Let's put on our thinking caps!

peter nap

peter nap

Joined
Nov 27, 1999
Messages
3,745
I'm getting cheap. I want to build a new sword and I don't want to order steel. Any ideas on what to use that will work out to a 36"X1"X1/4 blade. I expect 1/2 inch rod will work but just can't think of what the junk yards will have 36 inches long. I would like 5160 or any of the 10 series.:confused:
 
A heavy coil spring would do but that's a lot of steel to straighten out. I'd look for some leaf spring. From older American vehicles the steel is very high grade and more than likely will be 5160. What ever steel you find you will have to play around with the heat treat before you get it right for that particular piece.

If I remember right 1/2 round stock generally forges out to around 1"x1/8" flat stock. I'm not sure that's what you had in mind for a sword or not.
 
Peter,

I forge bird and trout blades out of 1/2" 52100 rod and it wouldn't leave much for a sword, I would say go with 3/4" rod and you should be fine, will leave you enough excess to clean up your profile and still leave a little for final grind after heat treat. If you don't want to spend any $$$$ for steel, go junkin for some big leaf spring. Good luck :D

Bill
 
Truck sway Bar from the junk yard!
May cost as much as buying new steel though!
Admiral sells 1095 cheap, that would be my suggestion.
 
i am a stock removal maker so i can't say about forgeing steel. one thing i do know is that there is no cheap steel, because of the time i put into it. i want a knowen steel from a reputible supplier. no more mystery steels or stuff that has so much slag on it that i spend so much time cleaning it up that i i could have ground out two blades. for me there are no cheap belts or steel any more. ;)
 
If you want cheap steel, why not weld up enough Frontier damascus for the sword? Do it like they used to when they didn't have a larg enough piece of high carbon.:D
 
How about a piece of 1 1/4 cable. weld it and draw it down into th size you need for the blade. If yuou go to a rigging supply place with doughnuts at about coffe time you can get for free. At least I do.
 
Thanks everyone. I may wind up making a long piece of damascus but Roberts suggestion is good, That may be long enough. Laurence, I really like your ad, did Bruce help with that? It really isn't about cost Laurence. I just feel like scrounging. I do want to try to stay away from car/truck springs because of fatigue....hmmmm but a sway bar.;)
 
Peter...Go to a local machine shop and ask if they have any scraps of 1050 or any of the oil hardening steels that you like.They usually have all kinds of scrap like that or a small piece you can pick up inexpensively..Or see if you can find a spring shop localy,they will have scraps that haven't been stressed yet....
If you want to have some fun try stretching out a piece of hardenable steel to say 1/8 inch then san mai it with mild steel on the outside this way you have a very flexable sword with a hardenable cutting edge and it will be cheap to get the steel this way also.
The frontier Damascus would look cool and would be the cheapest way for the steel but it will take longer to forge.
The bandsaw blade and strapping Damascus would be the easiest and cheapest way to go,as you can get both at a scrap yard and you can just stack up about 10 or 20 pieces about a foot long and weld then stretch them and fold once then stretch to the length and have a low layer pattern that will cut good..
I tried to get to your imagestation pictures but can't.Send me a link to them and I will make you a banner and avator to..
Bruce
 
yep, bruce did the whole thing peter, i like it also, i tink bruce has some other talents than painting ladie's nails :D that is beside's knife making.
 
I'm not sure where Bruces talent stops Laurence. Well...tried the local machine shops, junk yards, saw shops and scrap metal yards. I got lots of knife length pieces but nothing as big as I need. Thurston Springs is the last stop before ordering another 20 feet. Thanks again everyone.
 
Thanks for the vote of confidence guys...:D
Donna says I can do anything I set my mind to.except take out the garbage when she asks:D :p :D
I just try things and sometimes they work and sometimes they don't..;)
Bruce
 
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