Medieval swords were (usually) awful - A response to Matt Easton
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- Medieval swords were amazing and often beautiful and we think they were amazingly made by incredible craftsmen - look again and think again. In a wet weather rant, I pick up some of the points Matt Easton made in his video and carry on.
If I bumped into a medieval sword maker tomorrow he would probably punch me or worse.........
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Before the advent of industrialized society ... and the great uniformity which is a function of mechanized production ... it's perfectly possible that people really did not SEE these flaws. When we watched TV in the 1970s, we did not realize that the picture-quality was poor, because we had never even conceived of HD telly.
That is a very good point. Picture quality in the 50's, 60's, 70's or whatever was bad, but we watched the program, not the gritty contrast - Great point!
Then there were others of us that worked hard to bring that HD and better quality to the consumer.
My field was evidence gathering from CCTV and in the 1980s and right up to today it has been a hard fight trying to persuade people to get better quality. In the 1990s VHS tapes were so bad and the common Tommy Atkinson used and reused the same tapes until they had no magnetic particles left on them. I guess that relates to folk from all ages where that's good enough and built down to a price.
Before we got mass-produced goods with perfect symmetries and completely uniform and flat surfaces, people were used to looking at natural symmetries (animals, plant leaves etc.) and naturally uniform and flat surfaces - and those are never perfect in any sense of the word. And although today people are more used to machined goods, spotting small imperfections is not that easy unless one specifically sets out to spot them.
As a knifemaker, I always see every little flaw in my work, but others usually do not unless I point them out. It is similar to what Tod mentioned about the museum pieces - we often perceive them as perfect and we only notice the imperfections and flaws when we concentrate on spotting them. And the natural, genuinely handmade look has something to it - the happiest my customer ever was was with a letter opener from an old file and deer antler, deliberately rough and imperfect, with visible hammer marks etc.
This is really it. They lived in a time when everything was made by hand and nothing was ever perfect. Looking for perfection wasn't a part of their thought process since it was a futile effort. At the most they would look for the highest quality items they could afford and the idea of what quality was........was also a lot different than today. Todd had it correct, durability would have been their first priority since replacing everything wasn't easy and waiting lists for "perfect" items would be too long for practicality in a world of hand crafted goods.
I was just going to make a similar comment. The industrial revolution was several hundred years after the medieval era. Back in the medieval era, everything was made by hand. They didn't have factories to churn out identical copies of things. So they probably had more of a "git er done" mentality with manufacturing.
A ceramic artist I know told me that you spend years aiming for perfection until you can eventually make something that looks like it was made by a machine, and then you stop aiming for perfection.
I’m reminded of some wine glasses I got as a gift and it was the imperfections that made me realize it was handmade.
It also made me think they were more valuable because of the skill required to blow glass and make wine glasses.
Agreed
One big point that I do not see mentioned enough is that adding needless perfection increases cost. I got mass produced glasses that are far from perfect. Got few bubbles within the glass, seams are shoddy etc but why I tolerate it?
They were way cheaper!
So many times I find myself going for the option that is not as nice but gets the job done just because it is considerably cheaper.
Agreed. I have a "uranium glass" set of antique absinthe glasses and decanter. They are flawed and have bubbles in them. I wouldn't have them if they looked perfect.
@@justskip4595 True to a point, but visual imperfections can be a tell of generally poor manufactuing methods and controls, which would logically extend to possible hidden flaws like stress points that make them prone to cracking when bumped. Or, annoyingly the base isn't flat so they rock back and forth on the table.
@@TheDuckofDoom. Yeah and this was example, you need to examine the things individually that are the shortcomings acceptable. This goes with about everything in my life. There are very few "nice things" that I own because I value functionality over the price.
I could give many examples but I'll leave it for now and do it if someone wishes me to do so.
Fantastic video Tod. I think it's easy for some of us to forget that most people out there are not getting very close access to these original objects, and therefore spreading this kind of information is really important. I understand modern expectations, and I'm subject to them myself - we are modern people and we can't avoid that. But when trying to understand the past more, and understand the reality of these medieval objects, and the culture that made and used them, I think this issue is really important for any modern collector/hobbyist to consider.
Eh, I really disagree here. It's just wrong. People saw flaws and went 'it's the way it is' but legendary swordsmakers, the ones who could command kingly sums for their work, could do so because their swords were as close to perfect as possible. They weren't the banged together pieces of scrap regular blacksmith produced. They were works of art, as close as possible to machine made - and to say otherwise is insulting them. And I believe that if you shown modern sword to a medieval buyer, they would pick it over medieval made one 99 times out of 100, because to them, it would look like work of these legendary masters, not the junk they could reasonably afford. Like difference between Ford and Bugatti, yes, sure, most people here can only afford junk Fords if that, but if you gave them Bugatti for the same price, no one would pick a Ford, and what this video is doing is claiming all cars were Fords and no Bugattis by legendary craftsmen existed. I mean, imperfections are fine if you want a regular soldier sword, but if you're reenacting nobility, demanding better is par for the course...
@@KuK137I'd take the Ford if it had what I needed for functionality. If it didn't have that I would take neither vehicle. If you want a status symbol and can afford to pay for it, we'll go ahead and buy a cloak made of gold fabric. The tech and skill existed for making swords with exquisite precision, but what's the point of it if it never gets used? Same goes for modern swords. Wanna feel like a king with a ceremonial sword? Get a mall wall hanger and you'll be fine. Want something that will put up with some abuse and use? Well there's a whole lot of smiths out there willing and able to make something that will last and perform. Want something that looks like the old stuff? Plenty of smiths can do that too, but they won't always be pretty or as durable as the movies would have you believe.
@@KuK137 So many problems with this it's difficult to know where to start. For starters, even swords that we know were given to Kings had several imperfections in their construction if you actually looked at them closely. And these were generally ceremonial swords, not ones used in real warfare.
You're acting like midieval sword smiths were these fantasy legends who would be commissioned by nobility to make perfect swords. That's not how it worked. Swords were not constructed in their entirety by one person. Guilds controlled the various elements of the process. A bladesmith would forge the blade. A blacksmith would make the hilt or other fittings. A carpenter would make the handle and somebody else would make the wrapping. Then it's all assembled by yet a different person. It's not uncommon for there to be multiple different maker's marks on 1 period sword.
And yes, there were families or companies more known for their quality than others and would thus see more high profile commissions, that was still within the realm expectations for the time. A sword intended to last multiple battles doesn't need to be symmetrical perfection. Regardless if it's wielded by some peasant levy or by a knight. Even a sword made purely for fashion was at least expected to hold up in a duel.
Thanks Matt and thanks for giving me the nudge with your video. I agree we have perceptions of all sorts of things and this area seems one of those that particularly is often incorrect. I think the pinned comment at the top may explain quite a lot of it. Pieces could be rough because people simply did not see it; either way they didn't seem to care because they could make amazingly good and well finished pieces, they just so often didn't and we gloss over that when looking, we forgive it, just like when we watch a black and white film, we may comment about the acting, the lighting, the costume, the story or whatever, but actually we will rarely comment on the very obvious, which is the world is not black and white.
@@KuK137 Which specific museum pieces are you referencing here?
Read an article years ago by a reenactor who handled some original Napoleonic era uniforms.
They said the stitches were awful,like tack stitches and as big as an inch in some places. They said if you got that handed back to you from a reenactment seamstress today as a replica,you'd be wanting your money back. But it did it's job and is still in one piece 200 years later!
Reanactors are often snobish and sectaire. They "learn" some stuff, teach it all around, are proud about, and love look down on others, experience made. ;)
Some are good of course, unfortunately not the big part, don't worry.
munition grade stuff has always been low tier, they probably looked down on it even when it was new
I would imagine that “military grade” in the 1800s was no different than today- made by the lowest bidder
@@jacobnormann6678 Bold of you to assume there was actual bidding going on
@@Bubben246 Well, if you count the person who offers the largest bribe to the military purchasing agent as bidding.
One of my favourites is the Sutton Hoo sword. It's not so much an imperfection in the work itself (it's one of the most beautiful swords you can find), but the gold on the hilt and pommel was actually worn smooth in parts because he held it so much. The owner was clearly so proud to carry it around, resting his hand on it, keeping it next to his body, that it started to wear the decoration away.
Slightly different, but similar. I love my pocket knives that I've carried around enough that they've got honest wear marks on them. That human influence on the object makes it more soulful.
Heck, I don't like my keys fresh. They need to rub against each other in my pocket for a couple of years, and show the brass. Then they're mine. Before that, they're too perfect. Same thing with a wallet. A brand new wallet is better looking in theory than my old one. Do I love it as much as a broken in, well loved piece of leatherwork? Not even close.
This reminds me of a stumpy nubs video talking about antique woodworking tools and he once had a hand plane that had a groove worn in its handle that fit the original craftsman's thumb, hed used it so much the wood moulded to his hand
Yes, 100% The tools and items I use most show wear and I love them all the better for it. That little chip on my framing hammer happened when I was helping my son work on his eagle project. That scratch came from when I dropped my torch and it skittered across a pier almost going into the water. My items, my tools, they tell my story and their place in it. And when I buy an antique tool, I love to sit down and 'read' the wear to try and figure out how the previous owner used it.
Collectors: No, I don't want my sword to have flaws!
Medieval person: So you tell me, that I could cut some ruffian's head with this sword, and it won't break? Wonderful!
"And I can have it in a few days, instead of three-four weeks? Even better!"
@@thossi09 and it will be 2 silvers rather than 5 gold
@@thossi09 That's BS. Maybe some peasant or lesser noble would say this, but a duke or a king would absolutely want perfection. You people act like buying a Ferrari instead of junk Ford when you have means to do so isn't a thing.
Tod: Oh this blade is so wobbly, bugger.
Curator: Take that away, Tod, it's too wobbly!
Tod: Woohoo! 🏃
@@KuK137 that’s just not accurate. The types of kings that spent tons of money on ‘perfect’ weapons didn’t come about until people like Maximilian I in the 15th century
If you've ever worked a craft, you know "perfect" isn't achievable, but "really good" is. There are always flaws, some only seen by trained eyes, or the "things you can get away with" kind of imperfections. Always aim for perfection, and you'll get really good :)
That is absolutely correct. I always aim for perfection, but actually just don't really get there. The only way to improve is literally to try to improve, which also has the nice side effect of making you faster. But if you consider a sword with say 1,000 operations to make it, what is the chance that every one of those 1,000 is correct? Slim at best. The real mystery for me is that they could make amazing things but so often chose not to. It must just be that they had a very different outlook.
As a CNC machinist, I agree, even with everything as computerized and precise as you can have, perfection is physically impossible, no matter how hard you try, how solid and rigid your setup, you will ALWAYS have imperfection, it is physically impossible to hit a perfect number, you have to know how close you need to get, because you will ALWAYS have variation, it may only be 0.0001 of an inch or .01 mm, which you won't be able to even see with your naked eye, but the variation will be there, so instead of shooting for perfect, you try to control as many variables as you can to get within acceptable parameters, and as long as you don't go too over or too under, you're good.
I'm a carpenter (furniture,cabinets). The statement above is correct
@@tods_workshop The medieval smiths had the WW II Soviet view. Crude but effective. See the Soviet 'good enough' T 34's that were effective and cheap (even 'shoddy' technically) but won the war vs the 'German engineering perfection'. Of better tanks (late war) but too few and too expensive (Panthers, Tiger II's etc). Need requires only 'good enough', Only luxary demands perfection!.
@@DmncPalm I'm a janitor and the same still holds true for me.
Woodworkers these days have trouble with clients who are used to mass produced perfection. Hand work looks like hand work in every trade. Modern craftsworkers can “cheat” with power tools and mass produced cutting tools where the medieval workers had to learn to make and maintain all their tools and cutters as part of the craft. Try making a simple birdhouse with a handsaw, eggbeater drill and doweled connections. Now make the saw yourself first and use a pump-drill and spoon bit for the holes.
Our perspective of what “perfection” looks like has changed.
I always warn any clients of this very fact, you are ordering a hardwood hand made item, not an ikea item. I will fix mistakes, but the tree is not straight, and I'm not using a CNC machine to level this board. I will ensure it looks nice, but I'm not going to flatten it to .00001 mm.
Agree 95%. However...there are/were craftsmen who could achieve near perfection with their hands alone. As long as they are/were given enough time and resources.
You can find someone to make you a perfect knife, dresser, or even wall all by hand...and you always could. The problem is almost nobody is/was willing to pay for it.
Because pretty good to perfect means an increase in price by a factor of 20...or much more.
Woodworking is much different. Even with ancient hand tools it was possible to achieve nearly flawless results.
That just wasn't possible working metal with the tools and methods that were available in those same periods.
I MAKE BESPOKE HISTORICAL SUITS 1890 to 1930 and I have the exact same issue - people expect mass production levels of perfection from an entirly hand sewn, hand crafted garment.
Like Tod I have to finish to ABOVE historical standards, I have to finish a "working class suit" to better than what would have been Saville Row standards at the time.
[They also expect it to fit like a modern suit and they just DONT, they actually fit WAY better, but people are not used to clothes that fit their body cos they buy loose floppy stuff off the rack. A structured, canvased, close fitting 1920's suit is NOT going to feel like a pair of stretched out jogging pants or and off the fack suit.]
@@SanchoPancho979 the other issue is, its usually the very VERY best items that survive. Which gives a distorted impression.
This makes me feel better as an amateur blacksmith. The desire to make a perfect dagger or item makes me hyper critical of everything I do. So it’s nice to see these old pieces and see that these artifacts were made by human beings too.
I see that wretched word 'perfect' far too often applied to both objects made, and human beings themselves. It's utter madness but people can be obsessed by chasing this impossible ideal to their detriment. It won't happen.
You know what will, though? Excellence. Strive for excellence and all of a sudden, you'll find that crushing weight removed and a fire lit underneath you! Go and be an excellent smith!
To strive for perfection is absolutely fine, it's how we improve our skills and gain new ones. As long as you always ask yourself how can I do it better? It's a healthy thing.
If it’ll hold an edge and not break, it’s at worst, a decent knife.
I suffered the same as u. Thank you tod. I'll still try but won't sweat it quite so much
@@DJRockford83 There's a huge difference between striving for perfection and striving for improvement. When you strive for perfection, you'll never reach your goal. When you strive for improvement, you reach your goals over and over, while continually improving. One of those is much better for your well-being and your craft.
Always look for ways to do things better. Don't strive for some impossible ideal; that's a great way to continual disappointment and stress for no reason. Do better.
Tod, I have one of your Brueghel messers, and it looks so ideal hanging on the hip. The fit and finish, and materials look so “natural” that it attracts almost no attention at events. It sounds strange, to folks that don’t do historical costuming and such, but to have kit that just fits in, really is a silent compliment 😊
I would agree with that. Thanks. I have always said I want to make replicas that if they were taken back, would get no special attention. I want them to blend in and at best somebody would pick it up and comment of the quality, but not in a mystical way just a "That's really nice; what's for dinner?" kind of a way
@@tods_workshop It's for exactly this reason I use some of the knives you have made in my kitchen. It's a tool to do a job and it is a bloody good one.
I thought it's illegal to walk around with a sword?
@@MarsMullo1 not in Texas 😎
@@MarsMullo1 depends on location.
My state in the US has laws stating that weapons of _all types_ are legal to carry if they are legal to own.
I restored 700 year old strained glass panels as a job, I was always impressed seeing a 700 year old bodge that had survived all the years. It was heartening to witness these as some of the brand new panels I made, had little bodges to get around issues.
How's your lead count?
@@rhysplant8392 I am 64 years old unable to work due to lead toxicity, it's off the scale. Mind you I was a leader for years then melted lead glass to make the glass for the windows. Also for my sea fishing hobby I smelted waste lead into fishing weights. I had to go to Belgium to get tested properly as NHS are useless, 12x recommended levels. Apparently shouldn't even be here, still I had fun.
@@adders45 Damn man, I was curious because I'm studying in a field of chemistry, were you able to get access to chelation procedure, maybe at a medical research institute? Well I hope it's not too debilitating and hope you get to live normally for quite some time.
@@rhysplant8392 chelation is not possible because anytime I take anything to chelate I get thoroughly unwell, I mean really unwell. I have tried some natural herbs with properties that are supposed to help with heavy metals but same result. Best to leave alone, I eat a clean diet and limit myself to what is possible and just enjoy what I can do, Archery being my main hobby these days 😂
@@adders45 Oh yeah I can imagine. A massive dietary overhaul could effectively achieve the same for sure. Increasing metabolic rate with catalyzers, so pretty much any of the complete proteins do a great job, fish and quinoa would probably my choice. All the best with it.
I agree to it. As a furniture restorer, I've seen so many old pieces that would never pass today's standard, because they are uneven and have big gaps. However, these imperfections don't seem to matter as long as the function is there for them in the old days. Nowadays, people are so focused on "it was better before" and that dovetails, etc. need to be perfect or it's bad. Apparently, they haven't looked at how most old pieces were made. :P
Well in basically every aspect, life & products today are worse, unless you live outside the 1st world.
People tend to look at museum pieces and assume that was the standard without realizing.
It’s interesting to read bunch of stories from few hundred years ago from many different cultures about average people (ordinary soldier, samurai, etc) spending $20000-$30000 or more and going in debt because they wanted to buy a decent weapon for both utility and status
@@MapleMan1984 ah yes, go back to the good old days where women had no rights, children worked in the mines if they made it past infancy, and adults worked from sunrise to sunset.
@@tommihommi1 Oh brother. Get out of here, Steven Pinker.
Well it depends if you're talking about furniture, just like Tod pointed out people want it to look authentic. They don't want the items restored unless it's absolutely necessary. Of course if you buy a table today it's most likely going to be "good". Let's be honest for a moment many things produced today, even by machine aren't perfect at least not unless you go up in price class. I've seen countless of IKEA(and similar) trash that isn't aligned properly or something is just off. Perfection rarely exist, it's only in your mind.
Reminds me of my bathroom renovation a few years back. It was anything but perfect. If you look close enough you'll see problems in everything. The most hilarious thing was the sink which had the handle completely offset and not centered. I thought it was so funny that I didn't bother reporting it.
As for back in the day the object, just like today, was made to fill a purpose foremost. Everything beyond that was just a bling factor. I think at the end of the day if it's something modern, many like you said, expect perfection but it doesn't mean that everything is made with perfection in mind. That's just not how the real world works. It really is a case by case situation, some want things to be "perfect"(sterile like Tod pointed out) and others do not, they want things to look old and worn down.
These are all great points about perfectly imperfect crafting. What stuns me is the level of perfection they did achieve with what they had. Masons and carpenters alike, created exquisite work with hand tools and a bucket of patience.
I think the difference in priorities is pretty excellent example of how the perception of swords has changed
in the medieval era, swords and other weapons were tools first and symbols of status second
whereas now, even in cases of reenactment, swords are purely ceremonial in function
which explains the grater need for them to appear perfect over their actual function as tools
I've noticed the slight errors and imperfections on every handmade blade I've ever bought. Master Daniel Watson is one of the greatest smiths I've known, bought multiple weapons from him over the years, and even HE has little glitches in his work. It used to bother me, until I got into smithing myself and realized that without modern machining it will ALWAYS have errors. Nowadays I consider it a kind of "mark of authenticity" and the "fingerprint" of the smith.
Great video topic Tod!
"Perfect is the enemy of good enough." Alan C. Huffines, Colonel, U.S. Army/Historian/Author.
When Alan and I were reenacting many moons ago, he often told me this if I made something for him and felt I had made a mistake.
I feel so relieved about my personal amateurish attempts of handcrafting items! Tank you, Todd.
I SO agree with you Todd. As an artist and lover of things handmade I too want to see the maker in the piece. That is where the soul is found. Thanks for this video Todd spot on!
Yeah but if you wanted to get a loose hilt fixed or whatever in medieval times it was a lot easier and cheaper than it would be today because craftsmen were everywhere.
So you want to see the maker in the machine made copy?
@@Ashbringer85 Joking? Or do you have trouble reading? I said HANDMADE.
This is really a solid statement on how craftsmanship has existed until very recently in our history. Sometimes folks are just making something to fit the job and the price point, sometimes it’s a work they pour their soul and fullness of expertise and ability into, and even then without modern tooling and measuring there’s only so much you can do, and that’s just fine.
This was great. A reminder that EVERYTHING was hand made back then, so perfection really truly is impossible. I'm a perfectionist and an entry level leatherworker so I stress a lot about wavy lines, offset stamps, etc. So maybe I'll be able to try to slacken that mindset a bit if I tell myself I'm making medieval pieces. Lol, thanks Tod. Good job adapting the videos to the situation and good luck with the flooding.
Keep reaching for perfection The guy who used to make my boiled leathers (SCA and motorcycle armor), was so good I accused him of not handcrafting it. After he realized my complaint was that he did so good his armor looked manufactured on an assembly line, he laughed (tears in eyes guffaws) and said "Why thank you sonnie boy - it took me decades to get that consistent with an awl"
We live in 2023, not 1323, so while we can try to understand the people of the past, we should also recognize that what people of today consider perfect is very different. If you're doing it as a business, then your hands are somewhat tied; most customers will have those modern expectations. But if you're doing it for your own enjoyment, then you can go with whatever makes you happiest!
I’m part of a reenactment group - we do 13th century tournaments for a well known company that has castles.
Anyway. We use swords a lot. Considerations are usually:
1. Is the blade soft? If it is it won’t last long.
2. Is it long / short enough? (Balance isn’t that important)
3. Does it hurt my hand to use it or slide out of my hand?
4. Is it too heavy and will rip my shoulder.
Most of them end up wonky, rattly, modded, scratched etc. all adds character. Broken ones are trophies.
Yeah, this all sounds reasonable to me. Especially if you consider that these shops WERE the "mass producers" of swords that all the well to do soldiers were going to. A well regarded sword maker would be really busy and probably wouldn't have the time to obsess over a lot of cosmetic details because they have more swords to make.
And especially in times of high demand - i.e. major conflicts - the powers that be would be more interested in getting weapons NOW than getting perfect weapons in a month or two when you want to be already campaigning hundreds or thousands of miles away.
Many of the swords would be made by apprentices learning their trade, too. If some fancy design of sword made well by a master or a skilled journeyman catches the eye of a knight or noble, the smith can perhaps sell it for three marks (or something in that range), but a functional though flawed sword turned out by an apprentice to the same pattern might quite happily be picked up by a common solder for six shillings (I'm not suggesting these are real prices from a given decade, just that a factor of in this case seven might be illustrative).
The soldier only cares that the sword is reliable, for example that the spine of the blade forms a straight line between the point and his hand, but not that the edges are slightly asymmetrical. The fact that the fancy hilt makes it look like it was made for a knight is a bonus to him, because a casual observer might well assume he must have taken it off a defeated foe on the battlefield or was preferentially awarded it by his captain as his share of the plunder.
@@RichWoods23 All true, though I think the blades Tod is talking about with all their flaws, are of pretty high pedigree in ownership and resulting preservation.
My thoughts on the pressure of production is influenced by something said (by Skala in another vid?) about the use of waterpowered triphammers sometime in the 15th century to manufacture large quantities of unfitted plate harness. but that was in italy i think. anyways it would just show demand was very high.
jupp. especially if you go over old documents like receipts, bills, shopping lists, guild documents, tax documents...medieval craftsmen, as a rule, were really pressed to churn stuff out. They worked long days in bad lighting not because the lord was threatening torture all day, but because they simply had to to make ends meet. Wages were low compared to cost of living, and still a major portion of the final price of an object would be cost of labour.
@@RichWoods23 I think your price range is roughly reasonable, Matt made an interesting video once "what did a sword cost", and he concludes "about as much as a car now- between 100€ for a 4th-hand, battered semi-driveable wreck and several million for a fancy polished Bugatti", and If I am not mistaken, 2-6 pence would be a reasonable daily wage, which was also the low end of sword price estimates in historical inheritance documents ( he cites one roughly as " household items: an old, rusty sword - 2p")
This is a bit of an encouragement for me. Over the last couple of years I have taken quite a number of jewelry classes from my local community college. My interest is primarily in making historically inspired pieces (I don't quite have the skills, patience, or motivation for real historically accurate replicas). I have been often annoyed with the imperfections of my work, especially in comparison with really beautiful historical originals. My jewelry teacher had to remind me 1) that most of the items I admire were made by multiple professional artisans in workshops, not just individuals trying to make the entire piece, and 2) that even very stunning pieces have little flaws, inconsistencies, and asymmetries. Even ones made by professional craftsmen.
As someone who honestly hates tedious finish work and cringes at the thought of spending hours sanding out file marks, or filing out casting flaws, it is a relief to realize that so many pieces don't need that level of detail. Taking out the really egregious flaws is sometimes enough, and more practical than wasting enormous amounts of time on a few small errors.
We were talking about this the other day with regard to bone and antler working when a friend of mine was making a comb case for me - the originals are absolutely all over the place! There's a really good example in the Coppergate collection of an absolutely massive comb case, all covered in beautiful spirals, linework, and ring and dot. At a glance, from a distance, it's magnificent and splendid. But when you look closer at the linework you can see how, as the maker worked their way along the piece, the work gets more and more sloppy and uneven as they got more and more bored. It's really fun to see.
I have seen similar things - it really grounds the work
Hi Tod. Maybe you remember me? The man with the bad English ;-) I brought you the Solingen catalog "Das Schwert Gestalt und Gedanke" to the Minden reenactor fair. This exact video made me do it! I can't think of anyone (except perhaps Matt Easton) who could use such a work better - and who would value it more. Please keep it up, maybe you can get even better results - if at all possible - from the scientific findings of the Solingen experts including Peter Johnson and his work. People who put their hearts into something are rare in this world. In my opinion, you are one of these people. And since I learned this craft myself, I appreciate it.
The whole point to historical objects is just how close to "perfection" some craftsmen were able to consistently get to given tools that were available, looking for perfection in modern pieces is all because NOW we can achieve insane perfection
A high-end craftsman could produce something to a certain standard. They would have known techniques to get a perfect finish or come very close. The big issue was reproducibility. Early industrial production quickly focused on standards, but until people like Witworth came up with highly accurate measuring devices to set high quality standards, hand fitting was necessary for each part.
This what handicapped Babbage's Difference Engine. His machine could be built, but at an insane cost in the early 19th century, since every part was hand made. It would take a few more decades before they would have been able to mass produce the parts, by which time similar machines were already developed.
I would say there were certainly highly Skilled craftsmen who achived great things for their time, but I wouldn’t say ‘consistently”.
As an Artist, I can tell you that the Rate of ‘perfect pieces” I make compared with the rate of ‘pretty good” pieces is about one out of ten, and the rate compared to ‘eh, good enough” pieces is about one out of Fourty.
Craftsmen dinae live off of their greatest works alone, and those who try, well, the cliche of ‘The Starving Artist” exists for a reason.
@@Beuwen_The_Dragon You're thinking too much in terms of the artistry, I think, and not the fact that swords were primarily practical tools. In this regard, practice leads to improvement of technical skills and thus consistency.
Great video Tod. On a possible comparative point I visited Belvedere Castle in Vienna where some of the very ornate furniture had very poor joinery. In some cases several mm of gap, saw marks and gouges. So your point in this video resonated strongly with me. We don’t need to have perfection in these recreations. Thanks, keep up the interesting content.
As others have already alluded to talking about furniture, this is an opinion that I relate to deeply being a string player. I've held and played many dozens of violins and violas and while I agree wholeheartedly that there are wonderful luthiers around today who make some of the best instruments ever made, aesthetically, some of their instruments can feel entirely out of place if they happen to be too perfect. No knicks, no kinks, perfectly smooth varnish and completely flat colours make for some of the dullest looking instruments out there. I do think that their ageing techniques can be too much, too, but a considerate balance can be struck for an instrument that is contemporary to still look individual and well-used, for lack of a better term. It's a very interesting thing. And curiously, the tastes seem to differ in this regard depending on the region of the world, too. I've recently been told by one of Europe's likely most successful instrument salesmen that a bow I picked would've had difficulties to be sold elsewhere because of a cosmetic flaw that makes it all the more beautiful to me, and one that has no technical or structural bearing on its quality whatsoever, mind you. It's a very curious topic.
It's always great to really live your niche.
@@tods_workshop Perhaps the biggest privilege we have :)
I think this topic is far greater by the way. I feel the same with many of the modern buildings and other types of every day objects as well. There are too many things where I feel that artificial kind of "perfectness" nowadays. They feel out of place and uncomfortable. As Tod said, they feel soulless.
I am strangely sure that if you shown these 'dull' instruments to old masters, they would be in shock on how perfect it is, and would never say anything so dumb. I also bet they saw all the deficiency in what they made, but they were in a hurry and had imperfect tools, and if they could make it like modern tools do, 99 out of 100 craftsmen would do so in an instant...
@@Ordo1980 Really? Because if you look up close at them, you will see tons of imperfections and screw ups, easily. I am strangely sure if we could look at building made in 2400s, current ones would look like ineptly made uneven junk in comparison. That's just progress for you.
Hi Tod! Loved the video. My other half works in the museum industry and seeing objects up close is a world of difference. Sword grips, chequering on gun stocks, patchy bluing on firearms, very uneven stitching on garments. Its commonplace in all items and mist people dont really see that. Most people goimg through museums rush through so fast because theres just so much to see that things usually only get a cursory glance.
Your video perfectly sums up why handmade is better. Machine made really is very sterile.
I wish more people understood that flaws from handmaking really give a piece more character.
Loved this whole thing. And love your insight and knowledge. But above all I love your craftsmanship. You are a master, not just in faithful, functional recreations, but in capturing what medieval weapons were like, and teaching it.
Thanks!
It's like if you wanted to buy a perfect replica of a 1970s British sports car. If it works, it's not a perfect replica.
So true! I had a 1969 Lotus Elan for 7 years, Lovely when it did, mostly didn't
I feel this on a spiritual level.
I trained to become a goldsmith, and one of the first things I learned was, that _everything_ you make will be unique, simply because you can't make to identical items. Unless you are a mashine, there will always be at least some minor deviations between two pieces, that should look the same.
We were taught, that the greeks purposefully integrated flaws into their architecture, to make them _feel_ perfect, because you look at it, and you don't notice the little flaws, but you notice their absence, which then feels unnatural.
As a sidenote, I'm convinced that the superstition among goldsmiths, that it brings misfortune to create your own wedding rings, stems from the opposite side of that.
When you create something, you know all the mistakes you made, the frustration you felt, when everything seemed to go sideways, etc., and you will always know that. You'd look at your wedding rings, and see your shortcomings, remember your frustration, and will feel a bitterness towards the thing that should symbolize your eternal love for your Partner.
Have you ever thought of doing a video on making a medieval style blade using STRICTLY medieval techniques? Just so people can see the amount of time and effort it would take to get a decent blade back in the day?
Great video, BTW!
That would be interesting to see
Would be cool to have a video showing the production of a typical dagger in England... where they would make the blade, which parts would be sold where, etc...
yes, it'll be out in three years time. he's still fishing lumps of iron out of a bog somewhere.
@@Catonius LOL... I was thinking more shop techniques than supply chain.
@@rex8255 fair enough.
This made me think of a fun little way that one could ground a fantasy world: Have the human protagonists marvel at the eerie symmetry and surface perfection they see the first time they encounter an elven/dwarven/magical object. Up until that point you the author have never mentioned something as mundane as all steel objects having littles stripes and splotches of slag in them, or all castings being slightly pitted - as that is just natural for the characters - but now that they encounter the perfectly homogenous crucible steel of the dwarves or the inhuman meticulousness of their file work, they talk or think about all those things and thus give you an organic opportunity point them out to the reader. This highlights an interesting aspect of pre-modern life most people never think about, while at the same time adding to the magic of the world; simultaneously achieving two important goals in fantasy writing that can often be opposed to each other.
Thanks for your video. Im making a medieval cut and thrust dagger and have been driving myself crazy with its symmetry. So i feel like i can relaxe a bit now. Thanks.
One of your best videos, Todd. I can tell you're passionate about this.
For a video without any fancy editing or fieldwork, this is about as good as it gets. Very well done, and extremely informative.
Thanks
Makes me think of the origin of the word "masterpiece", generally considered to be the best work a person produces in their lifetime. Now originally it would be the piece of work a craftsman would produce and show to qualify as a "master" (rank) with their respective guild. Every other piece they make would be lower quality and even those masterpieces would not be perfect, but the closest to it the craftsman might ever get.
In Germany you still have to make your masterpiece when your getting your master (the Craftsman title, not the University degree). And beforehand the Gesellenstück at the end of your apprenticeship
@@Glimmlampe1982 there's a "journeywork" level as well as a masterwork?
@@ScottKenny1978 yes, at least in some crafts like carpentry. After 2-4 years, depending on the craft, you finish by doing your Gesellenstück/journeywork. After that you can work in that trade and later, if you want, get into the master that then finishes with the masterwork. And only after that you were allowed to have apprentices yourself I think, but they loosened that stuff a little in recent years.
@@Glimmlampe1982 very cool, thanks!
@@Glimmlampe1982 Yeah carpenters are very traditional in Germany.
Fantastic video. Brings up memories of browsing the handmade swords in the blade market in Ambovombe, Madagascar.
I was almost expecting you to test out freshly made Medieval Boats at first!
Body surfing on shields! 😋
Yess, he should make some boats or something
A canoe/kayak wouldn't be beyond his skill, either..
Right?
I should have added: "tho a coracle would be more fitting for Medieval England/Europe, but that would be far more difficult to control for an inexperienced boatman such as Tod - tho it'd be highly amusing watching him try!" :)
I absolutely love the message. As a knifemaker who does almost all handwork myself, I give my own work a very hard time for very slight imperfections that would not impact performance at all. Glad to hear not everyone is perfect. :)
I think if you keep in mind that back in the day, actually straight things weren't common at all, then you can understand that someone making something somewhat straight already is a step up and a sign of quality. It also shouldn't have been as shocking to the eye as to us nowadays, where even a simple fork looks exactly like the others of the kitchen, to the tenth of millimeter sometimes.
If your fork cutting factory varies 0,1mm then you need to adjust your machine mate, that's imprecise as hell for modern manufacturing equipment at an industrial scale.
@@nicholaswoollhead6830 depends, forks don't require much in terms of precision, nobody's gonna yell you to adjust your machines if there's a 0.1mm difference between two forks. No factory is going to spend time and money on a precision that's not needed. But of course for litterally any mechanical piece, it's all gonna be impressively tight in terms of tolerances
@Jean Ladoire were probably both right then haha. I just finished a degree in international economics so when I say "manufacturing" I'm talking the world's top 3 fork producers and those guys certainly would care, but your every day mom and pop's fork production facility probably don't microadjust to that level.
@@nicholaswoollhead6830 It also depends on which dimension you're talking about. If the width of a "finger" varies by 0.1mm that might be noticeable, but no way anyone notices that difference if its lengthwise.
@@Kenionatus Eh, they do, because they put the forks together in a bunch after washing. I'd spot length difference way before noticing difference in tines...
The talk about loose guards made me think of the Japanese Katori Shinto-Ryu school that dates back to the 15th century. They intentionally have loose guards on their swords. I believe the idea is that when another sword hits the guard there is some give to absorb the shock. It also adds a distinctive metallic rattle, especially when they perform their form of chiburi (a movement done to supposedly shake the blood off but likely originally done for unknown, possibly ritualistic reasons) which involves spinning the blade 360 degrees along its length, while keeping the point towards the enemy, by sharply flicking the handle with the right hand and then knocking the back of the handle with the same fist to suddenly stop it just as it rotates back to the edge down starting point. This all makes a really satisfying "rattle" sound.
After being in Martial Arts for over 65 years and also enjoying my time in Medieval Re-enactment (10th century Icelandic and Irish Raider), I remember what one of my Martial Arts mentors beat into my head. "Perfection is a goal you never achieve. If you do reach it, then you need to find another goal to reach for or life becomes meaningless".
A brilliant speech!! Hopefully you will release this wonderful dirk through your cutler's range eventually, or just the blade at least.
The word "perfect" meant something different back then, today we are spoiled by machinery.
-Can I kill a man with this sharp thingie?
-Sure you can!
-Perfect
Spoiled on this subject yes. But not for things that only work "function" if they are "perfect" like a new knee prosthesis or in modern weapons for e.g.
True words, back then, weapons actually looked "raw"
It's even true in the era of mechanization. During WW2 the average M1 Garand is not as accurate as what people expect from a modern M1. It's the exact same design, but at the volume they were made they were plenty good enough for combat.
Perfect has always meant done well. The connotation is not the denotation.
Very fascinating. My first sword was from KK Art, the Czech swordsmith. After a few fights the crossguard started to rattle. I was 18 and quite annoyed at that. Poor quality, I imagined. I took a nail and hammered it into a small gap. Fixed. And now you tell me (some 20 years later) that originals had this too, with even wooden pegs! I am so amazed, and quite frankly, it makes me happy that this is just all the more accurate about the sword. (it has some aspects that make it less accurate but they don't hinder the functionality of the sword). My next sword had a bit of a loose pommel. Rammed a nail in there too, and that sort of works. I'm just happy to hear that even though rattling can be a bit of a nuisance, it's completely historical and therefore I think it makes these swords just a bit better than I thought they were.
And when it comes to Medieval pottery, it gets even more intense. I've seen ceramic jugs that were so squished and crooked and wobbly that you would think they just messed up and tossed them out. But no! These were still used because what they did was what they were made for: hold your drink. Who cares if it's ugly? It does it's job. And I think that's a wonderful insight into the Medieval mind.
Love your approach to your work, Tod! I have a couple of your Tod Cutler range daggers and a mace. I LOVE the handmade aesthetic. They feel like they are artefacts from the period, rather than carbon copy, flawless, characterless pieces. It's also satisfying to know mine are unique. Even people with the same pattern daggers or maces won't have the same piece. It makes them feel all the more special.
My mind is blown when I see your Tod's Workshop pieces... Maybe I will treat myself one day!
I have a couple of both and they are displayed proudly on my living room wall. The Henry the VIII dagger is maybe a little too perfect, but it is a real beauty.
Yep! This is why I buy from both your workshop and cutler line. And I rarely leave the cutler line untouched, which is why I really enjoyed your video on giving them character with aging and slight modifications.
I believe that how bad the average sword was is part of why some swords might seem enchanted by comparison.
exactly.. maybe you sword smith has access to a high carbon metorite steel .. that knife he makes from it does "wonders" .. just because he had a good day and the material was great .. ( sounds like scifi? well it is not.. there was a solid source for that.. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%B6rdlinger_Ries )
Right like " he must be a magician the blade is actually straight"
@@jessmoorlag6088 Exactly. If you were rich and powerful you could find some of the best smiths and pay them to take a lot more time and care than usual.
Imagine being armed and armoured in bronze, meeting someone with a steel sword, that would be shocking.
@@MatthewHoskinsAethel Exactly.
Even different grades of bronze or steel can be extremely different.
I want a sword replica to be approached with the same effort that the medieval makers would have invested, which means it WILL be better, because our technology is better.
So I want what they were GOING FOR, not what they often ended up with because of their circumstances.
That being said I do enjoy the look of say, landsknecht emporium messers, and those have the hand-produced aesthetic on purpose, and I love the one I have.
The same is true with automobiles. Some collectors want "original" and frankly they know the deal on fit, finish, and mechanics. And then you have those who fetishize the cars. What they want is actually vastly BETTER than what you got off the showroom floor back in the day. They can HAVE that, but it will not BE how the car(s) really were/was.
Thank you for putting it so succinctly in the last 5 minutes of the video. Whenever people ask me about hand made vs digitally sculpted I will point them to this video!
I think folks forget what machining and modern measurements were invented for.
Mass production.
It's easier to bolster a countries military, economy ect ect with almost perfect precision machining and standards of parts.
The problem why many people cry for the objects made from the past is because if you have the money and the right craftsman you WILL have a absolutely beautiful object that no matter what can not be replicated.
Love the video Tod, Craftsmen can hopefully stay alive a little while longer with channels like this.
I highly doubt that the metric system was invented for mass production! ;) Its a child of the Age of Enlightenment to replace all these arbitrary measurements which mean nothing in the world of science. And because of that it is the superior system in the end which is also easier to use then the finger/foot/ell/ounce/inch/perch/stone what ever thingies and it is universal and not bound to one country. GL with your measurements when going from one country to another and things have the same/similar name but dont have the same values at all and what hassle that is for trade.
It's very much the same argument that happens around old rifles and accuracy. Sure the technology was there in 1914 to make a rifle that would group to a minute of angle. A rifle. Doesn't do much good when you need a million of them. Same thing with now, sure a brand new, out-of-the-box rifle can be mass-produced to get extremely good results, but what happens after you train enough to get as good as the rifle? it's worn out. So is every army going to spend the money on keeping every soldier with a "perfect" rifle, no, they spend what they need on "good enough".
Yes, I think, we need to keep in mind, that most surviving medieval armaments were either representative and therefore never intended for battlefield use or military grade, e.g. bought in bulk for cheap, because you needed to supply a lot of people.
An interesting discussion about handmade by an artisan craftsman and the difference between that and machine made items. I remember making a nordic knife once it was a design copied from a friends mass produced knife. I spent weeks making this knife measuring and crafting the dimensions of the blade and handle. The knife I eventually made was not a bad copy but the perfection of my friends machine produced knife, made my knife look like trash.
The difference is though, your knife would have character and a story to tell.
Interesting discussion. I hadn't really thought about the rattling issue, but now that you mention it, I wonder if that wasn't a consideration when you see medieval illuminations where they put a finger over the guard. It certainly improves control, but did they do it just to stop the rattle?
That's exactly why I buy from crafters like you. I like character, not perfection.😊
Your paying for hand crafted but that's not what most replica swords are.
I live in South Africa, and we have a massive problem with power at the moment. Last weekend I made a hammer and the power went out in the middle. I was busy with the handle. It took me roughly half an hour to rasp out the handle from a piece of wood where on a belt sander it would take a few minutes. It made me think a lot about how much work those guys put in and if one was trying to make any kind of living, a clean finish over functionality would be the last thing on anyone's mind.
Respect for you, sir. You figured out some things that most artists didn't about the nature of this world, be it in middle ages or modern era, or in the future as well...
The question I have is this: what changed in how people think between medievals and moderns? How is it, when the medievals were as capable of measuring the asymmetries and imperfections as we, these 'imperfections' did not matter to them. I noticed this with great helms, specifically the breaths. The modern reenactor has a helm with perfectly straight rows of precisely drilled holes in the faceplate. Medievals were not at all concerned with perfect layout of breaths. When I make a barrel helm, I free hand all holes to give it the idiosyncracies.
One thing to keep in mind is that the average person in medieval Europe was much, much poorer than in most parts of the world today. Also, we don't necessarily know that these imperfections didn't matter to historical folks.
I have been following your work for 6 or 7 years now. This video you made moved me. It is not common to be able to see a blade smith who is also able to be charismatic and present the work behind the scenes. You are an extraordinary individual.
I love your work! You’re awesome! Thanks for making all of us these videos. Thanks to the whole crew!
That is a really interesting perspective Tod, and explained well. I think the crux of the matter is in what you are making. If you are trying to make a faithful replica of what was common, or what was in their crafting abilities, than absolutely make something a little shoddy, but if you are making something for function, then I would expect a craftsman to make something to their best ability.
You've said before that we try to over categorize things in our modern times, when in the past they just didn't care, which is why we get a lot of variances in historical pieces. It's that same logic that I would apply to your Dirk. You're saying that a Dirk handle is X length and if its longer it wouldn't be a "dirk" but wouldn't a medieval craftsman, if asked to make a long handled Dirk just make a long handled Dirk?
I firmly believe that people have fundamentally not changed over the last several thousand years, just their context. I think the greatest explanation for why their is shoddy work historically is not because people just didn't care, I don't know of many craftsman who don't take pride in their work, but tools and materials. What medieval craftsman wouldn't kill to have the tools and materials we have today, and if they did, I don't think they would settle for shoddy work.
Which brings us back the beginning. What are you making? Are you making a replica piece that is deliberately mimicking the shortcomings of the tools and materials of the time or are you making what they would have made if they had half the chance? To me, something isn't any less "real" because of imperfects, especially if those imperfects wouldn't have been there if they had the same tools we have today.
Love your content and great video as always! Just my two cents
For years I made custom electric guitars inspired by Paul Bigsby the first maker of the electric guitar and I had the same philosophy. I didn't want them perfect. I wanted them to have the feel of Dad's 1950's workshop but still have a playable instrument and no some CNC perfection. I told customers that we were the anti Paul Reed Smith.
Completely agree. People have learned to expect and define perfection as superficial properties such as symmetry, finishing, surface etc. These are hallmarks of machines, not human hands. Long time ago durability, reliability and serviceability used to be part of "perfection". I realized this at the first time when I got to see Swedish Crown Jewels at close and was surprised how crude they were, even a cheap crap today is crisper and more symmetric.
Hi Todd, there is a terrific modern example of everything you described in the movie "Running Scared " with Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal a great old cop comedy drama. The shop repair guy repairs their unmarked squad car and makes it a taxi with armored glass windows looks brand new. Before Hines pulls out of the garage, he says there's something not right about it. Then backs it into another detective's car and yells out to the shop guy "now it looks like a taxi!" Lol 😆 if you've never seen it. It's a movie worth watching. Really enjoy your work, sir. wish I was in your country to pay you a visit.
Brilliant video and a startling glimpse into medieval craftsmanship! Thanks so much.
I remember your earlier video and it did change my perspective on the subject, so thank you.
I remember watching Matt's current video and thinking "Yep, Tod said this".
I gotta get the budget arranged for a eating set, a dagger and (god, I hope, someday) a custom sword... ;) because you're the one smith I trust :)
It makes me wonder when the symmetrical and the ruler straight became the norm for buying ironmongery. What happened there?
Compare to something else, like gothic cathedrals. At a distance, they look very smooth and symmetrical. But if you look closely at the wall, it can be made of stones that are not regular at all - merely fitted together to form a perfect wall.
The industrial revolution...and cottage industry before that...made uniformity the ideal, and much more achievable.
Mid nineteenth century or so, that's when you start to see the first rise of mass produced standardized parts.
Tod, love your work sir! Please could you give us a short show on where the best places to go in the UK to see some of the best medieval armour collections? I am sure you have a wealth of knowledge on this topic and it could help all of us who are intersted in getting a dream list of collections to see. Many thanks.
I really love professional enthusiasts,
I can't help but love every moment of this
I think that a lot of the assembling cutlers, would use tree resin/charcoal/wax glue-filler, when fitting these loose parts and through use, this original hot glue, would shatter and fall out. This glue/filler is still used by a most of the mountain smiths in Vietnam, Cambodia, etc. I have used it myself on rat-tail tang knives. Dirkish! 🤣 I love it!😂
It isn't so much a matter of the skill or pride of the craftsman, as it is about the availability of tools, materials and technologies. I'm certain that, if a medieval craftsman had the equipment and materials that are readily available today, they would have made weapons to rival what custom sword makers are building today and some of the better medieval craftsmen would put most of today's makers to shame!
Exactly. Personally, I do not feel like there is any inherent virtue in something having flaws. I think any craftsman would want to make something that was perfect, but time, materials, and tool quality all get in the way. If a medieval craftsman came to today they would be over the moon with how much easier it would be to make something of much greater quality and all those "wonderful perfect imperfections" would be gone.
@@legomacinnisinc I will say that Todd is absolutely correct about the economy of time in production; there's definitely a point at which the time to improve appearance is just too expensive for the financial return, but overall I suppose that the medieval craftsman was just as interested in quality as anyone today, with the exception of today's hobbyist maker, who might be able to pursue "perfect" without regard to cost. I also have to agree with the idea that, if someone is interested in authenticity, the relatively easily achievable symmetry and polish of today's craftsmen, would be completely inauthentic.
Good point Todd. Medival times is a _loooong_ period with very different technological levels.
And you are totally correct that even in later medival times like when the Hanse was around, things were not perfect or even "precise" in our todays understanding. I once saw a documentary about a reconstructed Hanse ship and it is _not_ 100% symmetrical as the original wasn't symmetrical at all. But the Hanse ships were considered great and reliable ships. So I agree that some centimeters here or there wasn't anything people cared about that much in medival times.
As a chef who has a small chef knife collection. I buy from smaller knife makers and definitely like small imperfections. It shows they were handmade and not mass produced.
I always figured that most museum pieces from ceremonial, noble weapons were one off jobs that cost a weeks worth of shop income, so the artisan could focus on a single piece, a Mastercraft atrisinal piece. For weapons, I assumed that still meant function > pretty > cost. Rank and file weapons, or working blades were function > cost > pretty.
Most modern knife/blade making channels I watch, machines make everything so symmetrical and perfect that the soul and craftsman touch of the piece comes from the layered steel patterns and handle designs.
Out of action? Longbow simulator duck hunt!
I also wonder how much the availability of glasses changed everyone's world view, Smith's staring into forges cooking their retinas with infra red while in low light no PPE anywhere would have likely ruined their sight pretty quick.
In eastern philosophy the beauty in imperfection is known as wabi sabi. It's the soul of an object, its history and maker's marks. Well done video Tod!
It is interesting that even back then, people were using cheap after market parts, like the example with the cutler that you give. Loving this thought fuel. Keep it up!
I used solidworks to work out some dimensions for a sword, and I found a good image of it, which was a good 90-degree front view of the sword. I had the real swords' actual length dimension and used it as a reference for scaling the image in solidworks. It's not perfect a lot of interpolation of dimensions, and how square it should be, when the actual thing isn't.
I recently stepped up to the forge and gave it a go. Between the videos you and Matt have made, I think I will have the confidence to make what I want.
Aaaah. I see there is some practice with bills going on in the field. 🦆🦆 Quack!
Quacking joke
Years ago I made a copy of the Brocas frogmouth jousting helmet. My wall full of the pics I got sended from the royal Armouries... I went nearly mad making it, for the original was a total mess in symmetry...all the rivets were in different places, flutes on the top totally off centre and not 90 degrees crossing...
I love what you have said here. I live in rural Australia, so museums of any kind are hard to come by, let alone ones with medieval weapons in them, but I was Hobart a couple of years ago looking at a halberd which had come off a prison ship in the early 19th century. It was literally the ugliest weapon I have ever seen. Even just looking at it from across the room, it was obviously heavy, unbalanced, poorly proportioned and completely misaligned. It looked like a badly made high school project by someone who hated metalwork. I also have no doubt that it inspired more than its fair share of terror back in the day, because it still would have done the job it was built to do.
That is really fascinatng. It truly is. When looking at Japanese swords that are up to a thousand years old, one could think the japanese were born with a precision cut granite slab in one hand and a modern micrometer in the other one
Well put, Tod. The Japanese have Wabi-Sabi, the art of finding beauty in imperfection. Many artisans including Yumi bow makers deliberately make their items imperfect because of this.
I've heard it said that traditionally made Persian rugs are supposed to be asymmetrical in their patterning, for to be vainglorious enough to think that you can make something prefect is to presume to be God.
But they strive for perfection nonetheless and modern machines drive this further. There's a middle ground where the consumer can decide if they want handmade or as the maker envisioned it. I don't see it as a binary choice
I think it's one of those cases of an overswinging effect. Like it was with sword weights - some decades ago people thought that european knights used crudely sharpened bars of steel that were insanely heavy (I remember once visiting a castle as a kid, the tour guide would tell us that teutonic knights were using zweihanders that weighed 80 kilos). Then, people started debunking that myth, eventually pushing that argument too far, and claiming that all medieval swords were grip-balanced ultra light fencing weapons because anything else would be impractical. The truth was that we have findings of some really light and well balanced swords, but also findings of sluggish choppers (though not as insane as some of the old popular claims).
I think the same could've happened with the ideas about the quality of finish - back in the "Conan" times of history enthusiasts people would assume weapons (aside from mighty artifacts) were crudely forged and barely polished, with hammer marks all over. That was of course a fallacy, medieval armour and weapons we know were brought to a high luster polish most often, but the argument again swung far in the other direction, with everyone now demanding machine-like precision for their finish.
Maybe there was a perfect medieval sword. Maybe that's where the Excalibur and Joyeuse stories came from. That one time the iron, the craftsman, and the stars all aligned.
Thank you for delving into this issue, uniqueness is the difference between "just a tool" or works of art.
I absolutely agree with you, here in Finland we had this boost on our very own puukko knife, alot of people started making them including me. At the knife shows things gone so near perfection that some of the puukkos have came out sterile and lifeless. Yeah I'm not a show winner and never will be cause I saw this direction 15 years ago.
I'm looking to make my own puukko and I want it to look like it was made by hand by a blacksmith 100 years ago, not like a Marttiini knife.
@@inthefade please, go ahead this is great hobby. Don't care about the other people who say how it needs to be done, there is no one and only way to do it.
I've got a reenactment combat sword that's got a slight bend in the blade a few inches from the tip, and whenever someone notices they almost always ask why I never asked for a refund/replacement/discount. I just tell them that it's not important. It's lasted me years, it's got a good balance and spring to it, and most of all it's safe to use. Imperfections are going to exist, especially in anything handmade.
It's really cool to see a lot of our golden glowy illusions of old craftsman broken a bit. It's still absolutely amazing the things they did with the resources they had but it's not the same as what dedicated craftsman can do today. I'll definitely be linking these videos to people in the future
In the Swiss Sabre video with Toby where you compared the original with yours you pointed out the imperfections in the original guard and the blade and the way you interpreted those in yours. beautiful pieces.
I have 2 of your daggers, one quillon one rondel, they are both fantastic to look at and to hold, everyone who's seen them has commented how great they are, they have a few very subtle imperfections that stop them from being sterile.
You're absolutely right in this video, the soul really matters.
Thanks and glad you are pleased
I imagine the katana gang would have a lot to say about the perfection of mystical magical old metalorgy
Japanese have precise rituals even when going to toilet
You mean just like the 16th C. armour fangirls who believe knights were akin to space marines? Or the upper-middle class sport fencers who posit that a car antenna is a superior "weapon" to a 48", 1300 gram ropera? Ignorance is a door that swings both ways. Be careful you don't walk into it face first.
I love to hear this from your perspective and how big of a part this is in your work!
in art-theorie, this shift in perception is famously described by Walter Benjamin in:
"The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction"
puplished 1935.
describing a shift in perception of older artworks through the prevalence of industrial reproductions. and putting forth the questing, if the "aura" (what you call essence) is still viable category in art.
the essay title could literally be the title of this video XD
Fair to say that due to the range being out of action you can no longer duck the issue.
Just go! Keep your fowl jokes to yourself.
To be fair to Tod, he does have a good eggsplanation.
I admire your ethos. Also, you have may have just taught me a life lesson that I have been the last 40 years of my life failing to understand. When I create something I always say I'm never really done with it. You have given me the ability to see where good enough can be called done. I thank you.
I think especially younger people who grew up in the CNC era, can have problems appreciating hand made items.
They have difficulty with analog music as well (which kinda blows my mind). Same with pre-4K movies & television. Of course, this isn’t referring to all of them. But they notice it to a degree that those of us who grew up before everything became digital do not.
It's quite the opposite, young people are often way more open and flexible, it's the older generations that have weaponized karen-hood.
I don't think it really has anything to do with CNC or folks age - it is rather more that the cost of a hand finished let alone truly handmade item is so great in comparison and so many folks never get to experience the hand crafted, or any more one off works in person. Can't appreciate what you never get to see, and seeing the edited 'Tod makes a rondel' type video only goes so far...
I can sympathize with that outlook. My first exposure to hand made crafting was a muzzle loader building class I took a couple years ago (and haven't stopped since). I have fully caught the hand made bug but it was and still is somewhat difficult to let go of my idea of perfection and precision.
But I think a lot of that comes with exposure. People still like handcrafted items but our predisposition does not come unearned. Especially with things like 3D printers, precision is far more common and attainable than ever before and I can't say that any generation wouldn't have used them if they had been available.
All that being said however, you also have to look at cost. Hand made comes at a price so everyone should be careful if we're going to question preferences if they aren't tempered with someone's limitations.
I was at the Wallace Collection today for the first time, and saw Exactly what you're talking about!!! Love this. Thanks