Old steel type XII

XIIth and  XIIIth century

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Blade length: 79.8 cm

Overall length: 95 cm

Weight: 1079g

POB: 15.8 cm from crossguard 

The entire sword was forged in steel from the early 18th century, made before the start of the industrial era in France. It is a very soft blade (it must be around 25 rockwells on a scale up to 90).

 

To give it more resilience and hardness, the blade was hardened in water and the four sides of the sword were hammered in. The cutting edges will not stay long and will require maintenance but it cuts! The crossguard and the pommel are finely forged in the same steel. There are voluntarily some "historical errors" like the stub which reduces a little, a pommel not quite symmetrical, traces of forges ...

The damascening of the cross was possible thanks to this soft steel. This again suggests that the steels used on this type of sword had to be softer to achieve engravings or other decorations. The blade was polished by hand to see the fibers of the steel.