In early stories, Excalibur was not drawn from the stone. That was a different story. It was an exceptional sword, forged in Avalon, that could cut through steel as if it were wood, with a design of two chimeras on the golden hilt. Sir Gawain carried it in battle as well, when it blinded the enemy with its brightness. Only in later interpretations did people think it was the same sword.

Also, the story is that when he was dying, King Arthur threw Excalibur into the lake.