Swords

WHAT ARE SWORDS

The sword is a white weapon that essentially consists of a straight blade with a handle, and a positive span. According to the strict definition , sabers , katanas ( Japanese sabers), etc. would not be swords.

Its metallic blade can have two edges or one - it is called a cutting sword -, or sharp and hard at the tip - piercing sword - Cutting and piercing swords can also coexist in the same weapon. There was another class of swords, the gird ones, these were made of wood, leather or cordage. The handle of all of them used to be made of the same materials as the gird swords.

They make their appearance at a very early time, in the fourth century BC. These primitive swords have a copper blade, its blade was initially made of copper -It is a copper -colored transition metal , that is, reddish-orange with a metallic luster that, together with silver , gold and roentgenium , is part of the so-called copper family , and is characterized for being one of the best conductors. of electricity - later they are made of bronze - bronze is any alloy of copper and tin , in which the first constitutes the base and the second appears in a proportion of 3% to 20%. May include other metals- and later iron  This transition metal is the fourth most abundant element in the earth's crust , representing 5% and, among the metals , only aluminum is more abundant, and it is the first most abundant in planetary mass, because the planet, in its core concentrates the greatest mass of native iron, equivalent to 70% - to finally be made into tempered steel - tempering is a thermal process by which steel alloys and cast iron are strengthened and hardened. These metals consist of ferrous metals and alloys. This is done during the forging of the sword, by heating the material to a certain temperature, depending on the material, and then rapidly cooling it.

The manufacture and use of the sword persists unchanged through the centuries, but the methods of making it vary among different peoples, as a result of inequalities in the design and purpose of the blade. The sword gives a high prestige to its possessor. Hence the immense variety of names associated with swords.

Some of the most famous swords with their own names are:

Excalibur: which according to legend when King Ulther died Pendragon , on the Isle of Fairies -Avalon-, Merlin forged a sword and stuck it into a stone near a chapel near London. Said magical sword passed into the hands of King Arthur.

Sword of Attila: it earned the title of legendary sword because it won countless battles carrying it.

La Joyosa, Charlemagne's sword famous since it was the one he used in the deeds of the union of a large part of Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. Legend has it that the large number of victories obtained is due to the fact that the sword contained the blood of Saint Basil, a tooth of Saint Peter and parts of clothing from the Virgin Mary herself.

La Colada and Tizona del Cid, mythical swords of the deeds of the Cid Campeador, named in El Cantar de Mio Cid.

Claymore sword , used in the Scottish War of Independence. It is a broadsword of 167 cm and much heavier than usual.

Other historical swords are: Sword of the Catholic Monarchs, Odin, Templars, King Solomon, Lancelot, Masonic swords, Robin Hood, Marco Polo, Knights of Heaven, Alexander the Great, James I, etc.

            The term sword comes from the Latin spatha (long, straight sword of the Roman cavalry), and this, in turn, from the Greek spathe .

Edged weapons have been used by man since the Bronze Age. First there was the dagger and later the sword appeared when the manufacturing methods allowed the elaboration of long blades, around the 2nd century BC. These were rather short, since the long ones were not very reliable for fighting, given the characteristics of the material with which they are made, bronze. It was not until the appearance of steel that the use of the long sword became popular.

            In Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean the first vestiges of bronze swords appear, while in the Near East daggers are still used and in Europe the sword is gradually becoming enthroned, until the moment when the latter clearly prevails, since then being the faithful companion of the warrior to the detriment of the dagger

            The sword consists of the blade and the hilt. The scabbard term applies to the item where the sword is kept when it is not operational.

THE PARTS OF A SWORD ARE

The Garrison is the opposite part to the tip. This serves to wield it and protect the hands while balancing it. Within the garrison as a general concept we can find other parts:

-       Pommel: Its purpose, in addition to being a decorative element, is to serve as a counterweight and maintain a good balance and balance of the sword.

-       Handle: It is the part where the sword is held with one or two hands. Normally it was made of light materials such as wood, bone or even horn, and it was covered with leather for a better grip and to avoid direct friction with the metal called Jonquillo.

-       The tang: It is the thin and elongated extension of the blade of the sword where the handle is placed.

-       Guard or Cross: It has the function, as its name says, of protecting the hand of whoever wields it. Depending on the time and place where the sword was forged, the guards can have different types of shapes, while handguards or quillions are also added.

-       Ferrule: Metal piece that reinforces and decorates.

The Sheet is the part longest of the sword intended for its main use, which is combat and battle. Sword blades are generally straight or curved, and may have one or two edges, except for piercing swords which have none.

The parts of the edge of the blade are three:

-       The recazo, which is the part closest to the guard and has no edge.

-       The strong part is the part of the blade that goes from the center of the blade to the ricasso.

-       Weak part is the part of the blade that goes from the tip to the middle.

-       Grooving is a recess that was made longitudinally in the blade with the purpose of removing weight from the sword and making it easier to handle, while not reducing its strength or weakening the structure. It also has the name of Abatanador , Vaceo or Fullers .

We can also name the scabbard of the sword as part of it. The scabbard or sheath is made of strong materials resistant to cutting the edge, such as wood or leather. The pod has several main parts:

-       Throat or Brocal: It is the opening through which the blade is inserted.

-       Body: it is the long part that covers and protects the blade.

-       Hook or ring: Piece that facilitates the entry of the sword into the scabbard.

-       Wedge or shoe: Elongated part as an extension so as not to be damaged by the tip in the event that the sheath is perforated.

-       Point of the scabbard: Generally metallic piece with the purpose of protecting the same scabbard as the one who carried the sword.

            The blade is the most important part of the sword. With it you can cut and/or penetrate the opponent's body. A main feature of the weapon is that it could be sharpened on both sides.

          The handle is the necessary element to handle the sword. It is usually in the shape of a cross to help the hand of the person holding it to push the blade, at the same time that it prevents the hand from injuring itself with the hilt blade. Over time, more elements were added to the hilt to better protect the swordsman's hands.

The material with which the swords are made is not exactly cheap, which is why they could only be owned by people with high purchasing power. It was necessary that they be manufactured by a specialist, not so those of the commoners that were made at the domestic level. All the heroes that appear in the legends or stories possessed swords of the highest level that gave their possessor a superlative social character, and their swords a proper name. This gives us an idea of how the sword was valued in those times.

            As we have already said, the first swords were made of bronze, but with the use of iron, stronger and more abundant than bronze, the use of this material made the iron sword popular, making mass production possible. The Hittite people appear among the first to use this type of sword.

.           When blacksmiths learn that by adding a certain amount of coal to iron, they obtain a type of metal that is more resistant than iron, it is time for the appearance of steel swords. Its designs are very diverse, and it is common for the blacksmith to engrave his mark on the sword itself.

            In the crusades the type of cross-shaped sword prevails, which remains stable throughout the crusades with small, not at all obvious variations. Although they were cutting weapons, the point was added to take advantage of the holes left by the armor

            Between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries there is an explosion in the new sketches of the swords. The hilt lengthened, at the same time the blade grew longer. Another variety was the rapier-type sword, specialized in piercing armor. The longsword was mainly used for long attacks and as a slashing and thrusting sword.

            In the 16th century, the increase in the size of swords ended, especially those that required both hands to handle them. This circumstance came about due to the decline of plate armor and the appearance of firearms.

            In later centuries, lighter weapons returned, to be used with one hand. Also at this time, although the sword was the most used weapon in melee, it was losing ground in the military field due to the new techniques used in wars. This was not an obstacle to the development of a flourishing industry around the sword, using it as a civil weapon.

            Among the swords for civil use, it is necessary to mention the Rapier or rapier The Rapier (rapier) differs from the oldest swords in that it is not a military weapon, but for civil use. Next to the Rapier appears the Smallsword , which is shorter than the previous one, and became very fashionable among the rich and the high-ranking military. These weapons were used as dueling weapons to the point where most wealthy men and military officers carried one. Being, therefore, the most used swords until the 18th century in this type of situation

            During the 18th century, swords lost ground compared to sticks as a personal defense weapon, and also as a sports weapon, with the appearance of a new sport, stick fighting, which had its own techniques and rules.

            During the Modern Age, the sword is used as a self-defense weapon, especially among wealthy people, losing all its character as a military element, limiting its use as another part of the uniform of military officers. And it is at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, when the sword practically lost the battle due to the thrust of personal firearms.

            Today the swords are still used, although their use is restricted to the military in solemn ceremonies .

WHAT TYPES OF SWORDS ARE THERE?

We show you only some of the most representative.

Jian : Straight bladed Chinese sword.

Kabila: It is a type of Arab sword with characteristics of the Rider and the Scimitar.

Jineta: Nasrid one-handed straight sword with double edge and channel up to the middle of the blade.

Sabre: A single-edged weapon with a curved blade.

Bracamante or Bracamarte: Sword of the Middle Ages with a single edge and curved at the top near the tip.

Scimitar: Oriental saber with a long, curved blade.

Dao : Single-edged sword of Chinese origin, precursor of the katana .

Rapier: Spanish Renaissance sword with a long, straight blade.

Espadin: Weapon of French origin, with a long and hard blade.

Rapier: Medieval sword with a narrow blade and ending in a pointed blade with several very sharp sides.

Falcata : Sword belonging to pre-Roman Iberia with a curved edge.

Foil: Sword with a long and very flexible blade.

Gladius: Type of sword used by the legions of Ancient Rome.

Cutlass: Sword with a broad, single-edged curved blade.

Spatha : bladed weapon of Celtic origin used in the second Iron Age and later used by the Romans.

Khopesh or Jepesh : Saber with a sickle-shaped or "C"-shaped curved blade, used and very popular in Ancient Egypt.

Upright: Broad sword that has very long hawks.

Yatagán: Recurved blade knife from Asia.

Mandoble: Sword to be used with both hands.

Bastard: Sword called a hand and a half since it could be wielded with one or both hands.

Sica: Curved sword with its very sharp edge and its origin is Thrace.

Schiavona : Broadsword of the Italian Renaissance in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Walloon: Type of sword from the Baroque era with a very sharp edge.

Flissa : It is a saber or straight sword, its origin is North Africa .

Iaito : Katana for blunt training.

Claymore : Scottish two-handed sword, sharp on both sides of the blade.

Katana : Japanese saber or cutlass curved and an edge used by the Samurai.

Shamsir : it is a saber or cutlass of prey origin.

Talwar or Tulwar : It is a type of saber from India.

Wakizashi : Japanese short saber similar to the katana .

SWORDS AND THE STEEL OF TOLEDO

The steel of Toledo gave fame to the Swords mainly in the times of the Spanish Empire. Today there are several companies in Toledo dedicated to making swords, although their use is mainly for decoration. Some of the sword manufacturing firms in Toledo are; Marto, Art Gladius, J. Luis Rubio or Swords From Toledo. In our swords section you can find and buy swords Made in Toledo by master craftsmen of sword forging.