Well, people have been asking me "have you ever made a sword??!", so I decided to try one, just to be able to say I have. Made out of scrap mild steel, just for a wallhanger, but i chopped some oranges withit . Also I have a question- what's a good method of making/attaching handleguards? I've just made out of steel and welded, but I've been wanting to try brass.

Julian:

Ok...it looks like a sword and at this point, that's doing pretty good for a first attempt...Not some "weird fantasy" piece that I see so many of for "first attempts". It is a straight forward "honest attempt" at a sword...

But tell ya what...make a few dozen knives first, single edged, double edged...small, large, mix them up...learn the basics of moving the metal, how it reacts...get to know edge geometry and distal tapers, thermal treatments.....if you need help..drop me a line...I'd be more than happy to help you out...

Now when you get to the point where you are comfortable in your skill level, and you are ready to make another sword, you are more than welcome to pop on up here and I will walk you through it one on one.

I do not make this offer to everyone but you have piqued my interest. An honest attempt like this shows promise...and so many folks nowadays, well..that's lacking...


JPH

Julian; may I commend to your attention "The Complete Bladesmith" by James Hrisoulas AKA JPH. It has a lot of information on how to do guards and grips for swords. You can ILL it at the local library; but once you look it over you will probably want your own copy.

(Note all the mounting details are pretty much the same for both stock removal and forged blades so this book is great no matter which way you got there)

Thomas

I have been tinkering around with practice knives, out of mild steel. I'm starting to get a better feel of what the steel likes to do; still got a long way to go before I can get the forging process of a knife down to more of a science. I also have lots more practice to do on handles, and many of the finer parts of blades. Trying a sword has given me a newfound respect for bladesmiths...it makes me think how much bladesmiths really put into their work, and how much I have to put into my future work.

Jim, thank you for such an offer; you are an amazing bladesmith, and it's a blessing to get firsthand knowledge from an expert. I'll take your advice; stick to knives, get comfortable with them, then take on bigger projects. Afterall, being a bladesmith has been a profession for many people; if it was easy, everyone would be a bladesmith!

Thanks guys,
Julian

Making a mild steel practice sword is not a bad idea, Julian. I am annoyed when people ask if you have ever made a sword. Cause then I have to explain how much work and experience it takes.