in commerce, a thin slender piece of metal, either forged by the hammer, or run and cast in moulds, to be afterwards sharpened to a point, edge, or the like. Sword-blades are made by armourers, while knife-blades are fabricated by cutters. The English and Damascus blades are most esteemed; among the French, those of Vienne in Dauphiné obtain a preference. The conditions of a good blade of a small sword are, that it be light, tough, and apter to bend than break. When it stands in the bend, it is called "a poor man's blade."