Cut out sword blank

Sam Salvati

Sam Salvati

Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
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Got this big beast cut out from 5160 yesterday, I cut the blank in a way so that I could use all the cutoffs for smaller knives, kiridashis and stuff, I hate wasting stock. From this point I will forge in the bevels and taper and all that, instead of grinding them in. I don't do this too often as I like to forge down from the parent size flat bar, but I was splitting the barstock anyway for knife size peices and figured i'd cut one of these out, as well as a few Freiderick's crosses from the RR spikes. I'll update this thread when I get forging the blade all over and done with, gotta get that drum forge ready so I can actually heat treat and finish some of these monsters:D.

WHoever said that 10 minutes in the forge saves an hour on the grinder, missed the rest that 10 minutes on a bandsaw will save 3 hours in the forge LOL:D. ANd nope those are not doll's boots and this isn't a mini Stacy:D.
 
Sam what kind of cross section is it gonna have when all is said and done? Is there gonna be a fuller down the middle where the white line is? Just curious. -Matt-
 
Maybe a fuller on this one, I have to make a fullering jig/spring tool though, if i get a chance soon then I will put a fuller, if not it will be diamond cross section. the white line was originally just for layout purposes, but I guess if I do put a fuller in I could chisel cut a small guide channel to follow using that line. Here is some more pictures.

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Thanks Matt! Looking at it, I keep debating wether to risk it (not too good at grinding yet) by just doing the whole thing with stock removal, or to forge it.
 
Well Sam, if it were me, I'd forge it. The reason being, from the picture it looks a bit too thin (narrow) to be stock removal only. If I were to grind a sword, I'd leave a little more "meat" on it, otherwise it might get a bit too narrow at the tip. Of course I can't really tell from the pics and I'm for sure no expert! :D Good luck, no matter which way you take it! -Matt-
 
That is why I was leaning more towards forging also, you are right the tip is a bit to thin to just grind in, unless I was going for a thrusting sword. WIth forging the tip will widen, as will the rest of the profile. I am gonna try cutting some more profiles, and maybe perhaps break down and try a purely stock removal sword. Thanks!
 
Here's some stats Matt:
42 5/8" overall
4" ricasso
31 1/4" blade
8 inch exactly tang
at the ricasso the blade is 1 3/4 inches wide, rapering down to 11/16" wide before turning into the tip

Remember to keep in mind that all these stats will change, except for the tang length and ricasso length, I still have a good bit of forging to go on the blade, but have already drawn out the tang.
 
I tried doing a stock removal rapier once before I picked up a the hammer, it still rests where I left it the week before I picked up the hammer. At some point I might forge it into 3 daggers

-Page
 
Wow Sam! That thing is gonna be a beast when you finish it! :eek:

I'd like to try to forge a sword sometime, but I just don't have the time to forge anymore. I'm probably gonna sell my forge, anvil, anvil stand, tongs and hammers sometime soon. :( I can do stock removal when time allows though, and I can always forge again in the future, should I have the time to make it a worthwhile endeavor. Although I may go with a coal forge next time, since I may be outside the city by then! ;) -Matt-
 
Nice Sam, I'd forge also if only for the distal taper issues. Otherwise I believe a number of 14-15th century bastard swords had that stiff narrow profile with a diamond cross section. It will be interesting to see it finished. The drum forge will help immensely in the heat treating but be aware that European style swords get quite floppy at heat treating temperatures when held horizontally. A friend of mine turned his drum forge vertically to help combat this problem. A stiffer sword like you are working on even with the increased length might not be as bad as the Viking Age stuff he was doing. Have you thought about tempering issues?
 
Horizontal with a sword blade is asking for troubleThe viking sword I'm working on now wants to droop, but that's not such an issue right now When it comes time for heat treat I will build a vertical and a vertical quench tank

-page
 
Matt that sucks!! On the upside you will be in the country though, hang onto your stuff and put it in storage atleast, remember how hard it was to acquire! Guy, yeah I probably will be running it vertically to cut down on the flop effect:D, I have a vertical quench tank also. I am probably gonna just forge the whole thing, i need more grinder time to get comfortable and confident. Tempering will be no problem. I wish I had some time to make up a fuller spring tool, and get some practice in, we'll see.
 
Cant wait to see the finished product, Sam! As soon as i get back into town, i am going to put all my time into a katana . . . . I'll join the sword forgin' wagon.
 
COOL Mike! GOOD LUCK, it is not like forging anything else, a very special, fun, inspiring, and very challenging process. Get some photos!
 
I agree with Sam. Forging a sword is not just forging a big knife. It is a unique and rewarding process. Some strange things can happen while forging a long bar of steel. I really like to take a 12" piece of thick stock and draw out a sword. It hones a lot of hammer skills.
Stacy
 
:thumbup: Stacy. I got some 7/8s or thereabouts W1 from Aldo I want to work into a long blade, maybe a nice katana, maybe a western broadsword, not sure.
 
Got a one hander euro, and a tactical katana blade cut out today from the 5160 barstock. the one I posted was a wee long for what I was looking to make, i'll still continue working on it, but I wanted to do a one hander also. The tactical katana is sort of in the style of Wally Hayes', with the integral habaki and stuff.
The tactical katana
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The tang and integral habaki
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the single hander
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Tangs and tips still need to be forged in, as I said I cut to save material. I hope to break this little trend of cutting out blades' profiles instead of forging them, but it sure makes things easier to control, and make for an interesting starting point as well as being able to focus on the finished product instead of getting the process of just shaping the blade blank down. I still prefer forging from the parent size barstock though.
 
Make at least small radius at the transition from blade to tang, it breaks right there otherwise.

J.
 
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