[Jim McDougall]

It seems that it is typically noted that the sites for renowned blade making centers were chosen for the access of iron ore. This is mentioned I know for Sheffield, I think it was noted for Hounslow but cannot place the cite.

With Solingen it was always profoundly noted that the iron ore in nearby areas was the key to that location.However in a note in a reference I have since feverishly tried to relocate, it claims that during the Thirty Years War, much of the disruption of production was caused by loss of access to Swedish steel imports. This caused the guilds to enforce limitations on the numbers of weapons allotted to each smith or shop.
These restrictions then may have been the reasons for the smiths to relocate to other locations.

I wonder if Swedish steel was indeed imported into England in the same manner? I know we have discussed this before years ago, but perhaps a talking point here? It seems rich deposits in the north led to Sheffield, which curiously never largely entered into sword blades, just knives.