Studying antique weaponry connects us to the people and events that shaped today’s world and, even though they are now obsolete, they retain powerful symbolism and, often, great artistic merit. This website aims to help educate those who wish to expand their knowledge regarding arms and armour, avoid forgeries, and learn how to care for and identify items.

I had a dream of being a dealer, but disability has prevented that, so I have converted this website into an educational one - if it proves useful then please consider supporting the work on Patreon or buying merchandise to help offset my costs.

You can read free articles here or connect with me on Instagram where I run @antique_steel. I’m proud to say that I host the only English language source for Italian swords of the 1800s: La Sciabola.

Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoy your stay.

Patreon

Helping the historical arms and armour community is a passion of mine, with this website growing over the years to reflect this. I’m proud that it now hosts many important free resources for beginners and veterans alike. Sadly, the hosting costs, the writing and researching of articles, the source-buying, and the illustration-making all require a lot of time and money, which, as a disabled person, can be hard to come by, so I recently established a Patreon to help out. On Patreon, supporters can play a vital role in communities that are otherwise overlooked, like this one.

By becoming my patron and adding your support you get access to a growing archive of articles, interviews, case studies, competitions and guides. You can help out from as little as £1 (or $1) and there is no commitment involved. Your support will make a difference. For more details, and a full list of what’s currently in the archive, see here.

To become a patron head over to Patreon.

Thank you for your consideration.

Current highlights from the archive:

  • The Turbulent Story of Sword-Maker Charles Reeves

  • The Swords of Robert Mole and Sons of Birmingham

  • On Medieval Falchions by James Elmslie and Andy Johnston

  • Genuine or Forgery? A Collector's Guide to Chinese Swords by Andy Johnston

  • Case Study: Adding Value to an Antique Tulwar

  • Italian Gun-Swords: Colombo and Micheloni

  • The 1803 Pattern Sabre: The Best Sword Ever?

  • Case Study: Restoration of an Antique Jezail

  • The 1803 Pattern Sabre: The Best Sword Ever?

  • Exploring the Swords of Master and Commander

  • The Sword Patterns of the Honourable Artillery Company

  • The Firangi: a Sword Forged in Empires

  • Case Study: Cleaning an Antique Indian Sword

  • The Bosun’s Cosh: Hitting with Style in the Royal Navy

  • The 1908 Pattern and the 1912 Pattern Swords: The Best Cavalry Swords Ever Made?

  • Joseph Rodgers: The Best Fighting and Hunting Knives

  • Colt 1851 Navy Revolvers and British Service

  • The Infamous 1796 Pattern Light Cavalry Sabre

  • Arnachellum and the Mysterious Anglo-Indian Dagger Makers

  • British Weapons in the American Civil War

  • The Historical Use of Swords by the British Police

  • Antique Sword Collecting for Beginners: Tips and Secrets

  • Repairing Antique Sword Handles

  • Identifying African Swords

  • How to Etch Wootz Steel

  • Identifying Indian Daggers

For more details, and a full list of what’s currently in the archive, see here.

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