Latest sword featuring engraving and copper inlay

A sword in 11th century style.

Filework on the cross. In this case the cross was forged fron a piece of medium carbon steel.

Firmly setting the fittings in a pitch-bowl for the engraving and inlay work.

Channels for the wire inay cut into the pommel. Now to insert the copper wire.

Work cleaned up with some light filing and artificial water-stone.

The hollow for the brass plate is carved into the steel cross and undercut.

Inlay and engraving done.

Forging hammers

The 45mm diameter piece of axle is slit from both sides so that the holes meet in the middle. The key to not getting the slitting chisel stuck is to keep changing the angle upon each strike, thereby creating a hole slightly larger than the chisel itself. Also, cool the chisel after about three strikes and roll the wet chisel in ash to form a powdery lubricant.

The slit should be longer than the diameter of the drift used to define the form of the eye.

The latest set.

For this project the forge was run on anthracite, useful for heavy forging. The side-blown design prevents clogging that is a bit of a headache in the more conventional bottom blown forge. An extra brick wall was put up to retain the heat better.

Longsword pictures

This sword is quite nimble in the hand due to the hollow ground blade. It tracks well in both onehanded and twohanded use. Now to pack it for shipping.

The last phases in the making of the German longsword.

The guard is fitted snugly and peened up agaist the tang to secure it permanently. The pommel is also fitted and peened over a pommel nut.

The beech grip core is carved to fit the tang and planed to final shape before being glued into place.

The wooden grip core is wrapped in cord and the leather risers glued in place.

A few grams of hide glue is prepared to an exact ratio of glue to water and applied to the cord wrapped grip before a piece of leather is pinned into place for a test fit before being cut to the exact shape and size needed.

The leather is then thinned, the four edges skived very thin, dampened to soften it, and then glued into place. The grip is then wound with cord to press the leather down while it dries for a snug fit. Working with hide glue does call for meticulous planning ahead as it gels rather rapidly in cold and damp weather and if you overheat it, it weakens. In the end, here is the sword.

A glimpse into the past

Here is a link to a rather inspirational interview. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpeyhC-UIFg
Albert Craven offers us a glimpse into the world of the Sheffield bladesmith before mechanisation took over.

Raw steel

Running a bit low on good quality raw steel bloom.  While it's Summer I'll have to smelt a fresh batch within the next two weeks.  These are the last remaining bits, probably enough for an Iron age piled construction dagger blade.  That or a traditional nGuni spear.   

 

Complex hilted longsword

Here is the longsword in progress.  The blade is hollow ground and 10mm thick at the base.  Nothing about this project is simple to polish. 

 

Here can be seen how far a bar of steel can be stretched during forging.  The blank is identical to the one from which the blade was forged.