I create this topic to gather information about arms and armor with signs of use, wear, and battle damage. Things that are expected to be posted here:

1) photos
2) historical art
3) descriptions (extracts from books, historical literature, etc.)
4) Results of modern experiments
5) Links to other resources that contain related information

In other words, all pictorial and verbal materials closely related to the subject.

I humbly ask everyone to refrain from asking questions or expressing personal opinion in this thread as I would like this thread to be a kind of database.

Thanks in advance to everyone who adds information to this thread.

There are gobs of examples, but I only have pics of a couple.

Churburg S-18 Gauntlets (these definitely have seen better days)

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Hi.
My first contribute:
A Savoiard helmer - beginning of 1600 - pireced by a "quadrellone da breccia" . The warrior wearing the halmet, was pierced too.

Cesare from Italy

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[It's the Italian name of Ahlspiess

Thanks. Ahlspiess may be the weapon who caused the elmet pearce .
But the Ahlspiess is quite different by quadrellone.
Here is some pictures of an ahlspiess remains, present in medieval weapons collection of "my" museum.
Cesare

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"Quadrellone" as Caesar said it was a square blade,
to push one's way through the crowd.
Breccia = to find the way, breach, corridor in to enemy

Well, the everlasting wonders of pole weapons terminology ;) Whatever the exact name is I think the shape of the business end is pretty clear now :)

Look at the cuirass near the bottom of this article:

http://www.wtj.com/articles/napart/

Now that's what I call battle damage.

Courtesy of Cesare Paganini as well, with whom I spent a very interesting afternoon.

Consolidation work of this skullcap was made by Cesare, there is not enough metal under the concretion layer to justify a removal, the artifact would likely crumble, so it must remain in this state.

http://bghomofaber.googlepages.com/catepiscina058.jpg

On a related issue,

How much damage could a sword sustain before it would be deemed useless, or at least no longer a vialble battle weapon. How many dents, chips, etc... could a sword blade sustain before it had to be replaced?

I have heard a sword blade is permanently weakened when it is struck blade to blade, and it nicks; that microscopic hairline fractures branch off from the nick/dent and weaken the blade.

I have a "beater" sword from windlass that has absorbed lots of nicks and dents, purposefully. But it would absolutley be useful in a fight, and still seems stout.

Thoughts???