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Sword-like object
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Sword replica. (Discuss) |
Sword-like object (SLO) is a term originally coined by the Historical Armed Combat Association, and used by sword enthusiasts to describe cheap, non-functional, or inaccurate sword replicas, typically built as purely decorative pieces and impossible to wield the way a "true" sword is wielded.
The term's derogatory nature is strongly tied to the actual claims of the weapon's maker (or more often, its salesman); a salesman advertising impractical replicas as "battle ready" or "fully functional", or otherwise failing to point out the purely decorative nature of his wares, is said to sell SLOs.
Some basic guidelines to differentiate "real" swords from SLOs include the use of inappropriate materials (such as stainless steel or titanium alloys), bad heat treatment of said materials, and improper design features or construction (rat-tail tangs, blade cut-outs, etc.).
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- Further information: List of sword manufacturers
Many cheap modern sword replicas are built for decorative purposes. These are either too brittle or too fragile for any practical use. Simply swinging around these "wallhangers" can cause breakage because of all the potential flaws in their construction.
Historical sword blades are always made of carbon steel alloys, but many SLOs are not. Often the choice of blade material has to more to do with ease of manufacture or marketing than sword performance.
Decorative swords often have stainless steel blades. This is because stainless steel will not rust when on display. However the chromium content that makes steel "stainless" also effects the material properties of the steel making it more brittle under similar heat treatment. A stainless steel blade with a small flaw or a poor heat treatment can be brittle and shatter on impact with a target, often resulting in injury.
Many SLO makers have been touting[citation needed] titanium swords. These are often utilizing the modernness and space age reputation of titanium to sell their wares. Titanium is lighter and just as strong as steel. It also resists corrosion like stainless steel. However titanium is also softer and more elastic than steel. Even the hardest Titanium alloys, like 6/4 Titanium, have a Rockwell hardness of about 40. Carbon steel blades generally have hardness between 50 and 60. This lower hardness means that titanium does not keep a sharpened edge well because it easily nicks and dents from rough handling. The lower elastic modulus means that titanium blades can be floppy and track poorly while cutting.
Some SLOs are also nickel or chrome plated to prevent corrosion. This plating is often far shinier than even highly polished carbon steel blades making the swords poor reproductions. The plating itself isn't very durable and can chip or flake if the swords are actually used for anything other than display.
Sword-like objects are generally consumer display items. Blades are often stamped or cut from steel blanks so that they don't taper properly. Shortcuts are often taken with the blade tang and hilt fittings so they rarely counterbalance the blade properly. This often makes for a sword that is both heavier than its historical counterpart and much more blade heavy in terms of balance.
Many sword replicas touted as "battle ready" are also overbuilt making them unhistorically robust and heavy. They will not break even under stress that would destroy a historical sword, but they also lack the proper weight and balance of a historical sword. This makes them unwieldy and unsuited for many types of swordplay. Perhaps they would qualify as a mace or club rather than a sword. Sword enthusiasts often call this type of SLO a "sharpened crowbar" because its heft and balance are similar to the prying tool.
The weakest point of most SLOs is the hilt or handle. The part of the blade which protrudes into the handle and attaches the two together is called the blade tang. The blade tang transfers impact from the blade to the wielders hands. Many manufactures of SLOs use inferior types of tangs, which is one of the most common causes of various forms of breakage or product failure.
Historical swords have a tang that was forged as part of the blade, which is hammered through the hilt, or peened; the sword-maker then files the protrusion. SLOs often have "rat tail", tab tangs, threaded tangs, or partial tangs because they make for cheaper manufacture. Threaded tangs are tangs that, despite having been forged as part of the sword, are inferior since they are screwed into the hilt rather than properly peened. Tab tangs are much shorter than full tangs and often fix the blade to the hilt with friction, glue, or single pin. Rat tail tangs are thin tangs welded to the blade. Partial tangs have a thick blade tang which transitions to a rat tail at some point within the hilt.
These less durable tang designs are liable to break or bend when struck against anything. Worse still, the blade can come loose from the handle when the sword is swung and potentially injure someone. The proper tang has to be designed and heat treated to prevent breaking, bending, or conducting hand numbing vibration from impacts to the user.
http://www.sword-buyers-guide.com/battle-ready-sword.html
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