Blades

Legends, Lore & Lies* - The blade is probably man-kind's oldest tool.  Wherever we've roamed across this earth, we had a trusty blade with us.  Some things change, but many do not - like the need for a good blade and useful tool.  

Vikings were a 1000 years ahead of everyone else when it came to forging a good blade.  Archeologists have found about 170 Viking swords forged between 800 and 1000 that have the inscription “+VLFBERH+T” or “+VLFBERHT+” — mostly around Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea. After 1000, the swords seem to have suddenly gone out of production... it's a mystery of history!

Ulfberht swords were forged from high-carbon, crucible steel. They were vastly superior to any other weapon available in Europe during the medieval period. Back then, most swords were made from “bog iron.” But the Vikings wielded swords containing steel that Western Europe wouldn’t see again until the Industrial Revolution.

Because they were made from high-carbon steel, Ulfberht swords were lightweight and easy to wield in battle. They would have bent a little without breaking, and they would have stayed sharp longer than other blades available at the time. These qualities meant that Ulfberht swords would have easily prevailed in any medieval arms race. They could even be one reason the Vikings so easily conquered other kingdoms.

To make these swords, the Vikings would have had to understand how to make the crucible steel, a process that rids iron of the impurities that make it weak.  Of course, some alternative, snowflake historians (the communists again) want to give credit to some other people and culture for inventing the Ulfberht swords.  The swords were all found in Viking territory and date back to the Viking age.  If they were made by someone other than Vikings, then why weren't those people sailing around the world and conquering everyone?  And I didn't even need a PHD to figure that out!

Needless to say, a modern, world conquering, adventure seeking, defender of clan and kin values a good blade.  Choose from the collection of the blades we use ourselves.  Then use it for a lifetime and pass it down to the warriors of the next generation.

 

*Over time all great stories, sagas, facts and dates can become a bit blurry. The historical facts listed above are possibly (not likely) somewhat true and are at least one perspective looking back through the lens of history!