Medieval Longword Edge Sharpness

Today we will look in detail at a specific surviving longsword's edge and how sharp such a sword would have been in period. Our subject is a sword originally said to be from the Armoury of Schloss Erbach and is a great example of a longsword of the late 15th Century. 

In our discussion of how medieval swords are finished we are looking at what we know about how swords were made in the past. In today's post we will look very closely at the edge of the sword. It is a complex subject, just as there is no one best sword there is no one best edge structure for a sword. 

A close look at the Schloss Erbach Sword reveals some interesting details. In the table below we see a series of numbers that list the thickness of the blade, the width of the blade, the main surface angle of the blades cross section and the angle of the cutting edge. These are given at 2 inch intervals down the blade for its entire length.

 Schloss Erbach original stats

It quickly becomes apparent that there are few even tapers or set bevels on this piece. The work done by hand and with water or human powered tools was done with hand eye coordination, not lock downs and machine tools. The edge bevel or angle of the edge is inconsistent at best. Blades with less wear than this piece can be more consistent, but many are probably this varied as new items. The actual bevel angle is less important than making sure the edge is refined with no burs or dull stretches. When such an edge strikes or cuts across a target it will have some bite and do its job.

This sword is an example of a medieval longsword that has seen some wear but would probably represent a good example of a sword in mid active life. It has had the edge touched up, probably by handheld stone and some areas where it has been ground a bit to take out use marks. So, a sword with some experience. 

Detailed searchable 3D model of Original Schloss Erbach Sword

The Oakeshott Institute

The clear picture we get from looking at medieval swords like this is they were not "dialed in" in the way modern manufacturing approaches products. They have a bit of heart and soul of the maker in them. We could say skill and talent but to us they have a bit of the personal touch of the medieval craftsman and that is an aspect we look to emulate in our pieces as well. They should each have a bit of uniqueness from the hands that make them.

Schloss Erbach Sword Replica

Here are some additional links with more info

What Kind of Finish did  a Medieval Sword Blade Have?: Part 1 

Medieval Sword Edges, how sharp? Part 1

learn more about this original here One of Our Favorite Swords - The Schloss Erbach

Nathan Clough, Ph.D. is Vice President of Arms and Armor and a member of the governing board of The Oakeshott Institute. He is a historical martial artist and a former university professor of cultural geography.  He has given presentations on historical arms at events including Longpoint and Combatcon, and presented scholarly papers at, among others, The International Congress on Medieval Studies.

Craig Johnson is the Production Manager of Arms and Armor and Secretary of The Oakeshott Institute. He has taught and published on the history of arms, armor and western martial arts for over 30 years. He has lectured at several schools and Universities, WMAW, HEMAC, 4W, and ICMS at Kalamazoo. His experiences include iron smelting, jousting, theatrical combat instruction and choreography, historical research, European martial arts and crafting weapons and armor since 1985