migration period composite hilt materials iron? -- myArmoury.com

K J Seago

I have been researching fro some time the styles and construction of 1st to 7th century composite hilt spathae and am in the process of constructing my own in brass wood and horn, but a thought has arisen, there have been many swords in this time period found with no fittings at all (presumably all organic) and many bronze and precious metal fittings.i know iron doesnt last in soil-hence why the non -ferrous metals predominate (for instance i was informed that the finds coming up in flanders after ww2, very little iron is left to still be retrieved).

The question really is that have there been any hilts found with iron layers, sandwiching an organic component?

thank you for any response you can give, ive looked at these things for so long i've gotten lost!

Paul Hansen · Posted: Wed 15 Jun, 2011 10:54 pm Post subject:

What type of hilt are you looking for, specifically?

K J Seago · Posted: Thu 16 Jun, 2011 12:46 pm Post subject:

i am currently constucting a behmer type 2 (feltwell type)
but my question was just if there is evidence for iron as a material in the sandwich construction of the guards.

Paul Hansen · Posted: Thu 16 Jun, 2011 1:32 pm Post subject:

Well, the Feltwell sword is quite early, so it's very likely that it's guards were completely organic. But I think it's a Behmer type 1 rather than a type 2 (see the chart I attached above).

A type 6 may well have iron fittings. But I have to double check to make sure. Types 8 & 9 are essentially early Viking-type swords, so...