Re: swords and temperment

[1paw]

Greetings. I'm really not up to speed on temperment of steel, who Rockwell is

, or what his funny little numbers mean. Could someone out there educate me? I'm pondering getting another sword, and I'd like to get the most "functional" blade I can. For instance, how hard is a sword blade made of420j2 stainless steel? Will it stand up to much abuse and still hold an edge? There was a different blade I was looking at. Dont know what kind of steel, but it says Rockwell C:56-58. So which is better? Whats the optimum temperment for a sword blade?
Sign me dazed and confused

01paw

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"The only reason a warrior is alive is to fight, and the only reason a warrior fights is to win. Otherwise, why be a warrior? It is easier to count beads."-Miyamoto Musashi

 

[tallwingedgoat]

It would help if we know what kind of sword you are looking for, and what do you expect it to do. A Japanese style sword and a European broadsword are very different animals that need different criterias to evaluate. But you can read swordforums.com for their excellent articles.

Never ever get stainless steel for swords. Unless you just want a wall hanger. Stainless steel is not strong enough as sword material. And 420J2 swords are strictly wall hangers with no martial arts value. In fact, they're downright dangerous.

The trick of making a good sword is how to make it super strong while at the same time keeping it light and well balanced. With knives you can just get a thicker blade, it's not an option here. If you're looking for a performance sword, it has to be light, less than 2.5 lbs prefered. It should feel fast and agile to even the uninitiated swordsman. It must be able to flex and return to true. And the blade must not flex when you swing it.

Regarding Rockwell, it is a measurement of hardness. Some swords are differentially hardened (soft spine hard edge). But for a thorough hardened sword, it needs to be between 50-55 HRc, with carbon level be between .5 to .75%. 5160 steel for example is a good steel. Any harder than RHc 55 and it's getting too brittle. Softer than 50 will cause the edge to get flattened when you strike a target.



[This message has been edited by tallwingedgoat (edited 24 November 1999).]

 

[Snickersnee]

I second most everything the illustrious Mr. Goat has said.

I would add that katana's are traditionaly differentialy tempered; actualy from everything I've seen they aren't tempered at all. Instead they have a hardened edge and soft spine.

A Western longsword or shortsword(longsword being the term for a sword that's bigger than a bastard sword but smaller than a true two hander, but is made to accomedate both hands, short sword is the traditional "broadsword" that is made to be held in only one hand) is tempered and should be at about what Mr. Goat reccomends.

Then there are scads of weapons that aren't made in the traditional fashion, so that changes things. But, most of those aren't servicably weapons anyway.