Advice on making a blade sword or knife.

J

johnggrg

Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Messages
157
Hi everyone this is my second post here as I only just found this forum yesterday. I have a few questions. I have made couple blades before one knife and one sword. Both of which I used only files to make. Knife was not so good sword was alot better. Still have not finished the sword needs a suba or handguard can't figure out what to use for it. But down to the question I have. I have 3 blanks of a high carbon steel for future projects. 2 are 19 7/8 by 1 1/2 the other is 39 3/4 by 1 1/2 and all are 1/4 inch thick. I was thinking of making either a double sided knife or sword with the metal. Now I only have files and a hand grinder. Do you think it would be to hard to make the two sided blade on either a knife or sword with the tools I have? I just want the center line to stay straight all the way down the blade. I don't think using a file on my other projects was to hard at all. I kind of liked it. But I want my next project to turn out really nice. Any advice you can give me any advise on this? It would be greatly apreciated. Thank you. John
 
I know my self and my abilities, I don't know you or yours....

I wouldn't have any problem with the idea of doing a double sided blade with just a file (in fact I may prefer it)

you may have more trouble


Are you planning to forge the blade to shape?
if so, how good is your hammer control?
 
Thank you for the reply. I was going to file it to shape. No forge and never used one. I just thought someone may have some advice on doing this by material removal only. Like I said I have done a couple other projects like this but not a two sided blade first time for this. If I were using a hammer I am a carpenter by traid. But this will only be done with a file. So any pointers you can give me would help. I would have no problem if it were a single sided blade but never tried a double edge blade before. Please let me know. thank you. John
 
Well if everything else has turned out well so far then give it a shot. I filed and sanded my first dagger. I don't know if I'd try a double edged blade for my 3rd project, but if that's what you want to do go for it. There is a sticky up top with plenty of info, and filling out your profile can help, you may be close to someone here.
 
Doing a two-edge knife is somewhat more difficult than doing two one-edge knives. :)

Patience, patience, patience, that's the real key. It takes FOREVER to get everything symmetrical all four directions (front, back, left, and right).
 
Thanks for the replies. Maybe I will hold off on the two sided blade and do a regular blade for now. Anyone have a good design I could use on the piece I have? I'ts 19 7/8 long and 1 1/2 wide and a 1/4 of an inch thick bar of high carbon steal. Been trying to think something up for this piece but not sure. I have 2 pieces the same size so I will have an extra. Any thoughts? John
 
I have actually made a sword under similar circumstances. Except, all I had was a cheap angle grinder and a piece of steel I bought at the store where I work. (Don't ask me, I still don't know what the steel alloy is.) Anyways, I got bored one day, sitting in my one room college apartment and decided to make something. So, I made the sword. I just wish I could have heat treated it better. My advice, you never know untill you try. So go for it, have fun and take your time.
Saber_by_angusman219.jpg
 
Nice little sword good work. I am going to try to show a couple pictures of mine but can't seem to get the lighting right so here goes. Ok I can't figure it out it ask's for a url? How can I add these from my computer? john:barf:
 
johnggrg said:
Nice little sword good work. I am going to try to show a couple pictures of mine but can't seem to get the lighting right so here goes. Ok I can't figure it out it ask's for a url? How can I add these from my computer? john:barf:
Click to expand...

To add straight from your computer, you'd need a paying membership. Go here instead: www.deviantart.com You can upload for free and paste those images on your posts here by right clicking on the image, selecting the properties menu, and highlighting the url and copying that. Then just paste it into the url bar when you insert an image.

Also, at deviantart, you can see the results of other amatuer swordsmiths to get more ideas, advice and other info. I even managed to sell several of my knives on there so its a good place.
 
John when you go to your album run your curser over you picture it will drop down a menu at the bottom copy the bottom link and paste it into your post here.

Bob
 
This sword here was my first and used a grinder to shape the blade. Messed up on it by the handle area and ended up welding two pieces of bar stock on it to cover were the blade edge had been grinded to much. Didn't help to hide it so much as make it stronger there. Looks weird but I didn't want to throw it out and start over and waist it. So I used it as a learning tool. Learned by trial and error what to do and not to do to sand the blade and make it look better. Then tried my hand at making a handle and sheath from oak. Then tried my hand at carving the handle and sheath not done with it yet needs a handguard or tsuba. But it has served good as something to practise on. Would like to finish one day but no idea as to how and make the handguard for it and look good. After the mistake with the grinder i wasn't going to do anything with it at all but finished the blade out with a file. Took for ever but it was fun. Thought I would share. John
 
Welcome to the forums John.

I think most are being polite and just looking and not commenting. Since you are asking for advise , and seem to really want it, I will comment.

You seem eager to make something really spectacular, but haven't done any studying or learning of how to do it. The woodworking you did looks fine, but the choice of wood is wrong. The blade work has so many problems there is no one point to start with. And it is a Tsuba (guard) you want to make.

I suggest that you get a book on making knives and read it cover to cover several times. Read all the stickies at the top of this forum to find out about the proper metals to use, stock reduction ( grinding/sanding), heat treatment, blade geometry, etc. Do some Google searches on knife making tutorials and read them.

Then find a local maker in your area ( there are several nearby). After an introduction, they may invite you to come over and give you a few starter lessons and hands on advise. There are hammer-ins at various times of the year. Find out when one is in your part of the country and attend one if at all possible. It will be invaluable.

Start simple, and build up to making a sword. A small drop point hunter knife is a good first project.

Stacy
 
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