Board Thread:Fun and Games/@comment-25604636-20151019154404/@comment-27723099-20151020133708

High Prince Imrahil wrote: And who's to say that Numenoreans steel is not better or equal to that of Valyria? It is stated several times that "their shields were unbreaking and their swords could not be withstood. Their craft was surpassed only by that of Valinor".

So basically the best metal in middle earth. Who's to say that their craft is not better then that of Valyria? Similar things are said of Gondolin and all other great kingdoms of old. It's the usual way to describe the glorious past. Keep in mind how the Romans described themselves in their literature and how little of it is true.