traits. First, the steel has to be suitably tough. It has to resist shock well. This blade is going to (or at least designed to) encounter wood, cloth, and other metals with regularity. To be able to do this and survive (not break) it must be able to b and manipulate the shock properly. Part of this ability has to do with design and heat-treatment but we are just discussing the steel itself. Second the steel must be able to hold an edge reasonably well.

In general we need to look at a steel with between 50 and 75 points of carbon in it. That means between 0.50% and 0.75% carbon. A little carbon goes along way. Over the years I have found that steels with a higher carbon content tend to be a little brittle when used in longer blades. Plain carbon steel like 1080 and 1095 work just fine but their toughness is somewhat less than the other steels we will discuss. Steels with less than 50 points of carbon are generally too soft and do not harden to a great degree, making a blade that will be tough as can be but won’t hold an edge and will stay bent if flexed. Alloys with between 50 and 75 points of carbon also help satisfy our other desire, holding an edge. A word about sword edges. It is not absolutely vital for a sword to have a razor sharp thin edge. Taking into account the physics involved you can (and I have on various test mediums) cause tremendous amounts of damage with a flat edge. Obviously a sharp edge will cut more efficiently. That is after all what we are looking for; the ability to end a hostile encounter in the quickest manner possible. A sharp sword helps meet this goal better than a dull one. So we definitely want a blade steel that will take and hold a good edge.

So what do I use?

Over the years I have tried several steels for sword blades. As stated previously, 1080 and 1095 work fine but tend to be a little brittle. A broken sword is just as bad as a bent one, if not worse. 1050, 1060, and 1075 are all excellent plain carbon steels with the right amount of carbon to satisfy our criteria. S-1 and S-5 are low alloy steels used for chipping and riveting pneumatic tools and as such tend to absorb shock very well. Their edge-holding ability leaves a little to be desired however. 5160 seems to be about ideal in my opinion. 5160 has about 60 points of carbon in it but also contains several other elements to increase its toughness such as chromium and silicon. Chromium increases the depth penetration of hardening processes and the responsiveness to heat-treatment. Silicon increases the tensile strength and hardenability of a steel. Both of these elements are found in small quantities in 5160 (less than 1% each) but this is enough to impart their desirable characteristics into the steel. 5160 is commonly used in automotive leaf springs (though I always use new steel bar stock, not recycled springs). It holds an edge quite well, and resists shock very well. This steel seems to me to be about ideal for non-laminated sword blades.

A note about stainless steels for sword blades. I have experimented with a variety of stainless alloys for swords blades including 420, 440, ATS34, 154CM, and they all exhibited a high degree of brittleness; they broke. Companies that use stainless steels for sword blades compensate for this by making the blades thicker and tempering them softer making the blade heavy, unwieldy, and unable to hold an edge well. To me this is unacceptable. I have tested blades forged from 5160 (made by myself and others) extensively through the years and with proper design and heat-treatment as well as good forging technique, they perform admirably.

This article is courtesy of Ben Rial and Forged in Time – Medieval Swords

Forged in Time is dedicated to the crafting of high quality handmade swords as well as providing education on bladesmithing and medieval history.

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Benjamin Rial

I am the owner and master bladesmith at Forged In Time, a custom blacksmithing business specializing in medieval and modern tools and weaponry with a focus on blades. I am also a prolific writer in the subjects of medieval weaponry and history.

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Medieval Swords – Legends, Mystique, and Reality

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medieval swords, medieval riding sword, handmade swords

Medieval Swords

Medieval Swords – Legends, Mystique, and Reality

By Benjamin Rial

The medieval sword is designed to cut, chop, and stab. It would encounter very hard materials such as other swords and other medieval weapons and armor mostly made of steel. To be able to withstand this abuse and not break, the medieval sword had to have a great degree of toughness. This was accomplished by tempering the sword blade to a greater degree of flexibility while reducing the edge-holding ability slightly. The medieval sword is a weapon that puts as much focus on offense as defense both in its design and especially in it’s use. Position, timing and movement are every bit as important to a medieval European knight or solider as they are to any warrior, however the medieval sword was designed to serve in a far greater capacity in terms of defense.

We do not live in a world anymore where the sword is the pinnacle of weapons development. No longer do the armies of the world meet each other on the field and hack away with sword, axe, and mace. The average person is far less well-acquainted with what real weapons are. Therefore, I feel it is the responsibility of those of us who have an enthusiasm and love of these things to help educate the general buyer.

He told her to “take your daughter and whatever wealth you want.”

She asked, “Do you mind the loss of your sword so much?”

“I’d have to lose a great deal of money before I minded as much the loss of that sword.”

“Then you shall never have it, since you have treated me dishonorably.”

- From the Viking Laxdæla saga (chapter 30)

In the not too distant past, say 400 years or so, the sword was considered to be a more civilized weapon than the war hammer, firearm, or axe. Why? While any weapon can have a defensive ability, no other weapon has such a balanced capability as the sword. Other weapons are more specifically concentrated on the attack. The sword’s ability to be used with equal skill for noble defense allows it to have a more psychologically “pleasing” sentiment attached to it. Let us not forget that the most exciting and significant battles in literature and, in the modern age, movies, are fought with swords. Brave men wielding shiny steel swords rescue fair maidens from fell beasts or vile tyrants, and the battles that ensue are thrilling and desperate, where good triumphs over evil.

Many legends and mystique surround the construction and use of the medieval sword, alluding to its otherworldly properties and the special talent required to build one. Caliburn (excalibur), Durandal, Aettartangi, all of these and most of the world’s famous, legendary weapons are swords. The most important and ceremonial weapon in a knight’s arsenal is his sword, and he would own several. The weapon used to declare a squire’s transformation into a knight is the sword. Many nations had and still have a special coronation sword for declaring the king or emperor to be the one in power. Even though technically “obsolete” on the field of battle in our modern age, many military units, such as the United States Marine Corps, still carry swords as part of their ceremonial attire.

I know we no longer live in a time where the sword is a standard weapon on the field of battle, but they are the weapons of the nobility, either in birth or heart. The wearing of a sword gives the owner a sense of pride, strength, and confidence, that he will be able to face come what may.

This article is courtesy of Ben Rial and Forged in Time – Medieval Swords

Forged in Time is dedicated to the crafting of high quality handmade medieval swords as well as providing education on bladesmithing and medieval history.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Benjamin_Rial
http://EzineArticles.com/?Medieval-Swords—Legends,-Mystique,-and-Reality&id=5620276

Dan Thomas

I am a website copywriter and an historical reenactor living and working in northern Minnesota. I write articles on history and spirituality, and am currently in the process of writing a sequel to my first book. My intention as a writer is to create stories that engage the reader's imagination as well as their mind and to explore the answers of some of life's 'big questions'. I have just written a new book called "Inner-Tech" which can be found at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/59984. Here's a short description: "From mental conception to the birth of a new generation, it follows the adventures and experiences in the memory of a being known simply as Sojourn. He embarks on a quest of questions and answers upon awakening to a desperate message given by a mysteriously ancient and alien library. To succeed he must bring all of his wits and will to the war of good against evil before existence itself is lost."

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Forged in Time – Handmade Medieval Swords and Medieval Reenacting

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Sword Battle Reenactment Puts Forged in Time and it’s Handmade Swords to the Test

handmade swords, handmade knives, medieval swords, medieval knives, medieval reenacting, swordfight

Reenacted sword fight with hand forged blades by Forged in Time

Here’s an example of Ben and Dan Rial testing two of Forged in Time’s handmade medieval swords. Forged in Time does medieval reenactments and here they are demonstrating a 15th century swordfight to fellow medieval reenactors at the White Oak Fur Post in Deer River MN.

This is live steel sword-fighting and should NOT be attempted by anyone unless they are extensively trained. By live steel, I mean that they are using REAL handmade swords, not blunted stage weapons, that they are swinging full speed, full force, and that they are sword fighting in-distance. Other than the fact that they are not actually trying to kill each other, (although it’s hard to tell), it’s as close to real as you can get. The fights are not rehearsed or choreographed. They are freestyle and typically last for about 15 minutes.

Forged in Time’s handmade swords will stand up to this type of use time and again.

“Frankly my brother and I have tried many different swords (and other weapons) by other makers and companies over the years and nothing has withstood the use we put them too. That’s me in the black and my bro in the red. He’s obviously in better shape than I am, but we do routinely practice for 3 or 4 hours straight. So the swords and other weapons (daggers, axes, maces, polearms, shields, etc.) are really put through their paces.” – Ben Rial (Bladesmith)

Many handmade medieval swords are often just show pieces or wall hangers, but Forged in Time’s swords and handmade knives are certain to stand up to actual use. Each blade is completely handmade in the traditional old world style of anvil, hammer, and coal fire. Although they sell swords and knives each based on a certain style, each blade is unique in that it is made to order. They’ll also be happy to do custom engraving to give your handmade sword a personal appeal. It’s in that sense that they also make terrific gifts.

Handmade Swords – The Medieval Longsword

The basic longsword certainly possess many attributes that make it an almost perfect weapon. Its over-all length is most commonly between 40 and 48 inches. This makes the longsword moderate in reach without being too tasking to carry for long periods of time. The average weight of the longsword is from 2.7 to 3.5 pounds. This again is a comfortable weight for most people. You can wield this type of sword with just a little practice and will find physics are on your side insofar as the design of the blade is weighted to serve you when swinging. The overall balance of most longswords is closer to the guard, usually within 3 inches. This too contributes to the general “handiness” of the weapon by providing a pleasing and fluid movement.

The grip is usually what can be termed as a hand-and-a-half or “bastard” length of between 5 and 8 inches. Bastard, meaning that the length is between that of a two-handed sword length and single hand sword length, thus it cannot be legitimately claimed to be either and is instead a “bastard” grip. This length of grip provides a solid balance for a single hand and yet has enough space to add a second hand for extra power or control.

The blade profile itself is usually tapered strongly to a fine point but still has enough width for decent cutting ability. Often it is forged with a flattened diamond or lenticular cross-section and a moderate distal taper with enough thickness to make a stiff blade for thrusting. If it is fullered, then it is usually only fullered for the top 1/3 to 1/2 of the length. Blade lengths seem to average between 30 and 38 inches with 34 to 36 inches being quite common. This makes this type of handmade sword versatile in its application. Cutting, chopping, thrusting, it will perform all very well.

The hilt design itself is usually fairly simplistic and straight forward. This is not to say that more complex hilts did not exist, for they most certainly did, especially in the later 15th century, but by and large longsword hilts lacked side rings and such. A simple guard rests flatter against the body when walking, sitting, riding a horse, etc. Pommels for longswords are often wheels, disks, scent-stoppers, or various truncated wedges and fish-tail designs. Moderate weight, flat and stream-lined design, excellent balance, bastard-length grip, and a flexible blade design make for a sword with wide appeal.

Benjamin Rial

I am the owner and master bladesmith at Forged In Time, a custom blacksmithing business specializing in medieval and modern tools and weaponry with a focus on blades. I am also a prolific writer in the subjects of medieval weaponry and history.

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