OK, I need help on a sword

[ApprenticeMan]

Ok, I need help on a sword I am making. NOW I WANT NO BICKERING, ONLY CIVILISED ANSWERS (hehe, please). I would please like to know a few things, one is what process do I follow after the blade has been forged to the shape I want? Like exactly what do I do to the blade after it has been forged to the shape I want? It is 1050, or whatever the flat bar clips underneath the Railroad rails are, I have been told they are 1050, and can't find my junkyard steels chart(hehe), some info from someone with some firsthand expeirience making something out of one of these railroad rail clips would be great. I am not going for a differential edge quench, or anyt kind of differential heat treat, just a regular purple or blue heat temper, as I want my sword to hold a good edge, and be good for cutting, good flex yet not feel like a wet noodle. I will of course be the first to say I know not too much about austenite and the quenching curve and that weird chart, please just explain it as simple as you can, thanks. I would like this sword to be not just something that will hang on a wall, so please present ways to help me make it so. Also some tips on shaping would be neat. I would also like to say that I LOVE forging, and LOVE forging blades. I especially like watching as with each heat the blade shape becomes more and more defined, slowly shaping into something SO COOL looking. As a blacksmith mainly, I have only done a few blades, I really appreciate swords and knives for the sheer [i]elegance[i], of the lines, the shapes, the way light plays on them, it is all so magical. All the funny people always talking about swords that can cut through solid stone blocks and stuff, all that mythology, but when you think about it, about real swords, and the process of how they are created, IT IS TRULY MAGIC. So please if you can help m,e out, I would be greatly appreciative.

[Tyler Murch]

Four words: Read your books, talk to experienced makers, and practice.

[ApprenticeMan]

Originally Posted by Tyler Murch

Four words: Read your books, talk to experienced makers, and practice.

WHAT THE HECK DO YOU THINK I AM DOING HERE!?(Hehe)

[ApprenticeMan]

And please, I am not just looking for someone to JUST LINK ME TO THE BPS ON HEAT TREATING, while that is good knowledge, I am looking more for a rundown of the steps you take after a sword has been all forged to shape.

[bipolarandy]

i told ya sam, Forge, Anneal, Grind, ( if you do it Tylers way, normalize 40 times) then harden/temper, grind some more, and finish.

-andrei

[Tyler Murch]

Andy, my way is to finish forging at non mag, normalize three times, harden, temper.

Annealing before the hardening will give spotty hardening- it doesn't work. Like I said- read, talk, and practice.

[Tyler Murch]

Andy, I should also probably point out that it's quite obvious you haven't read up, or experimented and taken good observations on heat treating. Giving incorrect information can easily steer people who are just beginning in the wrong direction

[Swamp Fox]

Buy the books The Complete Bladesmith, The Master Bladesmith, The Pattern-Welded Blade. http://www.atar.com

Jim Hrisoulas is a full time bladesmith with close to 40 year's experience in hand forging fine blades. The books contain the knowledge you desire, and more. You just have to open your wallet. No money, use plastic.

[bipolarandy]

Attention!!!!! I implore you, Please disregard my last post, I had it WRONG!!!!!, Annealing before the hardening will give spotty hardening- it doesn't work!!!!
I didn't mean to Steer anyone in the wrong direction.

-Andrei

[ApprenticeMan]

Originally Posted by Swamp Fox

Buy the books The Complete Bladesmith, The Master Bladesmith, The Pattern-Welded Blade. http://www.atar.com

Jim Hrisoulas is a full time bladesmith with close to 40 year's experience in hand forging fine blades. The books contain the knowledge you desire, and more. You just have to open your wallet. No money, use plastic.

I don't need to spend all that money on all those books for the one chapter(give or take) that I need. I need a nice, simple, explaination. Thanks.