“The term ‘razor sharp’ can be confusing. It is often used to describe something that is really scary sharp without actually meaning it has the edge of a straight razor knife.... We obviously have to go back to prehistoric man to find a westerner with a #4 'razor - scalpel sharp' (flint) knife Okay, #3 household utility knife - pretty sharp if my cheap tesco set are anything to go by! So to answer callsignfuzzy's question, yes they held blades blunt/semi-sharp & sharp enough to chop yer veg & managed it without slicing their fingers off - :cry: Louie
What Polar Bear said. I was making a wooden scabbard yesterday with one of theese http://www.smarte-ting.no/images/Exakt tapetkniv for nett.jpg blades. I was working for like 4 hours with only the blade and my hand, no handle or grip. Allthough I was mostly holding around the bit that is blunt, I allso held around the sharp-part, and we all agree that theese blades are pretty sharp... It seems that as long as the edge doesnt slide, it doesn't cut. I've demonstrated this fact on several occations, where I've held around my sharp longsword or a kitchen-knife, letting people pull at the handle. It worked well except for once, when I was drunk, and the blade had butter all over it...
They certainly would have been oiled while in transit or storage. However, I whenever I use my sharp for half-swording, I wipe the oil off. I believe medieval swordsmen would have done the same when getting ready for combat. Otherwise, you ARE likely to get cut half-swording. Best regards, -Mark
Well, this has been informative. thanks. I could see with the longer swords how they might not need as fine an edge. I assume, perhaps incorrectly, that the extra length would allow for more momentum to be built up due to the distance the blade travels. With the Messer, and again I'm perhaps making an incorrect assumption, it seems like the shorter blade would require a sharper edge for an effective cut. Anyone here handled a period or replica Messer? Am I just using bad Physics for this?
Edge geometry has a lot more to do with the intended purpose of the weapon than it does the specific length. Blades designed to slash will have an edge geometry for slashing, etc. The intended purpose of the weapon will, pretty much, dictate its shape (curved vs strait, etc.) but not nessasarily it's length. Peace favor your sword, Kirk
Quite simply, you don't need a fine edge for an effective cut, period. We're not talking about tameshigiri for grading here. We're talking about cutting human beings in combat, which are easily dismembered with whatever decent edge you might think of. We're squishy and stuff. What you need is good edge geometry and good technique. The "mortschlag" was also done with the Messer, with the edge into the palm, as shown in Leckuchner's manual. If you can't half-sword your blade bare-handed, it's too sharp, the edge geometry is wrong, or it's not intended for half-swording. Alas, no. I've handled perhaps a couple of dozen antiques (some were centuries old) from arming swords to smallswords, but no messers. Best regards, -Mark
