display/decorative sword

[thedirector93]

ok so i want to make a fantasy decorative sword, something that you would put up on a wall or shelf or something. i wondering since the sword is NOT going to be made for long hours of hard work, does it have to be made out of a high quality steel. i know everyone says the weldable steel from lowes sucks, but would it be ok to use it for a sword thats just going to be put up on a wall. i'm not sure if im gonna sell it or not, it depends on how much i like it and how much others like it. if i have time this week, i'll draw a picture of it and post it here

 

[Grayzer86]

Personally I feel that anything that is knife shaped or looks like a knife should be made from knife steel and heat treated, so that it can also perform like a knife. You may be fine with mild steel for your purpose, but I have found that a basic steel like 1084 isn't really much more expensive that mild steel, if at all.

 

[crimsonfalcon07]

The issue you're likely to run into is that, when you grind it down, it's going to take a set very easily. You need to have something you can harden at least a little, otherwise it will bend and be ruined merely by moving it around. Some 10 series carbon steel is quite affordable, all things considered, and will make a much better ending product, wall-hanger or not, than trying to cheap out at lowes, which honestly won't save you much money. Of course, that's assuming you can do your own HT. I don't, so I can't use the cheap steels for my swords, since most of the professional heat treaters won't do sword length blades in oil hardening steels.

 

[Hengelo_77]

+1
If it looks like a blade it should hold an edge.
(never know when zombies will show up!)

 

[savagesword]

Hi director93, I've made a few fantasy swords with 5160 and didn't have them heat treated. In it's annealed state, it is specified to be 25-35 RHC. I used .25" thickness stock and I can tell you it is plenty sturdy, sharp, and stable to swing around and cut things. It is every bit as lethal as the sword displayed next to it that is heat treated. Swords don't need a razor edge to be lethal. A narrow bevel with a blunt 1/32" edge will cut a melon in half...it's about mass and energy when the blade is being swung. (I believe there was a good demonstration of this in the documentary...Secrets of the Viking Sword). You can also check out your lawn mower blade...this thing can be very blunt and still cut grass because it's moving so fast.

I dealt with this question many times, and I don't want to discourage you from building your project.

I've done a little cutting with both untreated and treated 'conan' swords.... (cutting pine branches)...and they cut and swing the same. I have complete confidence that my untreated sword could cleave a zombie head just fine.

Historical style swords are much lighter (thinner) than the fantasy/hollywood designs....so the steel hardening would be much more beneficial.

I'll have to do some more tests with my swords... like a full destruction test to gain some more intimate knowledge. But, If you're not going to heat treat....i'd recommend 5160 spring steel and a good full tang construction.

If you do want to heat treat.... i use PacMet in Seattle for my swords. (I had a difficult time finding heat treating services for long blades ---over 24").

Good luck!