The Romans did get good steel from a number of sources. In Europe, there were mines in the Sana Valley in Bosnia, Carinithia in Spain and Aude in Gaul. At Norcium, within the modern province of Styria in Austria, was where the finest ore came and was mined by the Celts from at least 500 bce onwards. The Romans turned it into Government controlled mines early on. It was known for its high content of Manganese and Titanium with very little sulpur, phosphorus and arsenic inmpurities.
Reopenned during the Frankish period about 9th century, the Viking swords made during this time soon replaced the former somewhat heavier patternwelded ones. The steel used made the blades lighter and tougher. These same mines produced fine blades right through the Medieval times and armour (Innsbruck and Passau) being amongst the best in Europe. The region may not have been a "cradle" of iron working but it supplied a richer supply of high grade ore than the Eastern sources.
The Romans traded for plates and rods of steely iron from the northern regions of India where "wootz" steel was made since about 600bce.
Some Ulfberht blades were tested and found to have 0.75% and higher carbon content while some earlier pattern welded blades has 0.401% to 0.052%.
As for longevity and use in the field, it would depend on the maker/s and quality. So many blades did not survive and not because they were no good as much as reuse, wear or just plain time. There have been older patternwelded blades found with much later Katzbalger hilts. Rehilting because of fashion is a long tradition and cutting down a blade to become a shorter one or making into daggers is not uncommon as well.
And just throw away or sold to an Ironmonger for scrap. Charles Ffloukes writes in his "The Armour and his Craft" (written in early 20th Century) of going to such a place in England and finding pommels from Medieval swords being used as "weights" for some scales. He bemoaned the tragic loss of both swords and armour being just thrown away like that.
If a sword proved to stand up in battle, time and time again, you can be sure it was well taken care of and rehoned. Some years ago, a friend came back from Scotland with a 1745 period baskethilted sword. You could tell that it was once much longer but use and resharpening had made narrower and shorter. Not to mention thinner. Although a Medieval or earlier Viking blade would have been thicker, a long life would have made it look much like that Scottish one eventually.
Modern equivalants, are probably like the high carbon 1065-1075 alloy type and the 5160 alloy. The reason why my husband, Kirby uses 5160 exlusively the past 45 years because of it's properties when tempered and annealled using traditional method...making his blades tough and yet "springy" like many originals. The 5160 alloy may take abit of time to get a good edge but it keeps it a long time as well as stand alot of use.
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Note: ALL edged swordblades will get nocks and niches in them if used edge against edge. You do read of swords becoming so badly dulled/nocked in battle they look like sawblades and time is taken to get them back into shape. This is why rebated edges are made for modern Live Steel use. In some Rennasaince Schools of the Sword, the point was the most important and the rapier edges were left dulled.
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There many good modern steels that bladesmiths use to make knife and some swordblades. What will make a wonderful knife may not be suitable for a longer swordblade though. A matter of intention and what is needed to make the longer blade stand up to alot of flexing, vibration and just plain toughness. You do not want a swordblade to be hard, you do what some "give" or else it will break or snap. This is where the art of proper tempering/annealling comes in...whether from furnace or traditional methods. A fully hardened knife blade may keep a razor sharp edge and cut through a soft iron rivet. But will chip or break under pressure because the process made it brittle/too hard.
Some steels are just unsuitable because they were not developed to make blades with. Like Tool Steels for example or Stainless alloys.
Yes, there was mass production and quality ran the gamut especially when making stuff for armies. But like everything else, time and distance takes its toll and we are left with only a fraction to admire and reflect on.
[This message has been edited by Laurie Wise (edited 08-29-2000).]
