Got a note from a lady that would like to hire me as  a smith. Her son is a High School senior this year and needs to make a sword for his senior project for English class,  I must say that English classes have changed a lot since I was in school.  

Here school  ends in early June and its near the end of February already  thats about 2 months to start a noob and get him to make a sword, talk about waiting until last minute, She must think Forged in Fire is real life. Could I do it?  > maybe< will I?   LOL

I sent a reply asking how long has he been making swords, how many has be made so far, and does she realise few people make a sword in their first few years of smithing ? Also I added it will usually take about 6 months to make a sword

I completely agree that FIF has given folks a very skewed understanding of bladesmithing.  Five days of grueling labor by an experienced smith, where they often fail in their plan, certainly does not equal a rank beginner accomplishing the same in a couple of months of part time effort.

Perhaps a suggestion that he make one from wood and paint it would make some sense.  With the lack of practical skills that are being accepted from most high schools these days I'd be astonished if he even knew how to work a table saw and belt sander.

Did she even give you an idea why he needed to make a sword for English class (theater prop, forging experience to write about...)?  The answer to that might lead to a more practical suggestion.

something about the school mascot is all she offered, Just got a reply from  my first,  she said he never made anything, so I added some information about the TV show and how they are experienced and had 40 hours to work,  To get that same 40 hours your teen son would be here 2 to 3  hours for a Saturday afternoon (which wears out most people new to smithing) 15 to 20 weekends, Add the fact that he is not a smith, so we have to back up to the beginning, and explained fire management and  moving metal need to be mastered first...  I added I am willing to teach him but dont expect any swords in the near future

Also mentioned aluminum and painting wood, as suggested

Even as a school mascot's prop, just the sight of a sword, even if it was made from paper, could set off a title wave of phone calls. Have her contact the teacher, school, and school board and get approval in writing for him to work on the project and then to bring the finished product to school to present it to the teacher.

 

I brought up the problem of weapons issues and mentioned Columbine and Florida, Honestly I think the 6 months is a conservative estimate  most likely will take longer.

Perhaps having him document the process wile you forge, heattreat, grind and furnish a sword, wile teaching him the basics of the versus processes. An eye opener for him and any one who sees the process as he documents it. 

I would love to spend another 30 afternoons in your shop, heck I wish I had the coin to have you finish the long sword you have on the shelf.

 

you are always welcome here Charles, and I wish I had the money to finish that sword now, I have the time this week... some day

FYI it was to be a 34 inch Viking type 12 broad sword,( over size on client request) was a custom order that cancelled after one month when he said his horse was  sick and needed the money for the vet, but in fact he found another smith to do it for $100 less. which prompted me to start charging a 10% deposit on all custom orders.   I happened to learn at another web site that a guy posted about a job for the exact same over size Type 12?  I called the other smith and let him know about my deal with the client, and he then decided he needed to charge him a very large deposit to protect himself.  Did he figure we all lived in a box and didnt know each other? surprise  LOL.

 

What’s your estimate on cost? I know finished price is way out of budget but perhaps we can pass the hat to at least get it furnished and finised

 

I can give it a simple grip for cheap, but figured since its so over sized may not sell, so make it a show piece and  inlay silver wire and 50 or so garnets for the grip

 

The request from the mother is ridiculous, but perhaps you can suggest that in that short period of time, you can teach him to make a miniature sword, a decorative piece as letter opener in mild steel, say 8 or 10" long with some sort of guard, purely decorative? it will still be a sword of sort, will not win any contest, but seems adequate for a school project for a novice that has never even used a hacksaw ... you can always add that the Katana will come next year

I also got a forward from the "Historic Ft Wayne" society that runs the "old fort" and forge there, seems they got a request form her also after I declined. so they contacted me about it.... oh well  nothing wrong with shopping for different answers, I am waiting for a post from the local smithing group too about it now.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/easter/preparing-for-easter-adventure-quests/how-to-make-a-cardboard-sword/

Steve,

The lady is determined to be the recipient of this year's Darwin award. It's a pity that she may sacrificing her son to acquire that honor for her family.

But I admire her drive and persistence.

SLAG.

Seems as I recall a long thread here on IFI about someone wanting/needing to make a sword for a school play and all the inherent dangers and liabilities attached thereto.......

at least the plan for this sword was to be behind glass as a display piece. At least until some kid breaks the glass to grab it

Wildlife some smart alec would put a “break glass Incase if school shooting” plaque on it..

Not sure why they just don't by some SLO from one of the numerous online sources.  If it only needs to be a wall hanger, something from a discounter like Kult of Athena would be greatly less expensive than even one week of lessons. 

However, it is great that this mother wants to give her son the blacksmith experience.  Perhaps it would be worthwhile just offering them a beginning smith intro class and try to see if he can make decent tapers.  After all, that is the foundation of sword smithing...  Who knows, maybe he will be a natural and you can hand him a 1" train coil spring and tell him to go to town.  After 3 hours of hammering to uncoil it and get the first inch or so tapered, he may have  a better understanding of what he has taken on.

1 hour ago, arkie said:

Seems as I recall a long thread here on IFI about someone wanting/needing to make a sword for a school play and all the inherent dangers and liabilities attached thereto.......

This one: 

 

Yes, that's the thread, thanks.

Just today someone asked me advice for their brother cause he was buying all the gear, forge, anvil, press, hammers and tongs make a damacus billet then forge a knife from the billet. All knowledge and experience based on FIF!

I just said learn how to forge first.

I wonder how many people are making hardened but untempered blades then breaking them cause they don’t show the tempering process on the show, correct me if I am mistaken but I have never seen it in any of the episodes. Not good tv just watching an oven!

just watching TV, how would they know how hot it needs to be for the hardening quench anyway? assuming they didnt get the "weldable steel" at a local box store.

On 2/20/2018 at 11:21 PM, Frozenforge said:

I wonder how many people are making hardened but untempered blades then breaking them cause they don’t show the tempering process on the show, correct me if I am mistaken but I have never seen it in any of the episodes. Not good tv just watching an oven!

The blades are tempered for two hours in a HT oven, although it's never shown the judges often talk about it specially when someone uses a torch to straighten the blade.

I usually offer a small piece of advice and see where that goes. I either continue talking or just I shutup and nod alot while waiting for their equipment to be up for sale after a couple months!