Adam Savage Meets Real Ancient Swords! 

Adam Savage Meets Real Armored Gauntlets: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-59-9PlB-F1Y.html The MET's Arms and Armor Department: www.metmuseum.org/about-the-met/collection-areas/arms-and-armor

Adam you have GOT to go to the Royal Armouries in Leeds here in the UK. You would absolutely lose yourself in there and curation team and staff are so incredibly passionate about everything, it'd make for a fantastic video/series of videos!

I absolutely loved how the person filming this kept backing away, eventually winding up on the other side of the table away from Adam's gleeful swings.

Found a box of pictures of Adam and some of our friends when we were in our 20’s yesterday . This comes up on my feed today and makes me realize how fast life goes by. Blink, we are old.

This is brilliant in so many ways! As a HEMA enthusiast and translator of fencing manuals I'm so, so happy to finally see a proper, blunt 16th century "sports" fencing sword being presented to a wider audience! Thank you so, so much for this! Also the explanation on how you actually fight in plate armor in halfswording, etc. Awesome video, I love it, this really makes me happy. :)

The second sword Adam held, from the Alexandria armoury, has been copied by Albion swords, a modern maker that makes real, functional replicas. Its such a ferocious cutting sword that it is actually banned from HEMA cutting competitions, because it makes it too easy. It just glides through tatami mats and other cutting targets so effortlessly that they banned it from competition because it was almost impossible to compete if you had any other sword.

Now we need a video of Adam Savage meeting with Tobias Capwell or Tod Cutler to discuss swords and making things like this! That would be amazing!

Those were amazing. I got to hold one once that was probably 15th century. Not only was it far lighter than any replica swords I've ever held, but the balance point was exactly where it needed to be. It would stay in whatever orientation it was in your hand almost as if it was levitating that way. There was no effort involved. Moving it felt more like you were directing it where to move and it did so on it's own.

The enthousiasm of these gentlemen is infectious! Makes me a little kid again when I was totally all about the medieval era.

now we need a clip of Adam swinging a sword around like Aragorn saying "this is a good sword"

It's so insane that he's holding a weapon that could've seen wars or battles from over 700 years ago man if those swords could talk! Also I couldn't take my eyes off these pieces how amazing

Theres nothing like seeing/being a part of a conversation with this much passion in it. Love how excited they both get at small facts about the blades. Passion is contagious

The joy these guys have is just infectious. You can’t help but smile watching Adam geek out.

I don't know if Adam will see this, but the Alexandria sword is what the company Albion has based theirs & the Principe off of - which is one of the best performing cutting swords in competitive European sword cutting competitions of all time. To the point where many people feel like it's just cheating. I just think he would enjoy knowing that it performs even better than it feels in the hand.

The Royal Armouries in Leeds (UK) is a really good day out if anyone's in, or visiting, the north of England - free entry, several floors of this stuff. Big fan of the horse armour, personally, and the painted helms. I also had a lot of fun at a longsword workshop once, you really do need to heft one of these bad boys around to appreciate them fully. And wearing a full helmet and chainmail is quite an experience. The old steel was lighter than most modern repro. OK, spam over, watching the rest of the video now :D

I love the absolute joy and fascination in Adam's eyes as he truly admires the craftsmanship of these wonderful swords. I don't blame him for liking the flimsy one!

It’s crazy to think that such old pieces are still in that good of condition. Supremely impressed and grateful they are being preserved.

This is so awesome. Adam savage was my go to after school watch, the OG myth busters. Glad to see him still around, killing it.

The joy from just holding those…it really is beautiful to watch. Adam’s content always makes me smile 😊

Part of what I love about watching these videos (and Tested in general) is Adam's enthusiasm. He really truly appreciates, in a visceral and emotional way, the value and importance of whatever it is he's looking at. This isn't just history and education-- it's joy and love and excitement and it shows in every video. Thank you Adam and Tested team!!

I love Adam's enthusiasm and just pure joy at seeing the craftsmanship of these weapons.

Very nice progression through the style, age, and design. Swords are such an interesting topic as historic items go. There's as much personal taste of the master as there is of the maker. Both stories, forever intertwined in a piece of wood, leather, and steel.

The lightness and balance of these things is [are?] further evidence that our ancestors weren’t just some ‘backwoods dummies’ lol. So fascinating.

I always love how enthusiastic and how respectful you are about other peoples work and how you are open to new ideas.

The second with Arbnic inscription was outstanding. The thin blade, the width of it just says this would be an outstanding cutter. Beautiful!

5:14 Bending it like that freaked me out. I knew they were flexible but seeing it is different entirely.

This channel exposes me to so many awesome things I would never think to look up on my own!

This video hit hard, one of the best ER lore videos hands down. Made so many seemingly disjointed things make sense, well done.

Hurray Adam !!!!...We love you!!!.....thanks for all the great shows!

Would love to see Adam speak or meet up with either Matt Easton of Scholagladiatora, or Skallagrim.

Nice to see such an ornamental federschwert, and Sean clearly knows his stuff

The enthusiasm of both these men is infectious. I have to say that a well made fighting sword is quite a thing to hold and swing. It almost wants to do a swing itself. I never held anything this old but early 19 Century cavalry swords are easy to distinguish from the later copies just on the basis of their balance in the hand.

The practise sword type is known today as a Feder (Federschwert) sword. It is the training weapon for the longsword and replicas of these are used widely today in HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) sword competitions/events. Modern Feder replicas usually have a bent tip.

If you ever make it to Cleveland, Ohio, go to the Cleveland Museum of art. They have a HUGE room dedicated to various forms of armament. Swords, suits of armor, jousting, horse armor, various weapons…it’s quite spectacular.

the Alexandrian sword is one of my favorite historical pieces! I'm super glad to see Adam handle them and marvel at their weight and balance :)

One: Holy cow those are absolutely beautiful swords. Two: The absolute inquisitive wonder and joy Adam shows here is just so refreshing to watch.

Easily my favorite series. The knowledge and enthusiasm all of these conservators have is truly mind blowing.

For anyone interested in getting their very own version of that Alexandria sword Albion has an amazing reproduction called the Principe. There's also one called the Balaur Arms Type XVIIIc Alexandria that's in a more affordable price range.

Absolutely amazing. I'm loving this series you're doing with medieval arms and armour. Beautiful pieces of craftsmanship. I'll have to make a trip out to the MET to check these out myself. Thank you Adam and Tested team.

Seeing how light they are makes you appreciate how well they could actually be handled in combat, and how easily you could take your own leg off.

I've been into swords and the study thereof for over a decade, so it makes me happy *in my soul* to see a video that covers 500 years of sword history in broad strokes without saying anything too misleading or horribly wrong.

I love this! Adam should try sword fighting basics at some HEMA club! (Historical European Martial Arts)

This is easily one of my favorite RU-vid videos to date, absolutely loved every second of this!

The level of respect, grattitude and passion Adam Savage has in this episode was the biggest entertainment for me :) What a good person!

Thanks Adam & Sean bean a great episode on swords, amazing how they started so big and ended so light and fancy....thanks for all the fun knowledge we learnt along the way...Peace and love to everyone

This was fascinating and I feel like I learned from it, this series has been charming and enlightening!

I feel Adam would love to do a TV show visiting Britain's history museums based on armors and weapons

Even from a viewer's perspective, the detailed overview of these swords' weights and dimensions was incredibly interesting and informative. Like Adam said, the way swords are depicted by replicas and in media makes them seem so much bulkier and more cumbersome than they apparently really were in reality. The balance and flexibility of the large longsword and the unbelievable detail on the mourning sword is truly fascinating

“Ancient” is an overstatement

soooo jealous, and at the same time I really am happy that Adam is allowed to have one of my childhood dreams fulfilled, holding a real ancient sword and I can enjoy it with him 🤗. Adam is someone who I believe deserves good things happening to him

I would be just as giddy, seeing them up close and actually being able to hold them. Feel the weight and history to them. I was smiling just with the first camera pass. Love all these videos from the Met Arms and Armor section.

This was a fantastic host. Amazing job, sir

What I really like about Adam is his genuine joy at seeing these swords. It is infectious.

I love the he is so nerdy about this genre of armory

These episodes going over historical museum pieces are really interesting. Thank you for sharing!

Good chemistry between these guys! Bring him back for more videos!

This is so great, brother! Love your MET series. More, more, more! Arms and Armor!

I love seeing Adam's face as he hold these swords. How light they are.

It should be noted that there are many fine craftsmen of replica swords who do include the distal taper which is what makes it so nice in the hand and not overly heavy. There are also some larger manufacturers of historical style European and Eastern swords that also get the weight right as people who do things such as hema or are just hobbyists want historically accurate weapons. I can definitely understand where Adam is coming from though as he has likely dealt with mostly props which weren't made with much other than looks in mind.

I love every video you do at the met. Its so wonderful to see these and to hear the story behind each piece. Thank you so much.

What a wonderful episode. The excitement is contagious!

Great video - Sean is fantastic communicator!

I absolutely love the second sword, what i would do add that to my collection.

I love Adam's enthusiasm and his appriciation of these beautiful weapons. We need MORE!!

I have an original 1822 model French infantry officer saber that weighs 1 lb 10 oz and balances about 5” from the guard. It measures 7.9 mm thick at the base and 2.56 mm just after the fuller (6.5” from tip). I also have a reproduction napoleonic French infantry officer saber of very similar dimensions including the curve of the blade. It weighs 2 lb 4 oz and balances 8” from the guard. It is 7.06 mm thick at the base of the blade and 5 mm just after the fuller (6.75” from tip). It isn’t a perfect 1:1 comparison, but it gives a pretty good idea of how different the weight and balance can be between originals and reproductions.

The sword that Adam holds at the very end is an absolutely amazing cutter. Albion has a replica based on a very similar sword type and it's so easy to cut with that cutting competitions have banned it's use because it's simply too good at cutting.

If you are interested in Swords and all kinds of related blades, if you happen to be in Germany I suggest a visit to the Klingenmuseum in Solingen. They have a huge display, among other things, of all sorts of edged weapons, especially those made in and around Solingen. What I find so fascinating about those, especially the more elaborate and decorative ones, is imagining how someone a few hundred years ago made those, with the materials and knowledge about materials they had back then and obviously all hand tools. No Power Hammers (maybe lateron a water powered one), no CNC, no grinders, no Dremel tools etc.. I cannot even imagine how long it might have taken to make some of those. Not the forging itself, which may actually be the least part of time spent, but all the grinding, filing, possibly scraping (the fuller for example) or planing, engraving and whatelse that went into the hilt. I can hardly imagine any of todays craftsman being able to recreate it the same way. from a crafts perspective there are a few who will sure be able too, but it would need such an amount of money and dedication, unbeliavable. And then, not sure if they would get it as light and flexible, although with todays materials we would be able to make even lighter, more flexible and especially more durable versions.

Outstanding! Thanks Adam, and to The Met!

Type 18c is my favourite sword type and I'm glad our curator friend agrees

I recently saw a demonstration by a local sword fighting school. It was really interesting to learn how actual sword fighting occurred. There is a lot more grappling than I think most people realize and the stuff you see in movies with huge swings that leave a person open to getting grabbed or punched in the face with a shield really is just for movies.

Oh man, sooo jealous!! What an incredible opportunity! I am so happy for you!! That must have been so fun!

This is one of the most interesting and most informative videos I have seen. REALLY enjoyed it. Thanks to you both.

Thank you both so much! I hope one day to handle a period piece as well :3

Nice! 🙂 10:33 Interestingly, Solingen still is famous for its knives and cutlery! ;-)

Seeing Adam’s reaction is why I’m here I get to live vicariously thru him

These videos from the Metropolitan Armory are my favorite videos of all, the craftsmen from those times where incredible and the History lesson is also incredible! Thank you so much guys that was awesome ❤😊

The second Sword that they picked up is of the Oakshott XVIIIc typology. It's known for its ability to cut. A sword company by the name of Albion makes a really good replica. I laughed when Adam picked it up, because everyone had that reaction when they pick up an XVIIIc 😂

Never thought the town of Solingen would be discussed in a Tested episode

Mail ring in the shin, still adventuring. Arrow to the knee, town guard.

Great video with a great vibe! Thank you for sharing this :)

Yeah he did pull some good ones for you! We've studied the long swords there and have made similar-ish versions! We use those and others from museums all over (Royal Armouries, Wallace Collection, Louvre, etc) for our blades. Hard to really make good historical based swords until you get the originals in your hands! We'd love to have you on our Sword Talk podcast someday on our tiny youtube channel :) It would be cool to hear more about your experiences working with Peter Lyon! He's a great guy!

If you buy a weapon from a company called Arms and Armor, what you get are museum-quality replicas that are made to be indistinguishable from the original by anyone other than an expert. I've had the pleasure of handling some of the weapons they had at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, and they're exquisite. They're also not cheap.

The training swoards that were made in pairs, you can just tell theres friendship and good times that were had with it

I really enjoyed this. The look on the face of someone holding their first real sword is priceless.

I would love to know the steel composition of some of these. They’re amazingly thin and have lasted so long.

I don't think I'll ever really get tired of Adam geeking out over things. His enthusiasm is incredibly infectious.

I've always loved the middle ages since I was a kid, seeing Adam's face light up as he holds the swords is honestly really wholesome and a slight tearjerker for me :D

It’s almost embarrassing the amount of times I caught MYSELF smiling while watching this video. Thank you so much to the team at the met and adam savage for providing such fascinating info on varying eras of arms and armor

It would be amazing to see you do some videos with Tod's Workshop youtube channel. He makes authentic medieval weaponry (he even made a real trebuchet!) and does interesting tests with them. His channel is great!

Without wanting to mythologise too much, I believe I'm right in saying that the second sword's (longsword from the Alexandria arsenal) blade type has gotten such a reputation as a "cheat code" for cutting that many modern hema clubs and competitions don't allow it because it makes it too easy. When I first saw the blade profile I assumed it was intended to optimise thrusting, but the blades are so thin and broad they cut like crazy as well

Ohh he pulled some good ones for you! I've studied most of those but not all of them up that close! We use those and others from museums all over for our @Sterling Armory blades! Aren't they amazing! Hard to really make good historical based swords until you get the originals in your hands! I've made a few based on that wide Alexandria Arsenal one.

All of these swords look so clean and well preserved. They do not even look rusted. Usually excavated swords would have been corroded

My god.... Adam I got choked up too! I think about the beauty, the death it caused, the craftsmanship. It's just overwhelming

Somewhere, Shadiversity is drooling.

Used to love visiting Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester, Ma when i was a kid. Sucks that it closed. One of the largest collections in north america at the time.

One of this days must watch all again,this guy is awesome

That mourning sword absolutely blew me away, such craftsmanship.

Wow. That is one broad sword.

Cool

This was extremely fascinating!