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These are the materials used to make swords through the ages. Early | Eastern | Western | Future
The main swords I will talk about are the -
The early development of swords can be traced back to the early stages of tool building. People first made swords out of pieces of wood that they sharpened. Not many swords were made out of pure stone but quite a few out of wood with stone or bone edges. For instance island tribes in the south pacific made wooden sabers with sharks teeth lining the edges and in Mexico they put obsidian flints alone the edge of ironwood shafts. When metal became widely available it used make the swords we would recognize today. They were first made from copper plates over wood, then tin or bronze plates and eventually solid metal blades were fashioned out of these metals. There is some argument over when exactly iron was first discovered but it was used by the Egyptians and the Assyrians. The swords of the eastern empires from Arabia to Japan have been revered for centuries as some of the deadliest weapons ever conceived by man. The superb steal work of the Damascus blades and the Japanese Samurai swords have until recently baffled western smiths. The curved blades and differences in fighting styles have usually left western soldiers surprised or dead. Eastern swords can come in a number of forms. First there is the Arabic sword, the epitome of which is the Damascus blade. These swords were lighter and shorter then the broadswords used by the crusaders, yet smaller men who were trained in their use could inflict serious damage on the larger armored European knights. This was due in part to the desert conditions that the knights were not prepared for, but also the exceptional strength of the Damascus swords and their curved blades. The curved blade, when used with a drawing cut instead of the thrust or falling cut used by the knights, can effectively increase the cutting ability of the weapon by a factor of four. The Samurai Sword is the next noteworthy weapon. The Japanese Samurai Sword is often considered one of the most elegant weapons. They were not as curved as the Arabic blades but the swordsmen still used the drawing cut and in combination with their own complex martial arts, they could be very deadly. Western swords have been the stuff of legends for as long as there has been a western world. The usual weapon that we picture is the English long-sword. Around 4 feet in length, made of steel, and perfectly straight, it was used throughout the middle ages by almost every European country with various levels of success. There is some record of the highly sophisticated techniques developed for the use of this weapon and in the hands of a master it could surpass most weapons of it's day. There was also the short-sword, a holdover from the Roman era and lethal in close quarters. And the broadsword, used by knights on horse back and anywhere up to 6 feet long. This weapon required a great deal of strength to use and was very unwieldy for the average man. Later development lead to the claymore, a broader short-sword and a favorite in Scotland. Finally we have the Rapier. This was one of the greatest swords of all time. A little shorter than the long-sword and much thinner, it required skill and dexterity but allowed much more agility to it's user than anything created in the western world. It usually was slightly curved and well decorated as it was a favorite of gentlemen. Most people don't consider swords as a viable weapon in the future. However they are still used in many ceremonious capacities, and most likely will still be used in that way for many years to come. But there are circumstances in which the sword could return in one form or another to use as a weapon. Many science fiction authors have toyed with the idea. They have found four possibilities, that I have found, for the sword's return. One: a worldwide catastrophe that leaves nations without a industrial base. Under such conditions the production of firearms and ammunition would by limited until the factories could be rebuilt. During which time the sword could be used instead. Or the technology to make firearms could be lost altogether and swords could return as a mainstream weapon. Two: a technological development could make firearms obsolete. Such as a discovery in armor or shielding technology that would make projectile weapons useless. Then a second discovery would make it so swords could pierce this armor but firearms could not. An example would a force-shield that could deflect or disintegrate small bullets but could not stop a sword made from a new kind of metal. Three: the classic "light saber" idea. A technique is found that allows the user of the sword to deflect or absorb projectile weapons fire and gives him greater firepower. Four: some kind of composite sword/projectile weapon is developed that combines the lethal ability of the sword in close quarters and the range of a firearm. Swords could be in use today if guns were not so widely available and swords so hard to use. A skilled swordsmen using a sword of modern day materials and modern day techniques could possibly defeat two or three gunmen, if they were in relatively close quarters. However this all assumes the swordsmen is well trained and in top physical condition. The gunmen don't need a great deal of training, especially if they have automatic weapons, and they can just sit in one place and shoot at the swordsmen. So today the gun reigns as the weapon of choice, but who knows about tomorrow. |