Steel recommendation for flexible sword

Alain M-D

Alain M-D

Joined
Jan 20, 2002
Messages
237
I have a customer who want that I made for him a sword to
practise a Phillipines martial art (Pekiti Tirsia).
He looks for a sword for real use (nor for display) and who can
be folded at 90 degrees and more and who return straight after.
(flex is more important for him than edge holding, but edge holding,
impact strength and edge toughness are realy important also)

I have some ideas on which steel to use but I would like to have
your opinion and suggestions! What about L6, A2, 5160, CPM3V or maybe
cpm-s30v (It is rather flexible ?)

And which rockwell hardness is the best for this kind of project ?

Thanks for your help !

Alian M-D
 
5160 is a spring steel.Properly tempered it will flex unbelievably,with good edge retention.Harden at 1525 degrees in warm oil.temper to the degree of flex desired.A test with a plain bar of 5160 would be advisable.Here are the specs.400 degree temper=RC59;500=57;600=54;700=52;800=49.If you austemper go to 1550 and quench in 600 degree salt pot for 1 hour,then air cool.
I personaly would go to a lower rockwell and have more flex,probably 600 temper.
 
Uh Oh , mete is reading this post.

I second the 5160. The one I'm working on now is 5160 and flex is what I'm after also.
 
There are some recent comments by Kevin Cashen on www.swordforum.com explaining the differences between flexibility , strength and toughness. Check that out so you can understand the definitions..Flexibility is a function of blade thickness. Of the steels mentioned 5160 and L-6 would work fine.
 
What Mete said......... Howard Clark is making probably the toughest swords on the planet and he is using L6. Order one of his videos, it's pretty interesting.

Don Hanson lll
 
Alian and all,
I have been pondering on the same problem for some time. As I've boared this group on endlessly with spific questions on my intrests in making swords for theatre use. In that use they must survive stricking togather many times. I've used 316C stainless (nicks up leaving lots of sharp gouges) 5160 (never been able to harden longer lengths properly) and mild steel (nicking problems and stays bent).

One suggestion I've been given is to use 4140. It will permit lots of shearing abuse for pratice but I'm guessing that the edge holding won't be very good. Not a problem for me but may not be what your customer wants.

You may wind up making 2 swords. One for pratice and another for use.

I've been meaning to try 7000 series aluminum. It is said that it will ring when struck like steel and take a lots of abuse but as yet can't find a source of flat stock. If anyone knows how to locate 1/4 X 1" stock please let me know. When I last found a source the price was $150. for 2 36" length!

Just my thoughts,
Lynn
 
As mete, has already mentioned, if you want it to "flex", pick any steel you like and heat treat it any way you want, just grind it thin ;) . If you want a steel that is "tough", pick your steel more carefully, and heat treat it to acheive the ductility that you desire.

It should be noted that most really good springs don't bend, they eventually reach a breaking point, or are fatigued enough, that they snap. Soft steel won't make good springs at all, they will flex but will have a lower yield point, the reason we temper them back is to avoid really catastrophic failures. Look on your truck, heavy load springs are simply thicker or have more leafs.
 
Is your friend wanting something similer to wushu(sp?) steel? It's what the kung-fu swords are made from that flop all over when they do the weapon demo forms.
 
You have several choices. 5160 or 5160 or 5160.
If you just have to be different, use 5160.

Lynn, I use 4140 to make rifle parts (the parts that take a pounding on falling blocks like the block and shoulders) so I always have scrap. I've tried it for knife blades and it does not get hard enough to really qualify as a candidate for knife steel by conventional wisdom....however..

as I've said before, there is more to a knife blade than the Rockwell scale. I've found it very easy to sharpen (not surprising), takes a razor edge and strangely enough, holds it fairly well.

I don't think it is as forgiving as 5160 though so I'd still stick with the king for the sword.
 
Flexibility is a function of blade thickness. Of the steels mentioned 5160 and L-6 would work fine.
Click to expand...

OK, I did not use the wright words... It is not really flexibility that I need,
it is more as sword that I can bend it in half and it springs back to true.
(with a good edge toughness) I know that many steel can make this, but I dont know the good and bad point of each...

Immediately I thought to 5160, but my customer already possesses a 5160 sword and he wants a other steel... Thus, I think that I have to choose into L-6, A2, CMP-3V and CPM-S30V (or other ?)

And which rockwell hardness is the best to make a good "spring" sword" But which is able to keep a good edge also ? :confused:

Thanks for your help !

Alain
 
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