Around the World – The Incredible Journey of the Urnes Staves Sword Part of our focus at Darksword Armory is on continuous improvement. By that, we mean we are constantly striving to do better than we have before. We were very proud of the swords we produced 20 years ago, but they are unrecognizable next […]
After Correcting a Quality Control Issue in 2016 Darksword Armory’s Sword Assembly Technique is Stronger Than Ever! JAN. 3, 2019 – In 2016, Darksword Armory was made aware of a small number of swords that were produced with sub-standard tangs. The swords were recovered from customers and tested. Through staffing corrections and a thorough review […]
In stories from legend and antiquity, swords have a special place. From Hrunting, the sword of Beowulf, to Excalibur, sword of King Arthur, they are the centerpieces of countless myths. Because of the high regard in which swords are held, bladesmithing – the process of creating a sword – has long been regarded with fascination […]
An Overwhelming Experience from a Renowned Sword Collector. Many enthusiasts of medieval and renaissance arms and armour have secretly longed to travel back in time, just to spend a day – to catch a glimpse – of the beautiful and functional articles of war that we find so fascinating. For those of us who lack […]
In the previous Lord of the Rings themed blog post we went into detail on the creation of Númenor, the home of Aragorn’s ancestors. To recap – the Isle of Elenna was a massive island raised by the Valar, gods of Middle-Earth, to repay the faithful humans who fought alongside the Valar, their celestial servants […]
In this article, Darksword Armory staff explore some of the ancient history of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Specifically, we take a look at the overthrow of the Dark Lord Morgoth, the fate of the half-elves, and the founding of the ancient kingdom of Númenor – and what connection this kingdom has to a […]
DSA Replica Sword Event Greetings, Darksword Armoury fans and friends! So a couple of weeks ago, I received an email from a Montreal based animal shelter that I donate to. Animatch is a non-profit canine ‘’no kill’’ adoption agency which matches responsible would-be pet owners with abandoned dogs. Recently, the organization, which receives minimal governmental […]
When Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings film trilogy concluded in 2003, everyone seemed to agree that it was a masterpiece. The fans loved it, the box office overflowed, even the critics approved. The final part in the trilogy – The Return of the King – swept the Academy Awards with a record-setting 11 Oscars, […]
Welcome to Halstein Forge! High quality modern made Damascus pattern knives are typically rare, custom made at prices up to thousands of dollars. In taking on this new direction we were making an effort to bring the beauty of Pattern-Welded knives to the market, enabling collectors to purchase custom-quality Damascus knives at production prices. Each […]
Swords are an important part of human history. From their place on the battlefield to their role in the romanticised depiction of knighthood and chivalry, even people who have no interest in collecting sword for themselves will know one if they see one. Works of art, history books, trips to the museum – you almost […]
Filling in the Blanks Ewart Oakeshott’s typology may be one of the most useful tools in documenting and understanding the Medieval arms race, but it is far from a complete picture of the development of the Medieval sword. In order to complete one’s picture of the sword, one must also look at the hilts of […]
Tracking the Medieval Arms Race Ewart Oakeshott’s (1916-2002) typology is far more than just a means for cataloguing variations on the Medieval sword. It also tells a story – a chronicle of an arms race centuries ago that pitted armorers against bladesmiths in an ongoing battle to push military technology to its limits. One cannot […]
Debunking the Myth of the Medieval Sword When it comes to the study of the Medieval sword, Ewart Oakeshott ( 25 may 1916- 30th September 2002) was arguably the man who did more than any other to bring the study of arms and armour into the 20th century as a serious field of study. […]
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 […]
The most common “how to” question sword collectors pose is categorically about sword maintenance. As such, we have written this brief overview to assist collectors protect their swords from rust corrosion and offer simple to follow tips to maintain their sword fittings and blades. It should first be noted however, that this blog article is […]
In Hollywood, Medieval battle scenes are fought with different weapons. However, very few weapons spur such intense clashes as the sword. Movie swords have long been popular among collectors. The following list is our staff’s top 10 favorite Hollywood swords of all time. #10 The Atlantean Sword, ‘’Conan the Barbarian’’ Arguably one of the ugliest […]
The origin of the expression ‘throwing down the gauntlet’ stems from medieval times and is literally a declaration of war. One look at the weapon, that often featured knuckledusters designed to maximize punishment when delivering a punch to an enemy and it’s easy to understand how the gauntlet became a symbolic call to arms. Early […]
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 Eyal Azerad During the early Middle Ages, the primary metal available for the manufacture of swords was derived from bloomery iron, made by heating iron ore with charcoal in small furnaces. While sufficient for some applications, the finished iron was plagued with slag inclusions that weakened the metal, rendering a sword blade that […]
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 […]
