Hello all you out there! I have been wondering about the prevalence of low(er) quality sword blades in the migration/early saxon period, we're there many not pattern welded, many with lower quality pattern welding about? I have seen some with organic hilts, any connection between some organic hilts and lower quality blades? All contributions will be apreciated plus should be a good database for those enquiring in the future.
Thanks in advance.

Kaj Seago.

This might help answer you somewhat:

Quote:

As many as four-fifths of the swords found at 4th century Nydam were of the patterned type (Davidson 1962, 32). Later, during the 5th-8th century pattern-welded swords become increasingly common until by the 7th century over 90% of the swords seem to be patterned (Tylecote & Gilmour 1986, 244-245). From the 8th century onwards pattern-welding starts to gradually fall out of use

- Weapons of Princes, Weapons of War? An experimental analysis of pattern-welded swords from northwestern Europe, 400-1100 AD by Sebastiaan B.M. Pelsmaeker BA (Masters Thesis)

So already by the 4th C at least 80% are Pattern Welded, and by the 7th C virtually all are.

There may be a connection between organic hilts and lower quality blades, but looking through Menghin's work I am not seeing one. Plenty of all organic hilts are found in rich high quality graves.

Another thing to consider, a real low quality blade of this period would have like been VERY low quality, probably entirely iron without any steel. If there was any steel at all, it would be just a welded on cutting edge.