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Joshua Connolly
Location: Massachusetts, USA Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 49
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 Posted: Wed 21 Mar, 2007 2:58 am Post subject: Specific Questions. |
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I've been researching loads about WMA, medieval technology, history, and arms and armor for about a year now and I've still got some serious questions relating to specific things in the arms and the like. Until I can get my hands on some of the books I've been seeing in the book store I was wondering if you guys would be so kind as to help me out with some of my specific information that I've garnered from this site. Mostly, it relates to blade geometry and arrow head shape and purpose.
On the issue of Blade Geometry I'm still slightly confused. I know diamond cross sections were designed for a stiffer blade for thrusting, and lenticular ones were designed for a superior cutting edge...but what about the other cross sections? Were they supposed to be "in between" the two designs? For instance, was a Hollow Ground supposed to offer a decent cutting edge without sacrificing the integrity of the thrusting point? And were fullers there to basically make the blade have a better thrusting point or cutting edge, while not jeopardizing the inherent attributes already carried by the blade?
And I'm completely lost when it comes to arrows. I know of broad heads, and bodkins and what their purposes were. But I've also seen dozens of other 'shapes' from almost every culture and that they all seem to co-respond to each other. If anyone's got a web site I can look at for this one, I'd be happy with that.
This question could be the subject of it's own thread as it's heavily dependent upon the time period, but I'll propose it here if anyone feels like answering it. Were there any major differences between the armor and weapons used between the different countries(IE: Focus, like a certain country preferred to use a certain type of weapon, like the English use of the Longbow.), and were there differences between the attitudes taken to combat (Again, focus, like a focus more on grappling with the blade than a stand up fight) between the different nations in Europe. I'm thinking of the period between 1000 CE and 1600 CE.
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Addison C. de Lisle
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| Posted: Wed 21 Mar, 2007 5:37 am Post subject: Re: Specific Questions. |
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| Joshua Connolly wrote: |
On the issue of Blade Geometry I'm still slightly confused. I know diamond cross sections were designed for a stiffer blade for thrusting, and lenticular ones were designed for a superior cutting edge...but what about the other cross sections? Were they supposed to be "in between" the two designs? For instance, was a Hollow Ground supposed to offer a decent cutting edge without sacrificing the integrity of the thrusting point? And were fullers there to basically make the blade have a better thrusting point or cutting edge, while not jeopardizing the inherent attributes already carried by the blade?
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There are many people here who are better qualified than I to answer this question, but I'll give it my best shot. The Hollowground cross section is great for cutting, and it also makes for a lighter blade than a diamond cross-section because more steel is removed. It also makes for a pretty stiff blade because of the pronounced midrib. However, the hollow ground edge is more difficult to maintain, and is more fragile than a 'regular' edge.
The fuller on a blade is there to reduce weight without reducing strength. It also stiffens the blade more.
That's the best answer I can give at the minute, off to work!
Hope that helped.
www.addisondelisle.com
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Chad Arnow
myArmoury Team
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| Posted: Wed 21 Mar, 2007 7:20 am Post subject: Re: Specific Questions. |
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| Addison C. de Lisle wrote: | However, the hollow ground edge is more difficult to maintain, and is more fragile than a 'regular' edge.
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I'm not sure that's always true. According to Peter Johnsson and others, many hollowground blades have somewhat reinforced edges. If you take the hollowgrind straight to the edge it could be weaker, but often historicals swords would have the hollowgrind stop short of the edge, leading to a thickened, more reinforced, edge. That's how Albion does theirs.
Think of the hollowgrind as kind of two wide, very shallow fullers that are between the midrib and an area near the edge. The edge bevel starts thicker than what the deepest part of the hollowgrind is.
If it's thickened like this, it shouldn't be much different to maintain than anything else.
ChadA
http://chadarnow.com/
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