Quote:
Originally Posted by RainsFire  I would remove this thread if I was you.. just fyi..
one of the resident newbie sword basher's will uh.. bash you.  |
Only if he chooses to blunder into it without listening, and not heeding the advice given
.
Ironforger, work at the smaller stuff until you are 100% comfortable with your hammer control, can hammer a 8 straight lines on an octagon taper, go square to round and have both shapes be squares and rounds not ovals and parallelograms hehe, can straighten bent steel and forge long elegant tapers. Are comfortable with proper forging heats, heat treating and grinding, as well as polishing among many other skills. It has been said a MILLION TIMES before,
START
WITH
KNIVES
Only when you can forge, grind, heat treat, and polish a knife easily can you even think about attempting a sword. This is SOUND advice, and it will not be given again atleast by me if you choose not to listen. I have made quite a few swords so far, and have had the luck and oppurtunity to study under a master artist blacksmith, and study under a master knifemaker, and study under a master swordmaker. While i am entirely self taught when it comes to FORGING the sword blades, i can tell you i certainly did NOT start with swords, nor with knives. I started forging artistic things liek little hooks and stuff. YOU NEED A PROPER BASE to build off of. My apprenticeship to the master artist blacksmith who DID NOT make any swords or bladed implement whatsoever was the very best thing in my study and evolution as a swordsmith. I only learned to grind and mount blades from both the master knifemaker and master swordmaker. I am entirely self taught when it comes to forging blades but i constantly apply alot of what i learned from the artist blacksmith everyday. A little example of just what you can do when you have taken the time to learn things in proper sequence. All these blades were forged by myself, some were ground entirely by me, some with help from my teacher. First some shots of the blades just as forged, then some shots of the ground and polished/etched blades, Then some shots of some finish ground and polished blades waiting to be mounted. That Big katana is 1075 steel which was traditionally clay coated and quenched in salt water brine, as was the scimitar below it which was 1055. both have GORGEOUS hamons. Gladius from 1084 along with two knives also from 1084 one was clay coat with a hamon. A little 5160 hunting knife, a big bowie from A2 tool steel and another 1075 wakizashi/otanto also traditionally clay coated and salt brine quenched. KEEP AT IT and "pay your dues", the hooks and stuff may get boring sometimes but it will pay off in the end. Also, you will probably find there is MUCH more of a market for the artistic stuff than blades ANY DAY OF THE WEEK, and you'll never have to buy another christmas/hannukah/birthday/holiday gift ever again. Also selling the little hooks for 5$ a pop will help finance your growing tool supply.