[K_killn]

It came up in a game and we went with iron but what is the Ares Monosword made of?

[Mirikon]

Iron? Weapons haven't been made of raw iron in centuries. Steel, perhaps. More likely some stronger alloy.

[Stry]

Based on what the street samurai catalog description said it is a mono-filament  attached to something sword shaped, and is not a monomolecular object like a mono whip.

[K_killn]

Yes it says a sword with monofilament edges

[Mason]

Likely Carbon Steel with the mono filament attached.

[Railstar]

To be fair, steel is iron.  The difference between raw iron and steel is that carbon or some other element has been added to the iron during the smelting process in order to strengthen it.  The term "Carbon Steel" means that the iron to carbon ratio is ~ 99% iron/1% carbon (+/- ~1%).  Stainless steel is ~89/11% alloy of iron and chromium.  Stainless steel is resistant to oxidation (it doesn't rust as quickly or easily), hence the name.  Other hardening elements include manganese, vanadium and tungsten.

That said, in 2072 (or even in the 2050's) there are a lot of materials available that are better than carbon steel.  Titanium-steel alloys for one, or alloys that use tungsten.  There are also ceramics that rival or surpass some metals and have the added advantage of being hard to detect when you pass through a MAD or some other form of metal detector.

The way I handle it in my house game is if the description of the item doesn't specify, then the player can pick what grade of material they want.  If they choose something like the ceramic that would give an added in-game benefit, I up the price and availability ratings.

[JustADude]

The term "Carbon Steel" means that the iron to carbon ratio is ~ 99% iron/1% carbon (+/- ~1%).  Stainless steel is ~89/11% alloy of iron and chromium.

Not quite right. All Steel has at least a little carbon in it; that's what allows the iron to harden. The term "Carbon Steel" simply defines steel that has no other alloying elements, such as the ones you mentioned. Typical steel is about 0.3%-0.6% carbon, with "Low Carbon" steels going as low as 0.05% and "High Carbon" steels going up to 2%. Any more than that and it becomes "Cast Iron." And, yes, cast iron is actually super-carbonized and not at all like "raw" iron.

You're quite correct about everything else, including the amount of Chromium in Stainless steel.

[Stahlseele]

Handwavium and Unobtanium polycarbonate alloy

[CanRay]

Handwavium and Unobtanium polycarbonate alloy

And then dykoted.

...

No, the price is too low for those materials.

[Blue_Lion]

Handwavium and Unobtanium polycarbonate alloy

And then dykoted.

...

No, the price is too low for those materials.

Oh the days of dykoting things to up the damage. lets dykote the trolls combat axe then do a called shot to the head.

[Railstar]

Not quite right. All Steel has at least a little carbon in it; that's what allows the iron to harden. The term "Carbon Steel" simply defines steel that has no other alloying elements, such as the ones you mentioned. Typical steel is about 0.3%-0.6% carbon, with "Low Carbon" steels going as low as 0.05% and "High Carbon" steels going up to 2%. Any more than that and it becomes "Cast Iron." And, yes, cast iron is actually super-carbonized and not at all like "raw" iron.

Yeah I know, that's why the ~+/- 1% I noted after.  that would put it in the range for carbon steel as you broke it down.  I just didn't think it was useful to go into that much detail.  For the purposes of Shadowrun, just plain old "carbon steel" is probably a good enough description.  And you are absolutely right about cast iron.  It also tends to have silicon in it too, but despite what may seem logical (more carbon = good), cast iron tends to be brittle.  It heats up real nice though, which is why some of my favorite pans in the kitchen are made out of it, but I wouldn't make any sort of weapon from that material.  it would probably shatter the first time you hit something not fleshy.  Especially if you put an ork/troll/cybered-badass behind the swing.

Oh, and the comment about Unobtanium made me laugh.  Go go Marvel Comics!  haha.  I would want a sword made out of Vibranium though.  That made up stuff that Captain America's shield is supposed to be formed from.  Could you imagine?  Sick.

[CanRay]

Fire Poker, good for only one hit.

But, frankly, if you're breaking a fire poker off in someone's hoop, you only need that one hit!

[WellSpokenRunner]

Unobtanium.  LOL. 

I usually go with steel for the blade and a carbon buckytube for the monofilament edge.  Though I tend to go with the original street sam catalogue comment about how the monofilament was more gimmick than anything else.  (Still a good sword though I miss dikote.)

[Crash_00]

Well, since they're relatively easy to get ahold of, I'm going to go with Kikasvium rather than Unobtanium. 

[Lacynth40]

Well, since the Year of the Comet, and since alchemy is now a thing in Shadowrun, I would say there could be any number of made up metal for the swords. Orichalcum wasn't the only magical ore that started showing up naturally, it was just the most popular one. Vibranium could totally be a thing, but good luck finding enough to make anything bigger than a single shield.