06.27.08
What Makes a Good Bladed Weapon?
We were recently asked about what makes a good dagger. Well, there are a few things you should for if you are shopping for a quality dagger, knife or sword. Now, keep in mind, bladed weapons are very dangerous even if they are not sharpened. If they are sharpened, you should be an expert before handling them. They are seriously that sharp and that dangerous.
When you are shopping for a bladed weapon, one of the first things to look for is solid construction. You can tell if a piece is constructed well by looking at the tang. If a dagger is full tang, the metal of the blade will continue through the handle to the end. The tang is basically just an extension of the actual blade. That is the base of the handle, which keeps the blade and handle attached (because it is all one piece). Some poorly made replicas are not full tang, meaning they are NOT battle ready, nor are they valuable. If you are looking for something just for decoration, these are probably the way to go. The tang is smiths use to hold onto the blade when they are shaping it. It is only natural to use it as the actual handle of the blade.
The hilt, or the tsuba on Japanese swords, is what separates the handle from the blade. Depending on the style of the sword and its uses, the hilt can be a hand protector to mere decoration. The rapier generally uses a basket hilt or some fanciful version of it as a means to protect the hand wielding the weapon. What you are looking for in a hilt/tsuba is of solid construction. Some very well constructed swords and daggers actually have the hilt created from the blade and the tang. And all one piece construction is very desirable in a bladed weapon, especially if it is to be used on a regular basis. The less pieces that make up the weapon, the stronger and more durable it will be.
Probably the most important thing to look for in a good blade is the blade itself. Find out what it is made from. Ultimately, if this weapon is going to be used for reenactments, etc…you really want to have a high carbon spring steel blade. Stainless steel isn’t going to cut it (no pun intended). Although, stainless steel is just fine for replicas and for display only items. The thing about actually using a sword is that if you hit it hard enough against something, the blade can shatter. That’s why you want high carbon spring steel. It is fired at much higher temperatures, allowing for an increased hardness factor. The higher temperatures followed by different levels of quenching also creates a more flexible steel. When struck against, wood for example, the sword should not simply absorb the full energy of the blow. If the steel is too rigid, it will take the full blow and where does all of that energy go? Not only up into the arms of the wielder, but through the blade itself. If the blade cannot flex, it will shatter. A properly constructed spring steel blade will reverberate when struck against an object. It will not shatter.
I hope this has been interesting. You should check out our medieval swords and medieval daggers pages for a great selection!
