Stainless for a sword

K

Kindyr

Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
60
I'm hoping you guys can help me out. I am needing to make a sword for my best friend as a giftcelebrating a special accomplishment.

I've had the discussion with her regarding the basics of what she'd like, and she's leaving the rest to me.(and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed right this minute)

The sword will end up as a wall hanger, but I'd like it to have some performance to it. Stainless is a must, since having to keep it polished/rust free is not practical for her.

Overall style will be that of a Langseax, abit under 3 feet total length, and I'm hoping to go full tang for the handle.

I have a decent understanding of 10XX series of steel types, but the stainless stuff confuses me. I know I have some wall hangers in 440, but don't know if that is the best choice.

Blade will be shaped via stock removal. Any heat treating will have to be sent out for.

Also, any recommendation on how thick the steel should be? Is 1/8" abnout right?

sorry for all the questions. This is a project that has been in my head for a while, but the need to get started on it has only recently come up.
And if anybody has a recommended vendor for such a steel, that would be great.

Thank you for any help you can provide

Kindyr
 
Just a few personal thoughts and opinions.
1/8" is much too thin, unless it is just a wall hanger.
For a "performance" sword, it should be properly made.
A wall hanger used for any "have a little performance" use will very likely harm somebody.
If you want an attractive sword,to keep costs down , and fair ease in making it, 440C would be OK. For more performance, CPM154 would be a good choice. Unless you are making a total USSO wall hanger (unhardened, sword shaped object), you will need to send it to a heat treater that is set up for 3-4 foot long blades.
Other tougher steels which aren't stainless, but would be good choices are:
S7
CPM M4
CPM3V

Of course, there is nothing wrong with swords made from 5160 or 1080. Properly finished and oiled, they will resist rust a long time.
One final note - Stainless steel will rust in the unhardened state. It may still rust in the hardened state if not cared for.

Stacy
 
I have several swords made of 1050 that are mirror polished. As long as no one touches the blade they stay clean; never had any rusting problems with them. Stainless is usually considered to be a poor choice for a sword length piece.

As far as thickness goes I have a 2" wide medieval blade that is 1/8" thick and it cuts fine but is perhaps a bit thin. For a langseax 3/16 would be my suggestion but don't go more than 1/4".

greg
 
Since it will end up as a wall hanger as you said I'd go with 440C Easy to work on and bring to a mirror finish and a lot cheaper than other stainless steels. You could go with ATS-34 or CPM154 if you are really looking for higher performance, but 440C is still a good blade steel and if it's really not going to do anything but hang on the wall why waste the money on something more expensive.
 
As a wall hanger you don't need much .440 A or B, 420HC will be fine .Even cold rolled 304 would probably work.
 
440C would be OK. For more performance, CPM154 would be a good choice.
Click to expand...

I'd go with 440C Easy to work on and bring to a mirror finish and a lot cheaper than other stainless steels. You could go with ATS-34 or CPM154 if you are really looking for higher performance,
Click to expand...

Guys, you've got my curiosity (and maybe my dander) up. Could you explain to me why the hell ATS or CPM 154 is gonna offer a hill of beans difference in performance for a sword? Any of them will suffer terribly from chipping issues if you want decent cutting edge geometry. Added wear resistance means nothing to a sword.
 
Possum,
I pointed out that a stainless sword would be not really a usable sword.
IF kindyr insists on using stainless, I cautioned him against anything but a wall hanger.
IF he still was hell bent on trying it out, I sugested CPM154 as at least a bit better than 440. ( And I agree, neither will make a sword suitable for cutting practise)

I wouldn't make it in stainless at all .....and I wouldn't use it ( even if it weren't stainless) if the maker wasn't somewhat accomplished in sword making. A flying blade can do some serious damage.

To restate my opinion,if it wasn't clear.....MAKE IT A WALL HANGER.

Stacy
 
bladsmth said:
Possum,
I pointed out that a stainless sword would be not really a usable sword.
IF kindyr insists on using stainless, I cautioned him against anything but a wall hanger.
IF he still was hell bent on trying it out, I sugested CPM154 as at least a bit better than 440. ( And I agree, neither will make a sword suitable for cutting practise)

I wouldn't make it in stainless at all .....and I wouldn't use it ( even if it weren't stainless) if the maker wasn't somewhat accomplished in sword making. A flying blade can do some serious damage.

To restate my opinion,if it wasn't clear.....MAKE IT A WALL HANGER.

Stacy
Click to expand...

That was exactly my thinking as well!
 
Thank you to everybody who responded. your advice has helped immensly.
It looks like I'll be going with 440C, probably from admiral, in 3/16.

And yes, the sword will be mostly a wall hanger. They may wear it occasionaly for certain events, but it will never need to be put to a true test of a sword.

Thank you again.
Kindyr
 
440c can be made fully functional in a safe way with proper edge thickness and heat treatment, but Ats-34 still is classified as "stainless" and has 3% less chromium in order for 3% higher of some other element which makes it tougher. So stainless swords can be fully functional and can be practical. Just because of something being made of some type of steel classified as stainless doesn't neccesary mean that its brittle.

Of course, a stainless sword can't be anywhere near as sharp as non-stanless swords, but they still can be sharp enough for decent cutting performance.
 
I guess that more modern steel like RWL 34 can do it, as they are plenty tough for the job and flexible too. To many swords made even in carbon steels which are hunking thick heavy and rigid even i they shall not be.

But off course price tag on such piece of this materiall is pretty fine.

Jaro
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top