March 21, 201016 yr This is my first try at a sword. More work that I could have imagined when I started on it 4 months ago ! Its ready for heat treatment which will be done early next month on a sword forging course I am attending (with a couple of folks who really know about heat treating long pieces!) Ive pushed my own welding boundrys a bit with this piece, Im not going to etch it before heat treat though. Ive had glimpses of the pattern when working on it, but would like to see it properly, all at once,....... if it survives quench!) The tip is actually much more even than the photos suggest, The sanding lines play havoc with it in bright sunlight photos! Any comments or suggestions fire away!
March 22, 201016 yr How much does it weigh currently? (actually all the stats would be nice!) Swords are a whole lot of work and can go bad at any time up until completion (or after...)
March 22, 201016 yr Author Hi Thomas, The blade is about 30" long, +5" for handle, Its about 2" at the hilt with a gentle taper to 1 3/4 just before the tip. Its ready for heat treat now, and weighs about 800g. The cutting edges are still thick so If it survives HT and I make it 'live' it should finish at 750 ish (the handle is still 'thick' aswell, which will loose some weight when I thin it) The fuller was ground on an 8" wheel (my first hollow grind!, spent lots of time hand sanding it true) Its a 4 bar interupted twist core, with a funky twisted 'serpent' edging strips (each made from 3 bars!) , lots of welding the steel is 15n20 & 20c from udderholm. Fingers crossed for the heat treat, there is a bit of a gammy weld near the tip I really dont like the look of!
March 25, 201016 yr John, That is a nice looking blade. I look forward to seeing it after the HT and etch. I will keep my fingers crossed for you. Have you designed the hilt yet? Good luck Brian
April 15, 201016 yr Author Well she survived heat treat under the supervision of Owen bush, and Howard Clark. Marquenched at 230C, then straightened, then tempered in oil at 250C. Lots of work still to do now regrinding it all thinner and true, and then polish and etch! big step out of the way with the HT though :D
May 2, 201016 yr Very cool, hopefully one day I'll have enough time and skill to make such a worthy blade.
May 4, 201016 yr congratulations. that seems to be a beautiful blade. I like the shallow fuller. Can't wait to see it etched. kc
August 29, 201015 yr John that is probably the most perfectly welded and symetrical blade i have seen. Awesome i'm realy looking forward to seeing it come together. Bob
August 30, 201015 yr I like the execution at the tip ogive..very nicely done indeed...looks like clean welds all around... Now the question is...are you going to make any more? hehheh hehhh JPH
August 30, 201015 yr beautiful! I don't think there is anything else to say, just beautiful. I love the pattern especially at the tip.
September 4, 201015 yr well this is why i come to this site! i love to see things that are beyond my current ability, and in some cases my imagination. the only sword ive worked on is still leaning in the corner of my shop waiting for me to build a long forge and Quench tank. fullers really suck to clean up, especially narrow ones. heat treat is such an issue on long blades that i am in no rush to get there. but i digress, the pattern on your blade is the most symmetrycal ive ever seen! i would almost bet you put a mirror on the centerline simply incredible work Ed Steinkirchner
September 4, 201015 yr john thats amazing! you know i dont know about swords, but i do know about patterns and thats incredible what youve done i love it - i especially love the tip too it looks like a whorl finger print kind of pattern. am stunned at what you lot on here can do - beautiful! :)
September 5, 201015 yr JOHN- Mighty fine. It is a once in a long while of forging to get something to turn out as slick and nice as this one. Congrats! Your learning curve and hard work is what got you here. Thanks for the excellent pictures. chuck bennett
September 5, 201015 yr Author Thanks for the positives everyone! Dr Jim,. of course theres another one or 3 on the drawing board ! this stuff is addictive your books have been a big help in this (very steep) learning curve, gotta try a 'hairpin' on the next edge wrap ! The pattern is pretty well on the p!ss over most of the blade, it will stand me well to remember in the future that a bar of steel at 1200 c is quite a bit longer than its cold counterpart I was trying to match it up to Gotta think hilt and handle now, but the forge is calling.....
September 22, 201015 yr Very nice John! It's enough to almost make me want to be a bladesmith so I could at least appreciate the subtlties. Frosty the Lucky.
December 27, 201015 yr Stunner John, really is a beautiful bit of work. Have you got the furniture put on it yet?
May 28, 201115 yr When are we gonna see the complete piece ???? one of the best looking pattern welds I've seen
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