You should see if a sword really can be driven into a stone with niether sustaining damage. Also if it is possible if the sword is then difficult to extricate.

I can drive a sword into wet cement, don't think I can extract it when the cement dries, but it would be fun to have Mythbusters try to extracted it.

Its not possible. Although I've seen this with an anvil multiple times at DisneyWorld. But it might be slighly fun to watch them put it in cement and extract it.

On the other hand, they could just put a hydraulic jack to it and the sword/cement would have a choice: break the tensile strength of the sword (no), release from the concrete (probably) or stall the jack. Of course if they stall the jack, it just means you need a bigger jack. So, with enough pressure, the sword would come out.

Thinking it through, I believe it would be rather boring...

You guy have to remember that is a legend that is originated from the Babylon myth which I forgot what is call but is about a sword in a tree. You have to realize that the skill of making good swords are long gone. If you go to China there is a place that you can see a very long and big crack in a boulder created but the First Emperor of China by striking his bronze sword into it. So there is proof about that so I don't think there will be much damage to the sword it will depend on how well the sword is maded.

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You have to realize that the skill of making good swords are long gone.

LOL

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You guy have to remember that is a legend that is originated from the Babylon myth which I forgot what is call but is about a sword in a tree.

Nope. The Excaliber legend is Celtic in origin. The 'pulled from a stone' bit is a discription of removing a bronze sword from its mold.

The end of the tale - with the sword being thrown into a lake - is discribing a standard Celtic practice. The Celts would throw swords into bodies of water to appease spirits. (Which is where we get most Celtic swords from - old lake-beds)

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Originally posted by cybermortis:

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You guy have to remember that is a legend that is originated from the Babylon myth which I forgot what is call but is about a sword in a tree.

Nope. The Excaliber legend is Celtic in origin. The 'pulled from a stone' bit is a discription of removing a bronze sword from its mold.

The end of the tale - with the sword being thrown into a lake - is discribing a standard Celtic practice. The Celts would throw swords into bodies of water to appease spirits. (Which is where we get most Celtic swords from - old lake-beds)

You have me curious now , do you mean they threw a deceased persons sword in as a funerary rite , or do you mean they tossed them in to sate some lake spirit ?

( beat the timer that time , he he )