GDFB Combat Swords
A well balanced Viking era sword with looks to kill.
Manufactured in the UK by Lancaster Armoury, these combat swords are made exclusively for GDFB 2003 and only available.
Sword blades go through a heat treatment process to give them the durability required to withstand 300 + foot per second impacts against armour and other swords
The blades have been tested after heat treatment using the Rockwell hardness test at the sword tip, sword centre and tang(handle) of the blade. 40 to 45 Rockwell along the blade is ideal and around 28 for the tang which is induction softened for easier assembly later
All components are ground by hand in Lancaster Armoury workshop to the desired finish of 180 grit and polished to a bright shine
Swords have been assembled and tested with experienced martial artists from local re-enactment groups and myself to identify the following
Durability of the blades edges, balance points of the sword, vibration of the sword in the hand when struck/striking, tightness of the handle components( avoiding rattle), manoeuvrability, weight and aesthetics of the finished sword
One sword of each type was tested to destruction, where the sword blade broke from excessive and unreasonable force being used upon it with them surviving 100 strikes into a concrete block ( a really challenging test for a sword)