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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Commander Dan: [QB] [QUOTE]Originally posted by Nim Pim: [qb]I don't understand why "mere stainless steel" would be negative to a sword, it must be a fuck of a lot better than aluminum or tin.[/qb][/QUOTE]Stainless steel is a poor choice of metal for swords for several reasons: It does not hold an edge very well. It cannot be properly heat treated and tempered. It is a brittle steel with little or no flex. A good sword that has been properly tempered will bend at least 5 inches (if not more) out of line and return true. Try that with a stainless steel sword and you end up with one bent sword. Real swords throughout the Medieval and Renaissance periods were forged from what is typically referred to today as “carbon spring steel.” (That is somewhat of a misnomer, since all steel by definition, has SOME carbon in it.) I do not know all the metallurgical properties of stainless steel, but I do know that it does not contain enough carbon and cannot be properly tempered. The steel is too brittle for real swordplay, and has almost no flexibility. Real swords were forged from iron, and carbon was added by using charcoal in the forging process. This created a strong flexible steel that would hold an edge very well. A sword undergoes a lot of torque when being using in combat, and contrary to popular belief, the flat of the blade (as opposed to the edge) was used a great deal in parrying and/or blocking. Thus, one can see how a sword would need good flexibility. Additionally, a real sword will rust, and it must constantly be oiled. [QUOTE]Originally posted by Nim Pim: [qb]I got to feel them, they weren't light and cheap at all, but very solid, without feeling clumsy.[/qb][/QUOTE]When it comes to a sword’s weight, light is a GOOD thing. Again, contrary to popular belief, real Medieval and Renaissance swords were quite light. (After all, who would want to fight on the battlefield with a 10-pound longsword?) A “typical” Medieval longsword (about 4 feet in overall length) weighed anywhere from 2 to 3.5 pounds. Anything beyond 3.5 lbs. would certainly have been considered too heavy. [QUOTE]Originally posted by Nim Pim: [qb]And wtf are these supposed "rat-tail tangs"???[/qb][/QUOTE]The tang is the part of the metal blade that extends into the handle. On any good quality “functional” sword, the tang will have actually been forged as part of the blade. A good tang will usually be fairly wide. On poorer quality swords, the tangs are actually welded onto the blade at the point of the shoulder. Often in this case, the tang is nothing more than a thin metal bar, and this type of tang is usually referred to as a “rat-tail-tang.” [IMG]http://users.exp.net/hinson/tang.jpg[/IMG] I would contend that in the world of swords and swordsmanship: Stainless steel = junk United Cutlery = junk I think it is safe to say that most (if not all) serious sword enthusiasts would agree with this assessment. Good quality swords are usually produced by folks such as: Angus Trim Armart of Europe Del Tin …Just to name a select few. For additional information on swords and swordsmanship on the net, I recommend: Sword Forum International: http://www.swordforum.com The Association for Renaissance Martial Arts: http://www.thearma.org For additional reading on swords, check out: "The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe" by Sydney Anglo "Medieval Swordsmanship: Illustrated Methods and Techniques" by John Clements "Swords & Hilt Weapons" by Michael D Cole, et. al. "European Weapons and Armour" by Ewart Oakeshott "Records of the Medieval Sword" by Ewart Oakeshott. [/QB][/QUOTE]
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