FNG making a sword and need some help.

G

Gary Short

Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Messages
34
I had this great Idea of making a sword with the tools I have been using to make my knives. ( Angle grinder, bench grinder, dremal tool) Just to see if I could do it. but I have run into a few snags... 1) a company that can heat treat S7 steel that is 36 1/2 inches long?... 2) a place I can order bone or horn that is longer then 5 1/2 inches long?... and 3) what is the best way to put a blood groove in the blade with out a milling machine?... 4) what would be the best material to use for the hilt and pommel? Any help is appreciated!
 
1) Seasholtz Metallurgy, north edge of Lancaster PA. The boss is good people, hunter, works with knifemakers.

2) Go to a meat processing plant, or a taxidermist. Or call Ed Fowler. He makes everything out of sheep horn.

3) If you have an angle grinder, you can put a blood groove on. Scribe your outline, get a 1/4" cutoff wheel, and throw some sparks!

4) Do you like silver or gold?
A) If silver, then stainless steel
B) Nickel silver
C) If gold, then brass
B) Or phosfour bronze
D) Cool alternatives might be damascus hilt and pommels, or some copper alloy
 
If it is a western sword, i.e. medieval type sword; the hilt is typically wood, covered in leather. The scabbard is also wood, covered in leather. Best wood for handle is yellow poplar. Name of the wood is misleading. It is not in the poplar family. It is tulip. Stainless is fine for pommel and guard. But most collectors of Western sword prefer mild steel, it imitates wrought iron better. Of course, if you have actual wrought iron, it is best. Caveat. I am not a sword or knife maker. I am a sword collector. I know what a sword supposed to look or feel like, but I have no idea how to make one. Do you know what Oakeshott Medieval Sword Typology will you be making?

For reference: http://www.oakeshott.org/Typo.html
 
Oh yeah, and if you want to be "proper" about it, it's a fuller, not a blood groove. It's purpose is to increase the mechanical strength of the blade, without adding weight.

S7 is a good choice for a sword blade, actually. I never though about it, but it's a great idea!

Don't use the dremel tool to grind in your fuller, you'll burn it up. I know, I did it.
 
"Don't use the dremel tool to grind in your fuller, you'll burn it up. I know, I did it." I was going to use the dremel to clean it up with.
 
Aargh! Pictures good!

So either an Oakeshott 13a (XIIIa) or an XVIIIb, depending on how you interpret the fuller.
 
Gary,

25+ inches is too short for Type X. Type X is sometime called a Norman sword, often average 30-33 inches in blade length. Why do you make the tang so long? A 36 inches stock is plenty for a Type X if the tang is shorter. However, if you want to go with 25+ inches, Type XVI is more appropriate. Valiant Armoury has a sword call a Bristol, a good example of a Type XVI. Google it for the stats. I am new to this forum and unsure about linking to a commercial site.
 
I made the tang longer for a two handed grip,and to help balance it out. it does weigh around 9-10 pounds. controlling that much weight with one hand effectively is not going to happen if its to blade heavy. I guess its more like type XX just with a full length fuller. I made the blade shorter to make it more manageable in close quarters.
 
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