swords?

[RangerWickett]

I think the sword he's talking about is the oft-belabored katana. Due to some combination of factors -- very thin folded layers of metal, poor quality of steel, strange forging techniques -- the katana is highly susceptible to leaving acid fingerprints on the blade.

 

[Drifter Bob]

I think the sword he's talking about is the oft-belabored katana. Due to some combination of factors -- very thin folded layers of metal, poor quality of steel, strange forging techniques -- the katana is highly susceptible to leaving acid fingerprints on the blade.

No, he's right, all carbon steel swords will be damaged by finger prints. Even stainless steel will be, just less so. You have to wipe them off immediately and keep the blade oiled. Thats why you will notice when people handle antique swords, as at the ARMA website linked to above, they wear gloves.

DB

 

[Three_Haligonians]

As a sports epeeist, I'm naturally attracted to finesse-focused, rapier-wielding PC concepts. I have the opportunity to weigh the heft of various swords on sale at the club (a side business; they're mostly for show). And from my limited, practical point of view regarding such long, thin, pointy blades, I can't help but fall in love with those swords that have a balance point nearest the guard.

Whoo! Epees! Whoo! rock on!

Sorry, sometimes I get carried away!

T from Three Haligonians

 

[Desdichado]

Antique swords aren't made of stainless steel. And as for Mystery Man's (and now Drifter Bob's) claim that stainless steel does rust, frankly, you're just two guys on the Internet. I'd give the following article from Scientific American a lot more credibility when they say that stainless steel, for all intents and purposes, does not rust.

 

[Three_Haligonians]

As a sports epeeist, I'm naturally attracted to finesse-focused, rapier-wielding PC concepts. I have the opportunity to weigh the heft of various swords on sale at the club (a side business; they're mostly for show). And from my limited, practical point of view regarding such long, thin, pointy blades, I can't help but fall in love with those swords that have a balance point nearest the guard.

Whoo! Epees! Whoo! rock on!

Sorry, sometimes I get carried away!

T from Three Haligonians

 

[redwing00]

another quick question concerning the crafting of swords---In general (no particular sword), what is the usual number of folds used when creating a sword? In D&D, a dm once sent on a quest to recover a sword that was extremely strong do to it being created with 1000 folds. I was just curious. Thanks!

 

[Drifter Bob]

Antique swords aren't made of stainless steel. And as for Mystery Man's (and now Drifter Bob's) claim that stainless steel does rust, frankly, you're just two guys on the Internet. I'd give the following article from Scientific American a lot more credibility when they say that stainless steel, for all intents and purposes, does not rust.

Guffaw! Ok buddy, I guess you put me in MY place. Go ahead and put your finger prints all over that wall hanger, maybe you can teach me a lesson!

DB

 

[Drifter Bob]

Here is some useful information on sword maintenance for both carbon and stainless steel blades...

http://www.swords-n-stuff.com/s-care.html
http://www.grunt.com/scuttlebutt/corps-stories/geninfo/swordcare.asp

For those interested, here are two links on swords and types of sword steel :

http://www.angelic.org/highlander/metallurgy/grades.html
http://www.swords-and-medieval-collectibles.com/swordinfo.html

DB

 

[Drifter Bob]

another quick question concerning the crafting of swords---In general (no particular sword), what is the usual number of folds used when creating a sword? In D&D, a dm once sent on a quest to recover a sword that was extremely strong do to it being created with 1000 folds. I was just curious. Thanks!

This is part of the whole mythology of the Samurai. Here are a few facts to put it in perspective:

1) This folding is done in some swords to assist in carbon migration, the higher the carbon content in the steel the harder it is, and therefore sharper it can be. Swords have to be balanced between hard but brittle high carbon steel to hold a good edge and softer low carbon steel which is springier and will keep the sword from breaking too easily.

2) The 'folds' in a blade actually increase exponentially each time the steel blank is hammered out and folded back over again, so these tales of a million folds aren't quite as amazing as they sound. The carbon migration and hardening processes actually max out way before that point anyway.

3) Many European swords were actually made this way as well. Recent electron micrograph analysis of two 13th century Italian swords revealed hundreds of folds.

4) Folding steel is just one of many advanced techniques used in sword making, and in and of itself isn't particularly relevant. People latch on to anything with a simple number in it, like rockwell hardness or the number of folds, to try to "rate" a sword. The factors which make a good sword are too subtle and too varied to simply rate them this way.

DB

 

[Galethorn]

Good post over all Galethorn, your only mistake IMHO is regarding the "greatsword", which you appear to be following in the steps of D&D by confusing with a true two hander (i.e. dopplehander) and are still exxagerating the weight of. Greatswords or War swords are longswords more specialized for cutting than thrusting. They are the same length as longswords, i.e. about 4- 4 1/2 ' long, or up to around 56". Actual greatswords used in combat very rarely weigh more than about 3 1/2 lbs. Longswords, and bastard swords (which are longswords more specialized for thrusting) usually weigh around 3 to 2 1/2 lbs respectivley.

I know all about real greatswords, but I didn't want to belabor less knowledgable readers, in the same way that I avoided calling light two-handers 'Longswords,' which, though it was their real name, would simply confuse a lot of those who haven't read the things I have.

It's 'pflug" :} and you should try some WMA, it's a lot of fun...

Unfortunately, I live on an island surrounded mostly by EMA on the mainland, and the closest WMA group I'm terribly interested in is on the other side of the Cascades. I am planning a road-trip to visit AEMMA next summer, however.

As for MyArmory and similar sites (Sword Forum comes to mind), you might notice me posting as Felix Thieme.