Salvage/Scrap sword

[JPH]

Hello:

 

Something I made from recycled/scrap materials..the only new thing used as the solder that I sweated the fittings together with.

Blade is a 3 core twist/.counter-twist interupted pattern welded from an old bed frame and a old LPG tank. Edge steel is an old truck coil spring. The brass started out as old cartridge cases that I melted and made into barstock. The Cu pieces in the guard and pommel were once a Cu Buss bar. Old bone that I gave my special treatment to.. All in all it didn't turn out half bad if you ask me...Especially when you consider I am working with just one good hand at the moment..

Hope thse pics turn out..

JPH

[jeremy k]

Jim - Very Nice!!! - what type of steel is bed frame and LP tanks?

Jim - you working with one hand behind your back would be much better than most.

Edited April 13, 2015 by jeremy k

[JPH]

JK: 

As far as the bed frame..it is made from bed frame steel...what exactly I have no idea but it behaved like a medium C 10XX series but a bit "ditier" to work..Ie, it scaled a bit more than say 1060/70 would. LPG tanks are made from a pressure vessel steel which could be A203D/E..which is a  Ni bearing steel. Etched out on the bright side so I am happy.. The coils spring is probably 9260..sure acted like it. oil hardened..srping tempered..All in all..came out pretty good..

JPH

[Frosty]

I'm sure glad you're posting here again Jim even your "junk yard" blades are beautiful. I didn't know about your hand, injury? Prognosis?

You do know bus bar copper can contain beryllium and be a definite health hazard yes? I don't know what the threshold for dangerous is or how to tell if buss cu has a low % beryllium but if it looks even a little "yellower" than copper it's a no go for me.

I believe bed frames are medium C, they sure act like it. Good to know about the LPG tanks I think I'll collect a couple.

Thanks for the pics, even if they do draw me toward the dark side. <grin>

Frosty the Lucky

 

[JPH]

Frosty:

I have a tumor growing merrily on it's way on my right hand between my thumb and fore-finger that is being removed in the next little bit once the VA decides to do something about this...Once they get in and see what is what they will be able to tell me how long I will be down for... Being that I make my living with my hands..the less time down the better for us...

JPH

[Charlotte]

I seem  to recall that Alexander Weygers  said something to the effect that bed frames were made from rerolled rail road rails.  I know that the one that I found and forged to his instruction made an acceptable to me large V gouge. For what it is worth

[norrin_radd]

Wow man that is just outstanding. Thanks for posting the write up on it too.

[caotropheus]

Old bone that I gave my special treatment to

 

 

 

​Very nice sword Master JPH. And if I may kindly ask and you're willing to share, what is this "special treatment to bone"? Is is a treatment similar to what you describe in your books?

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I have mainly seen bedframes listed as similar to Cor-10.  Hmmmm, an email to a bedframe manufacturer may be in order.

Propane tank, as in the large bulk ones, or the BBQ size?

 

Great work as always Jim.

Edited May 16, 2015 by BIGGUNDOCTOR

[ThomasPowers]

Then you get the issues of what were they using are each point over the last 150 years... I know a lot of the old thin ones seem to be of better steel than some of the modern thicker ones.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Let's just hope that the bedframe makers guild has very strict covenants regarding the alloy to be used in order to prevent the monsters that live under them from escaping.

 

This company made it real easy to find out, and it backs up the earlier statement about railroad rail. They are in Texas.

http://www.wsilverproducts.com . 

I have inquiries into a few other older manufacturers, so we'll see what they say in the next few days.

[ThomasPowers]

Hmm I'm located just outside of El Paso TX, I wonder what they do with the short end pieces...

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I figure they are casting billets, then rolling them out, so there wouldn't be any short ends. Now if you cruised on over there, and made some friends you may be able to score some short bits.

[Frosty]

I figure they are casting billets, then rolling them out, so there wouldn't be any short ends. Now if you cruised on over there, and made some friends you may be able to score some short bits.

​Nope, the slide show on the main page shows cut pieces of rail heating in the furnace for the rolling mill.

No wonder they're called bed RAILS. Cool, better steel than I thought.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Stephen Jones]

Stunning sword.

 

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Rolling old rail would be problematic in my view, as in how to get a rail shape into an angle. Just smooshing it would result in several  cold shuts. Are they splitting it? 

I like how they call it a fournace......

[ianinsa]

Looks fantastic!

[Charles R. Stevens]

Sheffield T posts are made of recycled (up around Tulsa, they make spikes as well) rail, the vidio i saw showed the rail head and the flange being split from the web (hot) and to  three different lines from there, one would think that the bed rails were handled in the same way. I snatch up bed frames all the time, dad hates the stuff as it tends to be hard to drill

[JPH]

I have mainly seen bedframes listed as similar to Cor-10.  Hmmmm, an email to a bedframe manufacturer may be in order.

Propane tank, as in the large bulk ones, or the BBQ size?

 

Great work as always Jim.

​The LPG tanks..the what 5 gallon (?) ones...cut them into strips and you are pretty much good to go..

 

On the frames..I get them as I seer them and then I do a hardening test on each one and go from there...I will say that overall the steel used in these seems toi be a bit "dirtier" than most steels..Ie, it scales a bit on the heavier end...

 

JPH