Steve Sells

not the mortor, most flux eats away the liners... Use a kiln shelf or similar as a barrier.

I am only a part time bladesmith, full time electrician. But my 5160 katana is still holding up fine, and I have had only one warranty repair in 15 years of making them, and he was cutting firewood with it, and broke off last 3 inches or so. If I make myself another one it will be L6. Experience? no where hear as much as JPH here, but he has taught my teacher a few things, As for myself? not a lot cutting, as I teach Jujitsu, which is not known as an art heavy into sword work. This was not intended to be a "mine is better that yours" ploy, only that a statement of "can not be strong/soft" is like Best of anything, it will make people speak up. There are many ways to make a fine blade, but some mono's are just as good as many laminates. I have no idea what martial arts teaching has to do with blades edge retention vs flexibility, but here goes... Shinan Steve Sells, No Tora Ryu Jujitsu Sandan Goshin Jutsu Jujitsu Nidan Yoshinkai Aikido plus a few years playing in TKD

I am just glad I didn't mention L-6, hellasious bending ability and good edge holding. But I don't think of that as a beginner's steel either. Sometimes I wonder why I deal with it, rather than 1560, or 5160H. still its great for the bright layers in pattern welding. I wish I had more F-1 to go with it :D

200 series isnt too bad, but MOST stainless will not weld up if exposed to air, its the chromium oxides, preventing the weld.

These statements appear to contradict. First you state it can not make it stronger and soften, then seem to say it does? I admit that there is a lot of give and take in everything we do to heat treat. How much we think a blade needs to flex is one question we must ask to help define what will work and what will not. I am not aware of any Epee's that were of compound materials, but I do not study them so I can be greatly mistaken. The point I was making is for a beginner to start, mono steel is the best beginning place. Choice of a steel such as 5160H makes a good mono blade material, where as many Stainless steels for a mono sword would have more of an issue. "can not" is a strong statement to make over as broad a terms as 'softer and stronger'. The science states it will be both when tempered at a higher temp. I am getting confused by these statements , as I bet are those trying to learn something from this.

You don't have to agree, but I am curious, as to How many swords have you made? Differential hardening and differential tempering are common practices not just in blades, but in many area of metal work, As hardness drops the strength increases.

soo m,uch food, so little time, and its all going to waist :D

in any size flue, each of your 90 degree turns causes restriction as well, Min 10 inch diameter is recommended.

not having seen it, and what you did wrong, I am probably talking out my (T)... It sounds like the OFF position you mentioned is putting your power directly at the ground, Get help if you are not sure, electricity can kill. 30 micro amps causes unconsciousness, 50 micro amps death. Our skin protects us from most of the charge when we get a shock, but the science says it doesn't take much to kill us . Please work safely a message from your Loving Union Electrician IBEW 305 JIW

Brine isn't good with chrome steels. always start with oil, only then try water IF the oil does not get it hard.

no but then ALL is a very broad term

If are thinking of using the mild to give strength to the spine, you can differentially temper it to be softer and stronger. so use only high carbon. ? If pattern welding there are other steels to give more contract, but as was stated, if you have to ask types and amounts, then you are not quite ready for this sword project... YET

I have nothing against milk. I agree that calcium is a good bonder of heavy metals. But it is not a substitute for clean air and keylation therapy. I had a hot head here insult me and my EMT training when I told him milk won't work. People are confusing consumption of poisons with gas intake. Even then they pump you out to remove the poison. Too many people do not realize that as an EMT we must re-certify every 2 years, to make sure our trauma training is up to date with all the new discovery's being made. But did you know that a doctor or Nurse after getting their license in most cases does not have to take anymore classes? They can be 30 years out of school, and still OK to work! I ran into this once in a transport. We came out of the ambulance, and the small town nurse was upset we had too high a flow of O2 going into the patient face mask! She had not taken an update class since she was in college, she didn't know about 12 liters flow being standard today. The point is: Just because you were taught a thing in the past, or heard from a doctor, does NOT mean that is current Medical Knowledge. Remember that blood letting used to be a common practice as well as drilling a hole in the skull of a mental case to release the demons. Drink yer milk, BUT don't waste time, you must get to hospital.

commonly M2 but not always.

I am primarily a construction worker, I can state that the pay is good , but so is the TRAINING, they have certs for pipeline welding, they are not people asking unknown yahoo's on the internet for opnions, rather they went to school, learned the craft, and took the tests. But do it your way, just PLEASE not a night I am on call, as I am ARC+EMT and don't want it to be my squad that has to clean up the mess.

looks nice, details please,, you stated layers but not materials.... Keep up the good work

Bill Wyant and I did it, mostly formed at high heat with a power hammer at a friends shop. I am too lazy to do that by hand, I still have it too after al these years, some day I may finish it, but it isn't practical for a sale piece. Better to let an apprentice that insists they are ready to make a sword hammer on it for awhile, till the urge exits.

Thank you all for the well wishes, they are appreciated.. OK here's what happened: Fact: We were stopped dead in the dedicated right turn only lane, the 5th vehicle back from the light. We were approx. 10 feet from the vehicle in front of us. We were in my wife's New (only had it four months) Kia van Fact: We were hit from behind. My wife who was driving was looking in her rear view mirror at the time when she saw the other vehicle coming. She said she could see the driver looking down into his lap, and not looking where he was going. The driver never made any attempt to brake. Fact: The first impact propelled us into the car in front of us, we rebounded and was stuck again by the same vehicle from the rear, three separate impacts. Sue was NOT injured, the vehicle in front of us lost some paint. My seat broke...my head broke the head rest. Henderson PD and CCFD Paramedics arrived at the scene . Now I was heeled at the time and under NRS I had to advise the local law dogs of this fact. A very young (Just out of the POST Academy I found out later...) freaked out and almost had a melt down when he saw my weapon.. That was the "funny" part of the day.. Hell's Bells..the paramedics didn't mind..all they said was "cool..another good guy".. But they were more interested in getting a cervical collar on me, extracting me from the vehicle and getting me on a back board and all the while trying to keep me from killing the little #%^$#$er that hit us.. Fact: The driver of the vehicle is 16, has had his DL for less than 3 months. He never broke traction he just plowed right into us. He was driving a Toyota Sienna van. His front grill pieces were midway under his vehicle.. this would establish the POI, from this it was figured that at the time of impact he was going between 30 and 35 MPH. Fact: He was cited for following too closely and not paying proper attention. Fact: I am FUBAR for the moment. As it is I have NO neural involvement other than that caused by the muscle swelling and spasms. That is the "good news" Now the rest of the news is not too good. I do have a pretty decent concussion. I have severe muscle sprain on the neck, between the atlas and the axis (that is NOT where you want this sort of injury) vertebrae. I have trapezius and deltoid muscle sprains along with some muscle tearing. Still feeling the tingles in my fingers but that will subside. Lower back, L 3,4, and 5 are also sprained with the appropriate muscle sprains and tears. Fact: My insurance coverage is excellent.. His I do not yet know as yet. When we spoke to our Insurance Agent at State Farm we were advised to "Lawyer UP" and go after the guy who hit us since I am self employed and all that and that they (State Farm) will enjoin in the suit to recover what they have to pay out. We did as advised. I am out of work for a "good while" as the Dr put it. I am seeing a neck/spine specialist. I was told that my body mass prevented me from breaking my neck (For you NASCAR fans this is what killed Dale Earnhart Sr.) but it also is the reason why I sustained the extent of injury that I did.. Sir Issac will not be denied ....As the good Dr said it got injured while trying to keep itself from becoming torn apart...Oh well... So that's the scoop. We drop off Sue's van Monday for repairs (that KIA is built like a little tank, it sustained moderate damage to the bumpers, back hatch door, needs a new seat and some grill and hood damage..nothing all that bad..still very drive-able) and I am going to daily PT and taking all sorts of stuff to keep thing "running smoothly as possible" as far as the soft tissue damage goes... I have been trying to work on book 4 but what I am writing is sometimes not making much sense so until this concussion clears I am pretty much dead in the water. So we will see what we will see...I find it rather funny that a 16 year old crybaby (that's all he did throughout the whole incident is sit in his vehicle and cry his eyes out) almost did what the entire NVA/VC, the Iraqis and the Afghanis as well as 32 years in law enforcement couldn't do and that is end my life... Sheesh.. Well look at Geo. Patton..he got taken out by a Deuce and a half... Anyway...that's what happened... JPH

welcome to the nut house :)

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I made one from it. the question is HOW are you gonna form it ?

Remember every area has its own rules, and variations: I live in a R1 neighborhood. NO business, no noise louder than normal talk from 30 feet away of the source., 10pm till 7am quiet time begins, no noise above normal conversation AT the source. I burn coal in my forge. property is about 120 long by 55 foot wide and my neighbors are very close. I also just finished building (with aproval and permits) a new shop with walls ! HOW ? when I first started smithing at home, I was careful to find out myself when people worked, which assisted me to figure when they slept. I was in the back yard, no roof no walls, I did not hammer before 9am becuase one guy worked 2nd shift and didn't wake up til then. I stopped at 6pm because of a baby near by. STEP TWO: Being a historic neighborhood, I walked around and looked at the iron work, I talked to people about their broken railing, or Rose trellis, and told them I do some metal work as a hobby, I am running our of things to make for my house, Would it be OK with you if I measured your Railing so I can see if I can make a copy of it ? I promise I won't hurt anything, only take measurements to see if I cam copy that style. After I made the new item, I went back and gave it to them, told them I have no need for it, I just wanted to see if I could make one, do you want it ? Soon I had made for free, little projects for everyone close enough to smell the coal smoke, or hear the hammer. I bribed them to like me and my hobby now (yes, I bought them off) STEP THREE: After a while I put up a roof to keep off the rain. Then this past year got permits and raised a 11.5 x 17.5 building with a brick side draft forge. This is a hobby so it does not violate the business ordnance. But I am sure it would have been rejected if I tried to build this first off. I built up tolerance, and when people asked how long I was smithing I told them many years here, but tried to work with the neighbors habbits so as not to annoy. The local code enforcement guy stops by for his breaks some times, because his grandfather was a ferrier, and the smell and sounds bring back fond memories. Play it safe and build up people to support you wherever you can.

Phosphoric acid does a wonderful job of parkerizing

ok, NOW ya done it, calling me MR ? lol relax no harm done :D

FACT: Christopher was fifteen when he wrote the first draft of Eragon. He took a second year to revise the book and then gave it to his parents to read. The family decided to self-publish the book and spent a third year preparing the manuscript for publication: copyediting, proofreading, designing a cover, typesetting the manuscript, and creating marketing materials. During this time Christopher drew the map for Eragon, as well as the dragon eye for the book cover (that now appears inside the Knopf hardcover edition). The manuscript was sent to press and the first books arrived in November 2001. The Paolini family spent the next year promoting the book at libraries, bookstores, and schools in 2002 and early 2003. In summer 2002, author Carl Hiaasen, whose stepson read a copy of the self-published book while on vacation in Montana, brought Eragon to the attention of his publisher, Alfred A. Knopf Books For Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books. Michelle Frey, executive editor at Knopf, contacted Christopher and his family to ask if they might be interested in having Knopf publish Eragon. The answer was yes, and after another round of editing, Knopf published Eragon in August 2003. This is an excerpt from Chris' web site, Please be careful whom you accuse of getting facts wrong, with out checking yourself. it can make one look very silly.