Swords – Technology Changes Everything By Bret Borman At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Swords although a weapon of war, have become not only a symbol of our warrior past, but are now, highly sought after works of art. Swords are unique as collectors’ items. Walk into any room where there is a full length sword neatly displayed and it will command the attention of all who enter. The unique combination as a weapon of war, coupled with the aesthetic beauty of a swords shape and design, make a sword, truly something to be proudly displayed in any home.

Swords have always been highly sought after as an effective weapon of war, but were not always readily available to the common warrior. The sword was primarily wielded by a more elevated warrior class or nobility. The common foot soldier and a peasant in an army, were relegated to spears.

But as the metallurgical technology increased, swords improved from bronze swords to iron. The only way that one could correctly state that going from bronze to iron swords was a technological improvement, would be to understand that although the bronze blade, primarily leaf like in shape, and stronger than iron, was more difficult to produce due to the higher melting temperature. Therefore Iron swords although relatively soft and malleable until the introduction of the smelting process wherein carbon was added to produce steel, was easier to make due to the abundance of the sword making raw material. This allowed entire armies to be outfitted with metal swords en masse for the first time.

As the art of sword making improved, it became the weapon of choice. However, at the turn of the 19th century, swords were replaced by the more accurate up and coming weapon, the gun. Nevertheless, swords have always, and will continue to always hold a special place in our past, prominently displayed as that which is beautiful, made by the loving hands of artisans.

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