So the box has just arrived, and inside is your brand new sword. Perhaps you’re planning to put it on your wall, or use it for cutting practice. Regardless of what you’re planning to do, we have compiled a short list of things you can do and things that you should avoid doing with your […]
By John Clements There is a truth to this modern-day study of swords that eludes many students and enthusiasts. It is a simple fact that virtually no one ever gets to use a quality sharp blade full force on realistic target materials. That is, to cut, cleave, chop, hack, slice, and slash against portions of raw […]
By Eyal Azerad Simply stated, swords are made of many different types of metals, the most prevailing being steel. Although a proper steel is required for creating a high quality sword, many technical considerations, such as how the steel was prepared and processed, should also be factored. The following article will examine the most common […]
By Alen Lovrič NOTE: In this short article, geographical and political factors were largely ignored for the sake of brevity. Some regions developed metallurgy sooner and some later, but that is a broad topic in its own right. It is not uncommon to hear people claim that there is some sort of a super-material […]
Game of Thrones has long been a household name among fans and medieval ‘film’ buffs. The show however has gained such grand following that the name resonates even among those who have never watched a season, an episode, a bloody battle scene or let alone a trailer. In the midst of the tremendously popular HBO […]
9 September 2014 Yang Junxi, an 11 year old boy living in China, was casually washing his hands in the Laozhoulin River when he inadvertently hit some “seemingly” pointed object. Pulling the hard flat object from the river, the boy inspected his find and decided to casually walk home to show the sword to his […]
The Significance of the Magna Carta by : Dave Jaehning / Darksword Armory inc. Although at the time that it was written it was not intended to be, the Magna Carta has become the most celebrated and significant historical and political document that ever issued from England. John, King of England, was the youngest of […]
The Myth of Chivalry by : Dave Jaehning / Darksword Armory inc. The idea of chivalry – the knight in shining armor defending God, king, and country with sword and flawless character – is not a new one. In fact, it can trace its roots back to the High Middle Ages and Early Modern Europe, […]
An analysis of edge sharpness during the middle ages It is one of those devilish questions that can confound people even today: how sharp was a Medieval sword? The problem lies with the question – there is an underlying assumption that when it comes to how they are used, Medieval swords can be generalized […]
The story of the Battle of Bosworth takes on an added newsworthy significance at the present moment. Not only was it the last battle in the “Wars of the Roses” but it was also a major historical point as it was the last time a reigning monarch, in this instance Richard III, went into battle […]
The expression ‘throwing down the gauntlet’ stems from the middle ages and is literally a call to arms. One look at the medieval gauntlet, often featuring knuckledusters design to maximize punishment when resorting to punches, and it’s easy to understand how the gauntlet became a symbolic call to arms. Early metal plate hand protection began during the late 12th […]
Recently, Eyal Azerad, the owner of Darksword Armory, took a first-hand examination of an authentic pair of 16th century German Gauntlets. The Gauntlets are dated from 1580-1590’s. Made of Iron. Rolled and roped edge cuffs, five slightly tapered and embossed metacarpal plates and shaped knuckle plates. Finely etched with continuous floral design on the central […]
The Evolution Of the Medieval Sword In the 13th – 15th Centuries Sword design in the late medieval period evolved in direct response to rapid growth of the armor of the late medieval era. Hence, the understanding as to how, and why, medieval swords evolved as they did, is intertwined with an understanding of the changes in armor production […]
One of the most fascinating aspects of modern day sword making, particularly in regards to medieval swords, is without question, Damascus steel. Time after time, collectors have asked us about the properties and the beautiful patterns for which Damascus steel is so well known for. Inevitably, as a collector, one is bound to be fascinated […]
Gladiators, originating from the Latin word “gladius” or sword, stemmed from professional and amateur fighters in ancient Rome who fought for the entertainement of “civilized” spectators. Gladiators were trained in special schools called ludi which could be found as commonly as ampitheatres throughout the empire. There were four schools in Rome itself, the largest of […]
