Test Cutting and Destructive Testing Videos

Both in Asia and Europe, test cutting was an integral part of a swordsman's training and the testing of sword blade performance. The Japanese straw mats were supplied by our friends at Bugei Trading Co. and are the standard test cutting material at Albion. The more mats included in the rolled target, the more difficult the cut for both the swordsman and the blade.

Here are short videos showing the results of the test cutting with a Albion swords: (The files can be played or downloaded and played -- for best viewing, we recommend that you download the free version of Windows Media Player available free from Microsoft.)

The Conan Atlantean™ Sword

The Tritonia Sword Test Cutting

Destructive testing of sword blades has been a common practice among swordmakers since the beginning of the art. It is important to take a sample blade from successive heat-treated batches to test the steel, hardness and flexibility of a blade to its breaking point to determine the accuracy and effectiveness of design and heat-treating. Here are sample videos of Albion blades being tested.

The Tritonia Destructive Test

Viking Blade Destructive Test

Castellan Point Test