Posts: 354 Location: Dijon
Sun 13 Jan, 2008 4:37 pm
...and then again, it would be good to define "better", when speaking of steel.
For among the professional smiths (not just bladesmiths, but blacksmiths and metallurgists) I know, opinions do vary a great deal.
Modern alloys allow a huge advantage : regularity. Confidence. Repeatability of operations. Consitency of results. Which is something you cannot always get with bloomery steel (though it is highly possible that, historically, several iron/steel production centers managed to make semi-products that possessed more or less the same qualities - but that's a totally different topic). This consistency is necessary when mass-producing items if you want to give them the same properties - and basically, that's what Albion sells.
However, there are people who just swear by home-made iron/steel - and claim they get better results using their own bloomery steel. They claim it oxydises less, they claim it holds a better edge, they claim it moves better under the hammer, grinds off better under the belt, welds better. I have no reason not to trust them - but then again, it's just a matter of trust. Which does not, by no means, diminishes the qualities of modern steels. It alll depends on what you're looking for.
For some, stainless steel is better because, well, it's stainless, and that's precisely what they're looking for. To others, stainless is crap because of the very specific HTs it needs.
Same goes with hand-forging vs.
stock removal.
Jean Henri is right in that we don't necessarily expect from modern swords what medieval people expected from theirs.
Albion swords are great in that they're well-designed and (or so I believe) thoroughly thought and
pondered, and as you mentionned, Jean Henri, it is a huge improvement compared to what was available on the market 8 years ago for instance. Peter does a fantastic job, and so does the Albion team.
About medieval swords being sometimes crap : yes, and no. Depends on the period. Quality Control existed in the later middle ages, and we still keep ordinances from several cities stating that no sword should be sold, that did not pass the quality tests - or whose maker did not prove he made QCed producst, guaranteed by his mark (the mark being officially recorded and acknowledged by the city experts after thorough checking). Not respecting these quality requirements led to severe fines, and possible ban from the profession and the city. Nothing to be taken too lightly.
Or, in the case of a wandering swords dealer, the latter could not sell his products on the public market/fair unless they were QCed beforehand by the city experts - both to guarantee quality products to the customer, and to protect local makers. Which proves, therefor, that there was crap, and also that there was quality. But that's totally OT.
My 2 cents (again).