Mr Maximilian

Thanks for the info guys, that helps quite a bit. I think I'll order some of the 4130, as Ive been meaning to make a pair of reenactment swords. I'll keep y'all posted on how they go. As for the "real swords" you're so passionate about, I do of course intend to carry them into the Northern wastelands, and do battle with frost giants. So I gess I'll just wait until I've got a striker to help me draw out some RR clips. When I've got a little more money, I'll defiantly order some from NJ steel baron, they're an awesome resource! I hadn't heard of them, so thanks for that. P.S. The thanks goes out to everyone except Steve Sells, who was frankly pretty condescending. Sorry I had the audacity to not know something, and ask a question about it, Mr. Sells.

Ahh, I can see how that might help. I'm in southern Indiana, contestably the fifth most American place in America. The steel I I'm looking at is 4130 chromoly, as specified by SAE. It's surplus/scrap from a company that builds race cars.

So, I've recently realized that it's been entirely too long since I've made a good sword.(it's just been axes, axes, and more axes) I then remembered that this is beacause sutible bar stock for swords is really XXXXX expensive. After a bit of searching, the most economical option I've found is chromoly, at $7.50 for a 3/16 x2 x36" bar. So, before I go spending money on it, I was wondering if anyone has some experience making swords with it? I mainly want to know: how does one (or does one even) heat treat it? Can it be forge welded? Does it make decent swords? And is there anything better (and "better" here being directly correlated to "economical") that I could be using?