A Claymore with Battle Damage and Other Arms & Armor at the ROM

[@Skallagrim]

If you haven't seen part 1 (indigenous arms and armor): kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJLKqnyoi9WVrKc There will be more museum videos soon by the way, so make sure you're subscribed and check your subscriptions tab if you're interested in those.

[@TrueFork]

the short gripped Viking sword has a small curved guard and a grip with circular cross-section reminiscent of a gladius or xiphos or Celtic sword, I think these were intended to be held with the front fingers gripping the guard and the pommel snug against the pinky, which allows a solid hold and good edge alignment. I wish sword companies would stop with the ahistoric oversized grips on their reproductions...

[@poptartninja9496]

Love your videos, always insightful. The KZbin algorithm saw how much ice been watching you recently and it recommended armored MMA fighting. Have you seen this? I'd love if you made a review of one of the fights. It's two opponents in full plate armor using full power strikes with swords and shields

[@-KorruptionOfLight-]

Looking forward to your content from inside the UK. It will be interesting to hear your take on our military history and arms

[@Strider_Shinryu]

I can see the museum staff now: Staff: "Sir, the museum is about to close and you've been here for almost 8 hours." Skall: "Oh, we'll get ready to head out then. Is there any problem?" Staff: "No, it's just that you've spent all 8 hours in this one room..."

[@jessekoepp3928]

"Well yeah of course, this is the best room." is how I hear Skallagrim (in my head) reply. 😄

[@knightofarnor2552]

I visited the museum while on a trip to Toronto last year. I can’t fathom how I managed to miss such a large section of Renaissance/Medieval arms and armor.

[@kahn04]

Honestly it’s not hard, I volunteer in that gallery and if you’re not looking for it, it’s really not “on the way” to anything. That said I’ve managed to miss seeing both Skall and Matt Easton 😂

[@y0jimbb0ttrouble98]

It looks pretty cool... !

[@grouchypseudopod354]

Honestly love this, one of my favorite things to do at museums is look through the old weapons and try to feel a bit of relation to the past through a shared relationship to swords and armor. Though I understand practicing hema/SCA is very different from being on the battlefield, it still gives a kinship with people through our the ages to know we both have felt and done some of the same things. Prepping an assault from the onset, looking at the swords trying to decide what kind of binds would be advantageous with those blades, I know both myself and someone anywhere from two hundred to a thousand years ago would be having the same thought, albeit with significant less urgency.

[@ducontra666999]

"cerimonial" HE SAID IT, HE SAID IT GUYS, HE SAID IT IS CERIMONIAL

[@julietfischer5056]

There were oversized two-handed swords called 'bearing swords' that were only for parade and display. Guardsmen carried them in processions, perhaps while their lord was holding court, to show off their employer's wealth and power. (It also made a nice advertisement for the sword-smiths.)

[@megacluckcluck2302]

The ROM is a fantastic museum. I spent so many hours there as a kid! I should go back; I walk by it frequently but haven’t been in for probably close to 10 years!

[@Yourstruly-b9m]

Archeology is fascinating

[@Cyberonn1]

If you happen to be in Istanbul someday, I highly recommend you to visit Harbiye Military Museum. So many Ottoman sword relics even from Sultans like II. Mehmed, I. Selim and I. Suleiman, so many middle eastern swords like yataghans, shamshirs, karabelas, yalmanlis and so many spoils of war that I could not finish in one day even if I rushed near the end. Museum was a military school for officers until 1936 and now it has over 55k war related items. And you can finish your visit with the Mehter March Band concert.

[@waylonk2453]

Thanks for taking us on this tour through the ROM. Your trained eye and narration adds much!

[@RyzawaCh]

It's crazy how all of these weapons have their own stories to tell that we may never know of. Some of them lived in and some of them never facing the glory of combat, some with tragedies and some with celebration.

[@unluckyzero6530]

Awesome video! That Corinthian helmet that interested you, it’s interested me for years. The helmet used to be displayed with it’s skull. As the story goes, the helmet was found on the plains of Marathon with the head still in the helmet. The helmet was later sold to the museum through a private collection if I remember correctly. So whether the skull actually belonged to the helmet or if it was just some dealer story to sell to the museum, in years past, the Corinthian helmet display used to look much different.

[@screwtape2713]

It would be really interesting if the ROM still had the skull. They could probably carbon date it. And if it was 2000+ years old and not bought from a 19th c. British bodysnatcher who normally supplied medical schools, they could do tests like those isotope ones to pinpoint where he originally lived.

[@Myomer104]

@@screwtape2713 The cynical part of me thinks that might be a reason why the skull was removed; they dated it and found it wasn't a match.

[@0num4]

Looks like my next trip to Canada may include the ROM. Thanks for sharing, Skall!

[@jodycarter7308]

Haven't been in years, but yeah it was cool.

[@wolfbushcraft3369]

i was month ago in Malbork castle i spend so much time looking at weapons and armors i made like 500 photos of details like crusader sword pommel with gold details or hussar armor that was good day.

[@The_Jzoli]

I was there a few months ago. What a fantastic museum with so much to see!

[@sharkforce8147]

For ancient stuff, I would imagine that using less material for metal objects is not only about keeping weight down, but also about just using less material. Mining, smelting, forging, all of that takes a lot of work to do. If you can get 95% of the effectiveness while saving 20% of the material, you are definitely going to do that.

[@ranmyaku4381]

It's interesting how the older civilizations blades and spearheads were so small and thin. Some of the Roman might be because it's intended to be used in a tight formation and slip between armor and shields. But I wonder if availability of the metals and blacksmithing techniques didn't play a large role in how the weapon sizes evolved. In ancient times mining was often more surface mining and techniques to smelt and shape iron were there infancy. By the medieval periods this was changing. Thanks again for showcasing these great collections. I hope you enjoyed your visit. It's a bit of a shame the ROM doesn't showcase the indigenous North American weapons. You can find them in some other collections though especially in western Canada. There is also a very small museum in Midhurst about an hour and a half from Toronto that has some na5ive American artifacts some of which are weapons that I enjoyed viewing as a child.

[@Gli7chyGuy]

All of the bronze age and early iron age weapons I've seen in museums really are significantly smaller than I expected

[@paul6925]

That replica axe head was shockingly small. Good comedy potential in a movie 😂

[@TheMacPherson]

Skallagrim, This is the kind of content I followed you for several years ago. Keep it coming, it’s excellent, and most other sword guys aren’t making anything similar. Thanks!

[@CitizenSmith50]

It must be awesome to visit museums such as that ! There is a real absence of stuff like medieval armour and weapons here in Australia ! Thanks for a great video !

[@alexsawa2956]

Love all the details you pointed out. While in Ontario you should have gone to the Hamilton Military Museum...not because there's anything very impressive on display, but just because I would have liked to meet you! Probably best we didn't meet... otherwise I'd give you and your lady bear hugs. You two are a great team and I love your presentations.

[@mishab4065]

Thank you for taking us to such a cool museum and being the best guide.

[@gonsolop2429]

10: 59 Renaissance era footman swords. Men-at-arms & mercenaies banded together forming lines of 10 to 15 men wide. These swords were used too break horse legs to chaotically dismount calvery and mounted noblemen. Other footmen carried long pikes, man catchers as primary weapons. They both held tge line and could advance. The extra length allowed footmen an equal advantage vs calvery & mounted knight's Lances.

[@tonydalimata]

Those double blades axes look just like "double bit" axes from the PNW that where used to fell timber , so i would say that yes there are servicable.

[@Jknight416]

Nice to come across a historic weapon with evidence of it actually tasted battle before.

[@ChristopherJohnston-mu9ub]

Some interesting pieces, thanks 😊

[@CreepyMF]

Getting to the good stuff now, this was worth the wait.

[@alexmcgilvery3878]

As a kid, I used to spend one Saturday a month at the ROM as part of a Naturalist's Club. I haven't been since the renovations filled in the 'H' shape. Looks like something for when I finally make it back to T.O. Great video. It was cool seeing the basket hilt sword. I have one my Dad bought before coming to Canada.

[@Fasnic]

Love the ROM! Definitely one thing to Always enjoy in TO.

[@davidgarland7736]

I would love to have wandered down and just listened to you expound on the displays. My kids worked at the ROM as volunteers and staff through high school and got to know several of the experts there, but not the arms and armour team.

[@jetshadowcrow]

Just wow. What a great museum.

[@nosrin1988]

Thank you for this lovely tour!

[@sinisterswordsman25]

Very cool skall thanks for sharing

[@lemon265]

Skalls version of touching grass after dealing with too many medieval fantasy designs Love it!

[@youremakingprogress144]

Well, I'm sold. If I ever get to go to Toronto, I'm going to the Royal Ontario Museum.

[@gonsolop2429]

9: 51 something once layed across this blade, like a sweaty belt or strap. The moisture penatraiting any oils on this blade until the thinner edges corroded away. The owner was careless or too wounded to pay any attention to it.

[@shiperobin]

Yay! More quality Skall content!

[@Fasnic]

If you make it to Venice, touring Doge's Palace has fantastic displays of swords, armor and other weapons

[@napalmholocaust9093]

You can do what astronomers and deep sea subs do for calibration, use 2 (or more) parallel lasers spaced at a known distance apart, 1 inch or whatever. What you shine it on can essentially have a rule on it. Also non invasive.

[@napalmholocaust9093]

Also could project an entire ruler. But you'd want converging mirror images to touch at a certain distance to make it accurate. When ever 2 points combine into one you'd know it was a meter a way and could trust the ruler projected.

[@amalevafarren5594]

Really great video. Super interesting seeing all the historical variations even in places i wouldnt except. After seeing this, im motivated to hit the walters museum near me. They have similar stuff from the renaissance and i want to compare it.❤

[@whakadabellgate5699]

Some really nice swords and armor. Maybe i shoud visit a museum myself some time. Its been a while.

[@saccorhytus2728]

Love the ROM!

[@shinomori69]

The heavily corroded blades look like legendary weapons from Elden Ring, which fits the theme. Awesome video!

[@jackisgallant]

Definitely got Bloodhound's Fang vibes from that thumbnail.

[@kunimitsune177]

🙄

[@jackisgallant]

@@kunimitsune177 🙄

[@jeremynedrow7003]

Awesome video. I love anything sharp or pointy.

[@edspace.]

An interesting thing I read once was that in the 1400-1648 period in the lands of the Holy Roman Empire sometimes swords were made more intricate and big deliberately, as the various mercenaries would have a big and fancy sword crafted as a form of advertising in a world where multiple languages and dialects existed and roughly 10% of adult males could read and write the Lord's Prayer (a "standard" literacy measure of the time), the premise being that they were so rich from all the mercenary contracts they fulfilled that they had the money to afford a big and impractical sword, either to potential recruits for their company for how lucrative a career it could be or to potential customers to let them know how good a mercenary you were that you'd been hired enough to afford such an impractical sword. Also sometimes these were hung outside inns and taverns to tell people of various languages and low literacy that mercenaries were welcome and people looking for their services could come to. While I'm less familiar with their life as British Military swords, I read that they weren't always popular with Victorian era constables either (not just in my hometown where the local bailiff kept his halberd right up until his death and it got donated to the castle upon the castle becoming a museum in 1899) although this might be the fact that most of the ones bought up by local authorities to equip their newly established police forces were the mass produced variants the government was selling off for cheap after the Napoleonic Wars.

[@scordio2305]

9:05 It‘s a little smiley face :D

[@williamblaker2628]

Those weapons were the cutting edge technology of their day. ...I'll see myself out now...

[@LouseGrouse]

6:05 could this be due to wood warping/degrading over time/any previous restoration attempts?

[@daemonharper3928]

Great vid, lots of great artifacts

[@joshuawalker301]

Awesome, you like the black and white armor and I really like the fluted ones, it's crazy people used to use that in war, they are so complex and beautiful. And also how in the heck are preserved that well?

[@yumazster]

The black and white pattern resembles a slash and puff style of clothing from 16th century.

[@joshuawalker301]

@@yumazster it's awesome 😎

[@frankharr9466]

Still sounds interesting. I wish I were still across the lake.

[@JustGrowingUp84]

They should put wax bananas near the exhibits, for scale! Joking aside, everything was very beautiful, even the heavily corroded artifacts.

[@mansfieldtime]

. I remember going to a small town museum once. There was a lot of things but in one of their rock museum collections they put a foot long speed square so you could see how big some of the things were. I always thought that was smart and other museums should do that. Just put a yard stick on the wall or something.

[@CruelDwarf]

Corinthian helmet around 2:30 is quite interesting because of huge number of small holes at the edges everywhere including cheek-pieces and even at nasal guard. I guess it was done to attach the liner everywhere inside and not only for the top of the head?

[@lotoreo]

the battle damaged claymore looks to me like it could very well be the inspiration for the steel claymore model in Elder Scrolls II Morrowind - interesting

[@stewrmo]

As you are in the UK currently, come north of Hadrian's Wall. We know nothing of these "Roman" types...!One love from Scotland. 💙

[@kutter_ttl6786]

He's in Toronto, Ontario. The ROM is the Royal Ontario Museum.

[@XDieKillDieX]

​@@kutter_ttl6786 Yes, but this was filmed a while ago. He's currently in Britain.

[@tarille1043]

@@kutter_ttl6786 He's in the UK. He recently did a Livestream to that fact. That this video is in the ROM doesn't mean he's there right now. Such is the magic of recording.

[@kutter_ttl6786]

​@@tarille1043haha, yeah. I just noticed his livestream from "Londinium" after posting this. Thank for the heads up, hope he enjoys his time there.

[@screwtape2713]

Skall, while the ROM probably has the best collection in Canada of medieval arms and armour (and swords), if you are ever in Calgary AB, you definitely should visit the Glenbow Museum there. Its collection of European and Oriental arms and armour collection is surprisingly good. Probably the second-best in Canada after the ROM. In Ottawa, the Canadian War Museum is a must-see for military content from the 18th century onward, but it has nothing much that I can recall pre-dating the establishment of the French and British colonies in North America.

[@whyjay9959]

Might be worth taping two parallel laser pointers at a certain distance? If that's not too intense lightning for some of the exhibits.

[@scottbedard5095]

We brought the kids to the rom a few weeks ago, and I'm annoyed we missed these galleries entirely...

[@rhetorical1488]

Deadly art

[@Snarlacc]

9:00 I wonder, would they have sharpened these out or reprofiled the blade or just made a new sword. I mean these are pretty deep, and grinding them out would likely change how the sword feels and the blade would still have weak points.

[@edlomonaco]

If you ever get a chance the Arms and Armor collection at MOMA ( the museum of modern art) in NYC is a must see. Correction it's the MET. (metropolitan museum of art) Moma has a bicycle wheel attached to a wooden stool.

[@Specter_1125]

Do you mean the Met? I don’t think the museum of modern art has all that much armor if any.

[@edlomonaco]

@@Specter_1125 your right. Got them confused.

[@the_crisp9]

Damn, I work at the ROM. I can't believe I missed Skallagrim!

[@The_Okami]

Thank you for the footage. All of the swords and armor looked beautiful. I wonder. Did the two handed scottish claymore have a date? The two handed claymore is my favorite sword of all time but sadly it's hard to get info on it past the superficial stuff.

[@LuxisAlukard]

Yeah, more museums! I'm on another continent, so this is as good as it gets, because there's no way I'll ever go to Canada. :)

[@RoamingIRaccoon]

Damn lol I live near Toronto and was just at the ROM too

[@matthewmckinney5387]

The long sword with the point rounded off was probably an executioner sword

[@gonsolop2429]

7: 03 and 7: 09 ; Both these swords are revealing their Tang. The leather wrapped, wooden handles have corroded away from decades exposed to moist mud & wood boring bugs.

[@Scarlet_Soul]

Look at all those shinies

[@TeaBurn]

3:10 I like that the pin in the bottom right hand corner also looks like a mini sword, not unlike the sword-shaped letter openers we have today.

[@weonconpatasbreadcake6494]

shame there aren't big wood sticks on the museums

[@Valkoriona7]

Have you thought about making a video on the combat in Crimson Desert? They just released 50 minutes of its gameplay as a preview. Basically, it's a new fantasy game coming out sort of like For Honor.

[@RichardGoth]

I think are like me Skal, they have to kick me out of the museum and then they see me again at the ticket booth next morning 🙂

[@gonsolop2429]

9: 24 Blade Fuller is the strength of this blade. My combat blade looks just like this. It's caused from parrying other swords, slightly superior to your own. Paul Chin original, mine. vs a Spring Steel blade of superior craftsmenship. Not just any spring steel. Mine held up well indeed. Plus it adds character. 😎

[@vincenteaster9184]

MY ANCESTORS USED SPEARS SO LONG?!!! AMAZING!!!

[@Huntergaming-ub7qf]

Hai man , do you remember that video when you reacted to the knife defense video on an channel name " the marital arts journey " , well guess what, there is another video just like that on there , which has been recently uploaded , and i would LOVE to see your reaction on that video, its amazing ( btw i personally am losing my mind over it ).

[@Janizzary]

3:39 Bronze Age clip on bow tie.

[@gonsolop2429]

7: 36 This Two Hander or Hand & a Half knIghts sword is revealing it's Tang. Handle has rotted away. Two handers were often used first on a battlefield until intentionally disgarded or stuck. The knight then drew his 2nd. Often a sword. Falchion in short quaters & to break horse legs above the knees too chaotically dismount calvery & mounted knights, bishops, & noblemen. In the heat of it, everybody is fairgame, including horses.

[@babysealsareyummy]

8:04 I don’t know why, but there’s something so irrationally upsetting about rounded tips to me 😖 like visual nails on a chalkboard. I also might be insane.

[@rafaelschaffner]

I agree

[@jodycarter7308]

The first step is admitting that you have a problem.

[@kadoj]

Huh. That baskethilt backsword with the extremely pronounced quillons is highly unusual, I’ve never seen a sword quite like that. It almost looks as though its the distressed lovechild of a Sinclair hilted saber and a more typologically representative backsword….it kinda makes me wonder if it’s either been modified sometime after its original assembly or perhaps is even a later idealized reproduction of an early backsword, a-la Victorian antiquarian tendencies?

[@outsideiskrrtinsideihurt699]

8:51 Skall, if we assume the blade that bit into it was around 45 Rockwell or so, how soft do think this edge would have to be to take such a clear and deep notch?

[@polymathart]

We have Skall in England. Now we need Matt in North America.

[@screwtape2713]

The ROM is in Canada.

[@screwtape2713]

Oh... I see he then did a livestream from London. If he gets to the Wallace Collection, I hope he is able to meet Toby Capwell.

[@stevedenis8292]

Have to wonder if not battle damaged but some one messing about and striking a sword against somthing and putting a notch or chips. There is a great possibility that through poor restoration that many weapons are cobbled together from several others . This could have taken place during its original time frame or later on as passed from generations on .

[@darrinrebagliati5365]

Evil nerd, giving me ideas for focusing my destructive tendencies. Thanks!

[@zyourzgrandzmaz]

Its fun to see how weve evolved as humans, in every way even size of our bodies from correct agriculture and economy. A roman or greek sword is like 2 feet long. And the armor and outfits etc are usually outfitted for people around 5'5" even recent history , like the ww1 outfits that all look like theyre designed for children but its just that no one had enough food or vitamins and had stunted growth. I wouldve towered over everyone even viking back in the day and im barely 6'2". A huge viking back in ye day was like 6 feet and 200 lbs with about 30% bmi. Alexander the great was called that because he was like 6'7" wnd 300 lbs and healthy cus he was rich growing up so had food. Its just interesting 🤔

[@MIKE_THE_BRUMMIE]

I find it crazy you see European swords in such bad shape in museums but 600 year old Japanese swords still pristine.

[@malcomalexander9437]

Those Japanese swords are considered to be a deep part of their culture, Kendo and Kenjutsu have a long and unbroken line of teachers and students. Europe did the opposite; they abandoned the old ways and weapons. It's why HEMA has the extra challenge of figuring out if something in an old combat manual was a legit technique, or just some goofy bullshit put in as a joke.

[@MIKE_THE_BRUMMIE]

@@malcomalexander9437 Good point they were still deeply entrenched in their marshall code up till 1867 and obviously they had a resurgence before world war II. If we still had legitimate knightly orders and tournaments as a major part of our culture in the 1860s... maybe we would still have pristine swords from bloody Agincourt!!!! (I say legitimate orders because we have plenty of ceremonial knightly orders)

[@davehart1027]

What about doing a video about shepherds staffs? Probably not as appealing as sword video, But if you think about it, shepherds went out with a pack prey animal, and defended them with a piece of wood, its had a shape like a man catcher used in the east? Dunno, might be interesting? Altho sword vs shepherds staff, sword would lose?

[@xPumaFangx]

I like these videos more than watching you give a sales pitch for a Chinese-made sword.

[@ilejovcevski79]

4+ kg isn't that much of a stretch for a two-hander, a bit on the heavy side yes, but still within bounds.

[@alaskankare]

thats because things didnt need to be as thick as fantasy and movies have made them. the finesse in older weapons were amazing and extremely light compared to reproductions today

[@DarthStuticus]

Thank you for me seeing your post when i did. I was about to spiral from a rage inducing political video. I'll try to avoid watching it after i've watched this. maybe I'll watch it on repeat until i forget about that other video.

[@mishab4065]

Swords are great for cutting tension.

[@raphlvlogs271]

Norse swords typically have tight fitting restrictive hilts same principle as Central Asian and Indo Persian 1s

[@GOBLIN_MENACE]

Viking ones ?

[@Roland3ld]

I did find it interesting, here is some full support for algorithm nonsense.

[@tetsubo57]

Any museum that doesn't put a scale ruler next to the object is failing at it's job. Even if they used plaques that were a standard size it would help.

[@121qwert2]

Why dont you estimate the length instead of saying i can kinda compare it to my hand.

[@stefansauvageonwhat-a-twis1369]

hmm yes authentic

[@6661313]

i haven't been to the ROM not since they gutted the dinosaur exhibits, too bad you never got to see it before they changed to such a sterile layout

[@Dr.Balaclava]

The claymore is 45/60 durability

[@willianwagner7118]

👍