FAct is there is no laws on this If you want to do a sord as your first project then go for it. It is after all you tools and you make your own shop rules unless you are working for someone else. Keep in mind that sords are really not a starting point for most folks that begin smithing. If you were to work on basics And that does not mean forgeing nails or decorative pieces until you can make nails almost in your sleep. The most improtant think is to works safely and develop muscle motor memory to the ppoint that you can pull a hot piiece of metal from the fire and your body works with out you telling it what to do. Think about driveing if you do that. How much effort do you put into placeing the key in the ignition and turning it? That is an almost automatic movement. Forgeing can get like that. How long will that take you? I cannot guess. But it will come and then when you take on a iece as complicated as a sord you will be way ahead and the forgeing part will work with you ..not lack of skills getting in your way. The metalurgy involved starts not with a sord but with less complicated pieces like chisels punches and like mentioned knives. When you can leave almost zero hammer marks on a blade you will have less hand work to remove them. It would be a huge loss for you to spend hours taking out hammer marks and then haveing porblems in the heat treat part of the process. But as I said, it is your shop and you are the one calling the shots. Enjoy  |