Bulldog & Garan
Got any tales of a blade that survived a whole siege? I'd love to hear how it held up, and maybe we can talk about making one that never fails.
Sure thing. Back in the days of the Siege of York, there was a single iron sword that stayed in one hand from the first charge to the last. The blade was plain, no fancy hilt, but the smith forged it from a special mix of iron and a pinch of charcoal, then quenched it in cold river water and hammered it over and over until it was tough enough to take a cannonball and keep going. The guy who carried it never lost it, and the sword never cracked or broke.
If you want a blade that lasts, you need a good steel—something with a bit of carbon and vanadium, not cheap alloy. Forge it slowly, heat it to the right temperature, then cool it quick enough to lock in strength but not so fast that it warps. Finish with a hard, smooth polish and a proper maintenance routine. No fancy tricks, just solid metal and good care. That’s all it takes.