Forum: European Armoury
21st November 2021, 02:11 PM
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Replies: 29
Views: 28,856
four foot rapier blades ???
Thank-you Fernando. I am not surprised you rise to the occasion.
I am a little unclear when you talk about deducting the tang: was it customary for forgers to measure their blades including the...
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Forum: European Armoury
21st November 2021, 11:08 AM
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Replies: 29
Views: 28,856
four foot rapier blades ???
Hello Folks.
Attached, is a transcribed page from the 1703 contract that the German swordmakers in Shotley Bridge signed for the Company: it lists all the possible blades they must be prepared to...
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Forum: European Armoury
12th October 2021, 02:28 PM
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Replies: 19
Views: 33,303
gilding
The mercury gilding method is what was used on blades alongside the blue - if I am not mistaken. I have read tell that it was a seriously poisonous process.
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Forum: European Armoury
10th October 2021, 11:10 PM
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Replies: 19
Views: 33,303
ignorance
Pardon my ignorance: what does 'bump' signify?
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Forum: European Armoury
25th August 2021, 06:18 PM
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Replies: 35
Views: 53,644
Latin exports
I don't remember where I heard about England buying steel from Spain and Italy - until wars prevented it, but given the reputation of Toledo blades it seems obvious.
Questions now arise: where did...
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Forum: European Armoury
24th August 2021, 08:33 PM
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Replies: 35
Views: 53,644
for accuracy's sake
Just to keep the record straight I have found and supply an image of the mistaken sword.
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Forum: European Armoury
23rd August 2021, 11:33 PM
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Replies: 35
Views: 53,644
error correction
I made a mistake... my sword is not the Wentworth-Woodhouse sword.
The casket is as described, but the sword is in the possession of the Royal Armouries.
It is virtually identical to mine except...
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Forum: European Armoury
22nd August 2021, 09:12 PM
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Replies: 35
Views: 53,644
New Shotley Bridge book.
Hello Keith, I have just-re read your excellent book on the swords of Shotley Bridge and I recall a while ago you were actually in Solingen searching their archives most thoroughly ! The sword you...
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Forum: European Armoury
19th August 2021, 04:39 PM
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Replies: 35
Views: 53,644
man, myth and magic
Hello Fernando.
What an astonishing and revelationary treatise on Toledo.
Toledo was always the most famous of course: as an individual, completely unconnected with the blade world, I was always...
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Forum: European Armoury
18th August 2021, 09:47 PM
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Replies: 35
Views: 53,644
Wootz up Doc'
Hey Fernando, thank-you for that link: I was able to absorb about 50% of it before my brain imploded. The metallurgy involved in blade-making is simply too vast to take on board without devoting...
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Forum: European Armoury
18th August 2021, 07:49 PM
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Replies: 35
Views: 53,644
Tempus fugit
The issue I was opening for debate is that Wootz may not have been tempered.
This seems like a contradiction to everything we have come to understand about blade forging.
Are there any blacksmiths...
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Forum: European Armoury
17th August 2021, 11:08 PM
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Replies: 35
Views: 53,644
ps
Note the very distinctive forge weld of the blade up at the forte and the gouge under the letter B in the softer metal.
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Forum: European Armoury
17th August 2021, 11:06 PM
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Replies: 35
Views: 53,644
Shotley Bridge blade
My Shotley Bridge sword (which was actually forged in Solingen and brought over with the immigrants: it has a Passau Wolf along with the script Shotley Bridg; see images) is still fantastically sharp...
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Forum: European Armoury
17th August 2021, 10:44 PM
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Replies: 35
Views: 53,644
Wootz
It was vital that the correct leaves and twigs were added to the crucible when making Wootz. Just adding charcoal/carbon didn't do it as there needed to be trace elements of Molybdemum, Vanadium and...
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Forum: European Armoury
17th August 2021, 08:53 PM
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Replies: 35
Views: 53,644
Poor standards of English blades
Here is an edited piece from Bezdek on the run-up to establishing Hounslow:
In 1621, King James I declared that he needed military swords for 12,000 men (for the Thirty Years War). Previously, he...
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Forum: European Armoury
17th August 2021, 08:23 PM
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Replies: 35
Views: 53,644
Toledo blade science
Thank-you Fernando. I ran it through Google Translate and got an 85% accuracy.
Unfortunately, with so much technical content the translator was unable to achieve a usable result.
If I had a...
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Forum: European Armoury
17th August 2021, 02:49 PM
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Replies: 35
Views: 53,644
Myth, magic and metals
In response to the query about Solingen's superior output, here is a short explanation:
In the 16th century, the forging technique in Solingen was already quite advanced in its development and...
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Forum: European Armoury
14th August 2021, 09:34 PM
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Replies: 35
Views: 53,644
English blades
This seems like another simple question but I have a feeling it may prove otherwise.
During my research there has been one unavoidable issue that remains unanswered:
why could the English not...
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Forum: European Armoury
14th August 2021, 09:30 PM
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Replies: 18
Views: 16,754
blade marks at Hounslow
Benjamin Stone was the biggest operator at Hounslow; he was certainly the most notorious. His factories and mill feature prominently on the map of Hounslow at the time.
Most of the Germans there...
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Forum: European Armoury
14th August 2021, 01:04 AM
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Replies: 18
Views: 16,754
remarkable about turn
Jim, that first sword is almost identical to mine. In fact, I would not be surprised if my grip binding was not a replacement for the original antler.
Adding it all up, I now think that the 1553...
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Forum: European Armoury
13th August 2021, 10:24 PM
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Replies: 18
Views: 16,754
blade marks cont'
I have to agree with you Jim and disagree with Stuart: you will recall that my initial question at the beginning of this thread was whether such a blade as mine was produced in Solingen in the early...
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Forum: European Armoury
13th August 2021, 07:14 PM
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Replies: 18
Views: 16,754
Shields
Yet again we progress, thank-you Jim.
The shield is like a one on a swept hilt rapier I have. You attributed it to a City Guard which is almost certainly correct as far as the rapier is...
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Forum: European Armoury
13th August 2021, 03:40 PM
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Replies: 18
Views: 16,754
2 swords
Don't let my grasshopper attention confuse: the latten with the crosses and accompanying shield are from the sword I didn't acquire.
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Forum: European Armoury
13th August 2021, 03:37 PM
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Replies: 18
Views: 16,754
Dates
Thanks again Jim... when do you sleep???
Your information regarding numbers is equally compelling and makes me question my indication of the historical event of 1553.
This business of ANNO...
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Forum: European Armoury
12th August 2021, 11:01 PM
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Replies: 18
Views: 16,754
ps
Sorry, should have included the image of the shield; here it is:
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