Dutch Naval Swords

[Gavin Nugent]

The markings or quality mark on these blades are "Yzerhouwer". They also sport floral engravings down the spine of the blade and on the blade too, also ships of the line and the famous naval fouled anchor.
I borrowed the following from another site;

From John Walter's book:

Eisenhauer...is the distinguishing mark of the so called Eisenhauerklinge ("iron cutting blade") found on swords manufactured in Germany... An Eisenhauerklinge was a blade in which the edges had been hardened using the process that the Moslem metalsmiths had used centuries before the method had been introduced to Solingen; the stamping "Eisenhauer" - or any number of native variations - was ultimately taken as a term of quality, analogous to the later "Echt damast" marking of the third Reich.
The Eisenhauer blades seem to have been first produced in Solingen in the middle of the 19th century, and such marks continued into the 20th.

Doesn't say what the actual process was though...

Walters also lists Coup de Fer (French, Belgian), Jernhugger (Danish), Jernhuggare (Swedish), Yzerhouwer (Dutch) and Russian cyrillic versions.

I must say these little beauties have some quality spring in the blade and when pushed into the floor boards can easily bend to a 45degree angle and bounce back with some force, I am guessing the would pass the wire bound wood or iron bar test too.

Gav

Gav