[NS-Heralds] Steel not being period

[Bronwyn Noble]

You're absolutely right.  I've actually seen a demonstration of how it was
done.  The question is no whether it was available, but would a Norseman be
named "steelbender?"  I don't think that this is so, but that is off the
cuff.
Of course, since I've joined the bloody Academy of St Gabriel, I'm becoming
one of those wretched, hated "authenticity" freaks.  But, I'm also trying to
help people be authentic, not just  saying "it's not authentic."

Has anyone done any research as to whether "steel" was used as a part of a
Norse name?  Because I believe that's what was being asked.

Bronwyn



On Fri, Jan 16, 2009 at 11:47, Clint Hotaling <n_auslander at hotmail.com>wrote:

>
> Ahem.
>
> Steel (as in carbon impregnated iron) is perfectly period, thank you.
>  There were various grades of it available commercially in the 1200's at the
> trade fairs, although most smiths manufactured their own.  Roman swordsmiths
> made a good monometalic steel--the best coming from modern-day Spain and
> Bosnia.  There were carboning pits found in Viking sites in Ireland, Sweden,
> Denmark and Finland.  "Damascus" steel gets its name from blanks of high
> carbon steel imported though the Middle East trade routes and used to weld
> layers of the very expensive imported steel with cheaper and locally
> available softer wrought iron.  The steel itself was probably originally
> manufactured in India for trade.  Viking smiths used this layering technique
> in manufacturing their swords for nobility, as it made a heirloom quality
> weapon.  I could go on, but I think this is sufficient.
>
> Pax,
>
> Nikolaus der Ausländer, CW, APF, AoA, Cygnus, Crwth, Pisces, Alistair's
> Lamp, Herald-at-(very-)Large, Leader of the Jararvellir Music Guild
> and part time smith.
>
>
> ================================================
>
> "Tho' I may look old, I am strong and lusty."
>
> -Wm. Shakespeare, "As You Like It"
>
>
> >
> > <Steelbender> is a good start, but if your client were to change it to
> > <Ironbender> it would be authentic (steel isn't really period).
> >
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Windows Live™: Keep your life in sync.
> http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t1_allup_explore_012009
> _______________________________________________
> NS-Heralds mailing list
> NS-Heralds at mailman.itasca.net
> http://mailman.itasca.net/listinfo/ns-heralds
>



-- 
Bronwyn ferch Gwyn ap Rhys
Barony of Jararvellir, Kingdom of Northshield
bronwynpn at gmail.com

---
"A people without a past or a present has no future."
-- Robert A. Heinlein