12-30-2014, 07:29 AM
Bryan:
I didn`t say that they did not have the ability to and knowledge about hardening steel in these times. By fact, there are quite old pieces of intentionally hardenend steel as early as 5th century b.C. in central europe ( in: "Zur Schmiedetechnik im römischen Bayern" by Radomir Pleiner; he mentions a hardened chisel from Poland from late Hallstatt) But hardening alone doesn`t give flexibility to a sword or any other tool.
The archeological finds which are examined tell us that there were many different types of steel and combinations of them in varying forms in use. One can roughly speak of an "evolution" of blade-making. Every generation had the knowledge of the one before and did some experiments and improvements. It may very well be that in most of the timeframe there have been swords with the quality mentioned in your source, but most of the finds we have tell another story.
The story of the "springy" blades comes up even later in the 9th. century A.D. when a frankish chronist (I think it was Erhart) speaks about a test which his emperor did with a blade he received as a gift from the Danes: he bent it and it stayed so. Then one of the ashamed Danes offered him his own sword which was a springy one. So there were different qualities of blades even as late as the 9th and a springy blade was considered "special".
The mass of early imperial roman blades did not have these abilities. They are not necessary. When used in a correct way, a blade with a soft core and hard edges will work very well (see the tests Christian Koepfer and his LEG XIII did some years ago: Die römische Arnee im Experiment 2011, p. 73-82 "Die Effektivität römischer Waffen; der Gladius"). In case of inproper use and bending there is no problem to rebend such a blade (to some degree of course).
Jason:
normally steel with a higher carbon content is corroded faster than low-carbon steel when buried in the earth. That effect can be seen on many archeological finds of blades.
I didn`t say that they did not have the ability to and knowledge about hardening steel in these times. By fact, there are quite old pieces of intentionally hardenend steel as early as 5th century b.C. in central europe ( in: "Zur Schmiedetechnik im römischen Bayern" by Radomir Pleiner; he mentions a hardened chisel from Poland from late Hallstatt) But hardening alone doesn`t give flexibility to a sword or any other tool.
The archeological finds which are examined tell us that there were many different types of steel and combinations of them in varying forms in use. One can roughly speak of an "evolution" of blade-making. Every generation had the knowledge of the one before and did some experiments and improvements. It may very well be that in most of the timeframe there have been swords with the quality mentioned in your source, but most of the finds we have tell another story.
The story of the "springy" blades comes up even later in the 9th. century A.D. when a frankish chronist (I think it was Erhart) speaks about a test which his emperor did with a blade he received as a gift from the Danes: he bent it and it stayed so. Then one of the ashamed Danes offered him his own sword which was a springy one. So there were different qualities of blades even as late as the 9th and a springy blade was considered "special".
The mass of early imperial roman blades did not have these abilities. They are not necessary. When used in a correct way, a blade with a soft core and hard edges will work very well (see the tests Christian Koepfer and his LEG XIII did some years ago: Die römische Arnee im Experiment 2011, p. 73-82 "Die Effektivität römischer Waffen; der Gladius"). In case of inproper use and bending there is no problem to rebend such a blade (to some degree of course).
Jason:
normally steel with a higher carbon content is corroded faster than low-carbon steel when buried in the earth. That effect can be seen on many archeological finds of blades.
Als Mensch zu dumm, als Schwein zu kleine Ohren...
Jürgen Graßler
www.schorsch-der-schmied.de
www.facebook.com/pages/AG-Historisches-Handwerk/203702642993872
Jürgen Graßler
www.schorsch-der-schmied.de
www.facebook.com/pages/AG-Historisches-Handwerk/203702642993872
