Work on Walloon sword and a few extra blades

This project is going to be a bit challenging as the hilt needs to have guard plates inserted. In order to do that, I will cut channels into the inside of the loop guards and then cut iron sheet to fit snugly. Once secured, they will be copper brazed for added strength. I am working on a hanger and rapier blade as well. Heat treating rapier blades is always a challenge as the long and narrow profile allows the blade to both bend and curve edgewise during a quench and that often means that the entire heat treatment will have to be repeated. The blades are also notoriously eager to snap or crack during the straightening steps that normally follows the heat treatment of large blades. A small trade secret for those attempting traditionally made complex hilts, shape the elements in such a way that when gripped by locked tongs, the parts to be welded are pressed together under tension. Before fluxing, use the first heat to press out any remaining gaps, reheat to welding heat and add flux while in the forge and then squeeze the parts together with the appropriate tongs and then take it out to gently hammer the join. At the starting phase the steel will move with a slightly squishy feel under the hammer and as soon as the steel starts resisting, the weld is solid.