How did sword fighting swords hold up? Edges?

[helobite]

The Frazier Arms Museum, before the collection was removed in 2015, had guys reenacting choreographed sword fights for the visitors.

These reenactors were just practicing, otherwise they would have been in costume. Their fights, were of course, long choreographed bouts, and they imitated attacks and defensive moves from old sword literature. Real fights would have been much shorter, as someone would miss a parry. It was great to watch.

The swords they were using were Del Tin, they said Del Tin swords held up better than other brands. The edges were not sharpened, but they sure got dented, and they worked very hard to ensure, that none of the participants got dented! These Del Tin swords were quite light. Making a weapon fast, and yet strong, is a real trick. A fast weapon is extremely desirable, make that cut, or thrust, and recover quickly.

What was that old saying "If the enemy is within range, so are you"?

 

[Triton]

Del tins with rebated edges were made for just that sort of activity, so their durability seems reasonable. In my experience most Del tins are in the higher weight ranges when compared to originals and are typically not balanced as well as some of their competitors. That said, they are tough and many of them are very pretty.

I had not heard that they had removed the collection. Do you mean the museum is no longer there? Or are they no longer rotating with the Wallace collection or...?

 

[Houlahound]

For combat I don't think high quality last for a lifetime engineering has ever been a criteria.

Rapid mass production as economically as possible just good enough to do the job seems to be more the decisive factor in weaponising a large population of men to go fight.

The well built equipment is more for duelling and status.

I am guessing every battle resulted in lots of broken weapons. If you survived you would rummage thru the dead to find a weapon in better condition than your own.

 

[not2sharp]

For combat I don't think high quality last for a lifetime engineering has ever been a criteria.……

If that were the criteria we would have been fighting with heavy steel trunchions in place of swords.

n2s

 

[Herma]

a long time ago in a land far away i did a lot of reenactment fighting with blunt metal weapons, hema had not been born yet, however we slogged away at each other, sword, spear, axe and shield. sword blades wear out with use, the pomell and crossguard can be saved but we usually just rebuilt a whole new sword.
if you use your sword in any kind of combat it will sustain damage and eventually become unservicable, sometimes you can regrind a broken blade into a dagger but not really if there's a fuller. keeping cutting swords for cutting practice is a good idea.

 

[Houlahound]

If that were the criteria we would have been fighting with heavy steel trunchions in place of swords.

n2s

I meant armies don't generally build (or get built) the best of anything. Civilians always make better gear. Soldiers are the most expendable commodity in a war so if a few swords break or a few guns don't work so be it....evidently.

 

[not2sharp]

This reminds me of Boromir’s sword from the 1978 film. Talk about truth in fiction.

n2s

 

[helobite]

Del tins with rebated edges were made for just that sort of activity, so their durability seems reasonable. In my experience most Del tins are in the higher weight ranges when compared to originals and are typically not balanced as well as some of their competitors. That said, they are tough and many of them are very pretty.

I had not heard that they had removed the collection. Do you mean the museum is no longer there? Or are they no longer rotating with the Wallace collection or...?

The Tower of London Collection was removed, 99% of the Frazier arms were removed. It is a hookie local history and "Bourbon" Musuem. No joke, an entire floor set up to advertize for the Bourbon industry, including an additional $40 "tasting" event. I took pictures of the vintage, unopened Bourbon bottle display, and then researched the brands. Every brand name is still being used today, even though most of the original distilleries closed down during prohibition, and never made another barrel. Someone later purchased the brand name for its "historical value" and recognition. Vintage labels were interesting. But the only vintage bottles displayed were from brand names still in use today. The display was a total product placement.

 

[Triton]

The Tower of London Collection was removed, 99% of the Frazier arms were removed. It is a hookie local history and "Bourbon" Musuem. No joke, an entire floor set up to advertize for the Bourbon industry, including an additional $40 "tasting" event. I took pictures of the vintage, unopened Bourbon bottle display, and then researched the brands. Every brand name is still being used today, even though most of the original distilleries closed down during prohibition, and never made another barrel. Someone later purchased the brand name for its "historical value" and recognition. Vintage labels were interesting. But the only vintage bottles displayed were from brand names still in use today. The display was a total product placement.

Well,that's just horrible! Really sorry to hear that.

 

[helobite]

Well,that's just horrible! Really sorry to hear that.

Yes, I showed up to see the collection again, and it was all gone. And I was not interested in the tasting or the bourbon oriented gift shop. The bottle displays were interesting

 

[not2sharp]

Yes, I showed up to see the collection again, and it was all gone. And I was not interested in the tasting or the bourbon oriented gift shop. The bottle displays were interesting

What did they replace the crown jewels with .....open beer bottles? It is a truly sad exhibit.

n2s

 

[helobite]

What did they replace the crown jewels with .....open beer bottles? It is a truly sad exhibit.

n2s

I thought the bourbon bottles were the best. They have a real cheap hookie Lewis and Clark exibition, which is mainly posters, and a very long video about the history of Louisville's diversity and inclusion. Which I walked out after a couple of minutes.

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

I remember reading a story, not certain if it was a pair of vikings or not.. but they had blunted their edges so badly during a sword fight that they couldn't kill eachother, so in the middle of the bout they had to request new swords.

 

[hank_rearden]

Katanas were never really designed to be crossed edge-to-edge, except in very special instances. There's no right-of-way system during fighting. You basically strike at the same time with only a fraction of a second difference to determine who dies and and who lives. Oftentimes both fighters get maimed.