Swordmaking, along with cutlery, requires highly specialized tools and equipment. Before the advent of small, powerful electric motors which allowed individual makers to power their own shops at an affordable price, it was hydro, steam and diesel engines that powered the swordmaker’s forge hammer, grinding wheels and polishers. Swordmakers and cutlers organized around these resources, first in areas with plentiful and consistent water flow (such as Solingen and Klingenthal) and then in factories with a single automotive-sized steam engine connected to every forge hammer in the building. Their reliance on the natural resources around them, and the convenience of mass-production machinery caused swordmakers and cutlers to localize around each other. This resulted in cities and regions where the chief industry was cutlery and swordmaking, and the city’s name alone carried a reputation.
These cities were the centers of classical fencing weapon manufacturing. Documenting these city’s factories, machinery, and production methods helps future generations of swordmakers repeat the quality of our predecessors.
Solingen, Germany
Possibly the most famous city for sword and blade production in the world, Solingen’s craftsmen perfected their art over centuries and innovated the most sophisticated machinery and tooling to dominate the global cutlery market. Read More…
Klingenthal, France
Since its founding by royal edict in 1730, the town of Klingenthal produced some of the finest French military & civilian arms for over 230 years, including those produced by the Coulaux & Cie. family. Read More…
Saint Etienne, France
Saint Etienne, France has a long history of manufacturing and industry well known for exceptional hunting & military firearms, bicycles, textiles and sporting equipment in the 19th and 20th centuries. Read More…
Thiers, France
Thiers is an old medieval city in the center of France, famous since the 11th century for the knives and cutlery produced along the powerful Durole river. Read More…
Sheffield, England
Sheffield is a city in Northern England in South Yorkshire. The town sits 30 minutes south of Leeds and an hour’s train ride from York. Though you may know it being the city pictured in the film “The Full Monty” or for their football team, the city has long been acclaimed for its production of steel. Read More…