Scottish basket hilts and edged weapons

[Paul Macdonald]

Aye, Solingen steel was widely regarded as the best in Europe at the time, and was up there with the best Spanish Toledo steel.

Most Scottish basket hilt blades carry some form of Solingen `running wolf` mark, as well as the famous "Andrea Ferrara" legend in many variants of spelling.

This realistically meant little more than a stamped sign of "quality", but you would really have had to known which forge or maker your blade came from to determine specific blade quality, rather than rely upon a generic name that any maker could (and often did) stamp into a blade.

German blades were bought in batches by Scottish swordmakers, who then made the hilts, grips, pommels and assembled all parts. The best hilt makers bought the best blades to complete their quality weapon. Just take a look at the outstanding quality of blades on any original Walter Allan hilt or those by any other reknowned maker.

Putting a poor blade on a quality hilt would equate to putting a 1litre diesel engine in a Ferrari. And good drivers just dinnae want that!

All the best,

Macdonald