for everyone that is thinking of making a sword

[Charlotte]

I guess you guys are talking about real swords? Made with good steel. What about ceremonial type swords, or swords that are just mild steel? I wouldn't think that they would be so demanding, or am I wrong about this. thanks. kevin

Yes we are talking about swords that could, at least in their construction and finishing be used in a real fight.

Now wall hangers, that is a different story. You could buy a piece of cold rolled flat bar. Grind it down, put a polish on it, add a decorative hilt and have a wall hanger as good as any sold at the decorator's Stores.

It i self it is an interesting exercise and not as easy as it sounds because of the effort required in grinding and filing. It is the sort of practice one would have to do to learn how to work the real thing.

In former times a smith might forge the blade but it was the cutler that did the finishing and sometime a jeweler supplied the furnishings

[Frosty]

Welcome to the forum, and don't mind Frosty, I don't know where the goat thing came from either, but he has to deal with very cold weather in Alaska, so that may have effected him in strange ways.

The cold weather is actually quite nice, really no sweat. It's dealing with some of the guys here that stranges me out. . . Steve. I kind of like it though so maybe you're right.

CA:

I asked because your Avatar is - a - GOAT. If that's your three legged mongrel, no wonder you think s/he's super, s/he is - a - GOAT. Does your mongrel eat the house plants?

Frosty

[ThomasPowers]

Well now if they are stranger than *Frosty* then they are strange indeed!

Blacksmiths tend toward the odd part of the spectrum in general; for example I'm going camping for a week so I have already packed a 134# anvil, large stump, postvise, 4 propane bottles, scrap iron,....I'll probably get around to the tent and sleeping bag sometime before I leave...

[Frosty]

What's strange about playing with fire and hitting things with hammers Thomas? Really, I probably have more hours at the anvil around a camp fire than anywhere else. I don't see anything one bit odd that you're getting your smithing kit squared away for a week long trip. Heck, you can get a sleeping bag anywhere.

Frosty

 

[Fe-Wood]

Thomas is a man with his priorities all worked out:D
Have fun camping and forging under the stars!
Do you plan on doing demos for the other campers?

[Bubbasan]

I started making blades when I was 18 . To make or forge a sword you do not need any specialized equipment . Hammer , forge , anvil . It sounds simple but, it takes years of practice . It Takes me about 3-6 months to make a good folded steel sword . That includes fittings , Polish and saya / scabbard.

There will be some setbacks but, just keep on going . Because one day you will make a fine piece that you will be proud of .

I would like to further add , that polishing swords is almost as difficult a challenge as forging one .  Regards   James

[Bubbasan]

It took me several years before I could make a decent sword . swordsmithing is difficult for a  beginner.  I was trained in Japan when I was stationed In Yokosuka for a few years.

My sensei put many knots on my head when I did something wrong.  The main problem with forging swords is :  you try to use the same amount of hammer blows on each side.

this decreases stress and will help keep it straight when quenching.

I recently made a small 19" Naginata blade from my own Tamahagane or Orishigane  as some folks call it.

Has an iron core, and was the devil to forge. Started making blades in Japan when I was 18 , I am now 70. 

The key is ....take your time and remember forging is only a small part of making sword.  You have HT claying, tempering and the dreaded polishing.

Then the scabbard , fittings .  In feudal japan it took 7 people to make a Japanese blade.  I still learn something everyday about swordsmithing.      James

Only 3-6 months? XXXXX you are good! (seriously)

Nice work Bubbasan. Can I come over and watch?

Anytime you want Cliff.  I am retired military, so I work at my leisure . Have 2 forges 1  coal , 1 propane , 2 peter wrights one 200 lb and one 500 lb

I also have Japanese anvil made by tom Clark in Steelville Mo. plenty of grinders , and a 3000 SF shop. I now live in Park hills , Mo  Near Farmington , Mo.  .. Bubba

Edited October 11, 2015 by Bubbasan

[ThomasPowers]

Same in Feudal Europe; each step was generally done by a different craftsman in a different shop:

Someone who made the iron/steel. Someone who forged the blade. Someone who ground/polished the blade. Someone who hilted the blade and Someone who made the sheath.  The hilter was often a cutler and would be the seller and the fellow who subcontracted out all the sub steps.

[Daswulf]

Now wall hangers, that is a different story. You could buy a piece of cold rolled flat bar. Grind it down, put a polish on it, add a decorative hilt and have a wall hanger as good as any sold at the decorator's Stores.It i self it is an interesting exercise and not as easy as it sounds because of the effort required in grinding and filing. It is the sort of practice one would have to do to learn how to work the real thing.

I've made some and i can see how doing that on something hardened like a Real sword would be a real challenge.

Anytime you want Cliff.  I am retired military, so I work at my leisure . Have 2 forges 1  coal , 1 propane , 2 peter wrights one 200 lb and one 500 lb.  I also have Japanese anvil made by tom Clark in Steelville Mo. plenty of grinders , and a 3000 SF shop. I now live in Park hills , Mo  Near Farmington , Mo.  .. Bubba

if I could come watch You "or any other of the great blade makers here" work, that would be the best vacation id ever spent. i'd even let you knot my head if i didnt learn right  haha.

[Bubbasan]

Not a problem , I have knifemakers and smiths come by all the time . I teach a course in forging/ HT Japanese blades.  Drop me a line if you want to drop in ...  Bubba

[Whimpy]

As a fairly new knife maker I dream of someday creating a sword. But I can't help but think that my 5 years of learning somehow does not compare to the over 3000 years of learning and evolution that has come before me in the development of the skills of the swordsmith. I think I will keep practicing and learning before I reach for this dream :-)

[Chad J.]

The guys aren't saying don't try, they are saying don't expect it to work out beautifully.   I'm trying my first sword now.  I went in without a plan, minimal experience, a piece of steel less than half the length I should have had, and an undersized propane forge that I removed a brick from so I could pass the blade through the back.  The challenges I have faced have all taken time and thought to get through and that was in the blade.   I still have to make the guard,  hilt,  scabbard, finish sanding the fuller,  figure out how to properly heat treat this blade, sharpen it, and keep it all straight.  I have plenty of reading to do still as I work on this project.  I am not expecting perfection, I'm actually not even expecting success, I'm simply taking a first step.

 

[ThomasPowers]

Back in the early 1980's when I was more into the "knife world", I remember a saying that "Every knife maker makes at least 1 sword; few do another!"  (And a lot of the times their "one" had terrible design issues as a sword is NOT just a big knife; it has a lot of special design criteria that knives don't to make it a "good" sword. Distal taper, weight, COP, balance, harmonics, grip design and materials---I remember seeing one at the Knifemaker's Guild Show that had a *slick* grip that would make it impossible to hold if sweaty (or bloody...) not to mention harmonics that would make the grip try to leap out of your hand anyway.