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What does "Battle-Ready" mean?Swords of Honor carries several different grades of Battle-ready weapons. What we mean when we are talking about “battle ready” is that the sword/axe/spearhead is made of high carbon steel, is properly tempered, and properly constructed.
High Carbon Steel”High-carbon” also called “carbon steel” is steel that has a carbon content higher than .03%. The carbon acts as a hardening agent to the steel. In the case of a sword, the carbon content of the steel determines how well the sword will keep an edge. Too much carbon is another issue. A sword, for example, that has too much carbon might be too brittle and might snap when striking a shield. The carbon content of well-made weapons will vary from design to design for stability. All of the steel weapons we carry from Albion Armoury, Windlass Steelcrafts, Paul Chen, Cold Steel , Gen 2, and Cidwm Forge are all made of Carbon steel.
Proper Temper for SteelTempering steel is a multi-step process that involves heating the steel to the proper temperature(dependent on carbon content) and then either allowing the steel to cool slowly or quenching the steel more rapidly. There is a great deal of science involved in this. If you are interested in some more specific reading check out www.anvilfire.com. Here are the crib notes on tempering steel for weapons: Carbon content will limit the hardness or softness of the steel; tempering is how you use the carbon content of the steel to display the properties you want. A properly tempered sword will be able to hold an edge and still be flexible enough to wield without breaking. All of the steel weapons we carry from Albion Armoury, Windlass Steelcrafts, Paul Chen, Cold Steel , Gen 2, and Cidwm Forge are all tempered properly.
Proper ConstructionProper construction is the ultimate issue with battle-ready weapons. You can get carbon steel shaped like a sword that has the right carbon content and been tempered well, but if it is put together in a sword with a piece of threaded rod welded to it(we call this a rat tang) it won’t last long. Proper construction of a sword means that the sword blade and the tang (the part that goes through the handle) are one continuous piece of steel, not welded together. Warhammers, axes, even armor also have to be made in a way that the stress on the structure is designed to hold it together not create a weak spot. The two main ways of affixing the pommel and cross-guard to a sword blade are peen welding and threading & epoxy. Mostly the difference between the two is a matter of opinion. Serious collectors, re-enactors, and even expert sword makers may disagree about what the best kind of construction style is for most weapons. We here at Swords of Honor do have our opinions too, but we also want to sell what people want to buy. Ultimately, if we say it is battle ready this means, that it is constructed in such a way the we feel confident that it can be used as intended (use the proper care and don’t go hacking up the neighbors.) All of the steel weapons we carry from Albion Armoury, Windlass Steelcrafts, Paul Chen, Cold Steel , Gen 2, and Cidwm Forge are all constructed soundly.
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