Advice on Sharpening blades?
James Foster
I am a newbie and sorry if my question is kinda dumb, but can anyone let me
know the best stones for sharpening.
I have recently purchased a Viking sword and it could use some cleaning up.
Thanks,
James
the wharf rat
James Foster <ja...@nospam.please> wrote:
>
>I have recently purchased a Viking sword and it could use some cleaning up.
>
Well, gee, if you really want to sharpen viking swords then check out
He has genuine viking sharpening stones (no kidding).
Otherwise I'd just use a bench grinder, don't get the blade
hot though.
Greg Wormald
"James Foster" <ja...@nospam.please> wrote:
The particular stones matter a lot less than the skill and care of the
sharpener.
If it is a real Viking sword then almost anything you do to it will
decrease it's value.
If it's a cheap fake then it probably won't sharpen.
If it's an expensive fake then I would practice on some old carving
knives first.
Greg
Chilla
> The particular stones matter a lot less than the skill and care of the
> sharpener.
>
> If it is a real Viking sword then almost anything you do to it will
> decrease it's value.
>
> If it's a cheap fake then it probably won't sharpen.
>
> If it's an expensive fake then I would practice on some old carving
> knives first.
>
> Greg
I'll agree with Greg here, if you sharpen a real artifact, I'll
personally fly to you and kick you up the date (trans: date = bum = arse
= ass).
If it's a re-enactor blade, it shouldn't be sharp, as historically
swords of that period weren't that sharp.
If it's for posing value, and it didn't cost much then it's not going to
matter if you sharpen it and ruin it.
Regards Charles
nurk_fred2000
***Hey Chuckles...Better head on over to soc.culture.thai...your good
Pal Kraven is back masquerading as "the Lurker"...The Distinguished
Trolls are watching Pinkie dance...Run Chuckles run...:-)
James Foster
Hey Charles,
Many thanks and dont worry, of course I wouldnt do this with a real
artifact :o)
I should have been more clear previously. I'm looking for a way to
hone the blade using the same materials that a Viking might have used
centuries ago so to be as authentic as possible when I am doing my
Viking re-enactment.
Ok, slightly off topic... but I cant help noticing this group seems to
be dominiated by this guy Steve Kramer.
I mean there seems to be like 2 or 3 knife related threads, the rest
are Steve Kramer threads.. but they dont seem to be knife related. At
least not the ones I checked.
Who is he and why is everyone here talking about him?
Thanks,
James
Rick Armstrong
Great post thanks!
the wharf rat
James Foster <james....@nospam.please> wrote:
>
>Who is he and why is everyone here talking about him?
>
It's a bad joke perpetrated by silly people. Ignore it.
Chilla
> Hey Charles,
>
> Many thanks and dont worry, of course I wouldnt do this with a real
> artifact :o)
>
> I should have been more clear previously. I'm looking for a way to
> hone the blade using the same materials that a Viking might have used
> centuries ago so to be as authentic as possible when I am doing my
> Viking re-enactment.
>
> Ok, slightly off topic... but I cant help noticing this group seems to
> be dominiated by this guy Steve Kramer.
>
> I mean there seems to be like 2 or 3 knife related threads, the rest
> are Steve Kramer threads.. but they dont seem to be knife related. At
> least not the ones I checked.
>
> Who is he and why is everyone here talking about him?
>
>
> Thanks,
> James
Hi James,
There are sharpening stones as artifacts, pretty horrid compared to what
we play with today.
They also had "healing" stones attached to sword so that if you hit
someone, and didn't want them to die, you'd apply the stone to the
wound. I have no idea if the stone was a practical device, or a bit of
shamanistic hokum (I'm leaning toward hokum).
Back to the sharpness of Viking age swords. Seriously they weren't what
we'd consider sharp. The swords are weighty, and have a wedging action.
Looking at the archaeological record. Viking swords required a "lot" of
force to be effective. A sharper blade requires less "blunt force
trauma" to be effective.
Read a saga or two and you'll see that combat was slow and heavy. This
is representative of the choice of weapons. Spear, axe and sword (a sax
is just a big knife). Everyone had a spear, a lot had axes, few had swords.
The heavy forces involved in Viking combat were necessary, as the shield
was an effective defensive/offensive weapon. I'm trying to get a hold
of some poplar sheet 2mm thickness, or at the very least wide strips in
this species. I did some preliminary tests with some poplar I have here
and laminated it makes a very strong and light shield.
My friend made a replica and it was nicknamed "iron bar"... it was more
club than sword.
If you do Viking re-enactment, which country are you in, as you are not
alone. There are now many groups in America, UK and Australia... Europe
has always had Vikings ;-)
Technically swords are OT, but there are few posts so anything blade
related is appreciated.
A book list for you, not 100% Viking, but relevant for what you're
doing :-
"The Anglo-Saxon Shield" by Stephenson ISBN: 0-7524-2529-3
"Early Anglo-Saxon Shields" by Dickson and Harke ISBN: 0-85431-260-9
"Records of the Medieval Sword" by Oakeshott ISBN: 0-85115-566-9
"Swords of the Viking Age" by Pierce ISBN: 1-84383-089-2
---
Don't buy into the Steve Kramer stuff, a nice guy, but brought a lot of
baggage with him when he started posting (not his fault, just a casualty
of the internet).
Regards Charles
Del Cecchi
"Chilla" <charles...@optushome.com.au> wrote in message
news:4b5cee28$0$6090$afc3...@news.optusnet.com.au...
Charles, where do you live? I get the impression it is someplace
where shipping from minnesota USA would be pretty expensive, but we
have a lot of poplar around.
>
del
Chilla
> Charles, where do you live? I get the impression it is someplace
> where shipping from minnesota USA would be pretty expensive, but we
> have a lot of poplar around.
>
> del
Yep, Australia.
I have bought wood from Canada, 5 Yew billets for bow making. I did a
deal with the gent with the wood so that the postage wouldn't kill me
(it was pretty horrible).
Is this sheet form or blocks? I have a contact that is able to wheel
and deal with our quarrantine department, so it's not off the table :-)
Regards Charles
LarbGai
> Don't buy into the Steve Kramer stuff, a nice guy, but brought a lot of
> baggage with him when he started posting (not his fault, just a casualty
> of the internet).
>
> Regards Charles-
*******ROTFLMAO... He sure caught you with your strides down Chuckles.
I would ,however, say it was all his fault that he brought baggage
with him.
That was his intention all along.
Now he's reduced to hiding behind womans skirts and bloody good
riddance.
Bullies ALWAYS get what they deserve.
Cheers.
Takin & Kanoknuan
"James Foster" <james....@nospam.please> wrote in message news
**Is that you *AGAIN* Steve??? LOL!!! :o)
BTW, we're not only talking about you, we're also *LAUGHING* at you.
*grin*
>
>
> Thanks,
> James
LarbGai
wheelchair.org> wrote:
> **Is that you *AGAIN* Steve??? LOL!!! :o)
>
> BTW, we're not only talking about you, we're also *LAUGHING* at you.
> *grin*
****** Hmmmmmm. Looking at James' profile it seems during his long
break between postings his name has "magically" changed from James Lyu
to James Foster.
Any explanation Chuckles????
Del Cecchi
It is everything from trees on down. A number of the local lumber
stores sell poplar boards as well.
Northern Minnesota is basically covered with poplar trees and there
are a number of small sawmills as well. Mostly the trees get made
into paper or oriented strand board, although not so much now that the
housing boom has busted.
googling "poplar boards" seems to turn up a number of places that also
sell them.
del
Chilla
Del Cecchi wrote:
> It is everything from trees on down. A number of the local lumber
> stores sell poplar boards as well.
>
> Northern Minnesota is basically covered with poplar trees and there
> are a number of small sawmills as well. Mostly the trees get made
> into paper or oriented strand board, although not so much now that the
> housing boom has busted.
>
> googling "poplar boards" seems to turn up a number of places that also
> sell them.
>
> del
Thank you Sir, looks like I will be importing wood strips :-)
Regards Charles
Sheldon
Here's another vote for leaving it alone, assuming it's the real deal. And
why do you need to sharpen it? Planning on going on a crusade or something?
Keep the real one for display and get a "good" replica and sharpen the heck
out of it.
Good soldier Schweik
Does one carry a "replica" on crusade ?-)
Cheers,
Schweik
(goodsoldierschweikatgmaildotcom)