Sword making

[Joy]

Does anyone know of a good website that explains the process of sword-making? I am at that point in my story.

[Veritas]

Do you mean a REAL sword?
Oh well, here's a website I found web page (http://www.jelldragon.com/wtech.htm) I hope you can use it.

[Joy]

Thank you again Veritas. I found that helpful, though I do need more info. I am writing a fan-fic and one character forges the sword that he saw in a vision.

[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

Hey, Joy. How about this? Sword making web site (http://user.netonecom.net/~swordman/SwordMaking/SwordMaking.htm) It seems a bit scattered, but the man is enthusiastic and does sound like he knows what he's doing. I'll past this link in the Lessons on Swordsmanship thread as well.

-Maril

[Auriel Haevasawen]

Hmm, here goes. Do you want a steel or a bronze sword?
Bronze swords are cast in stone moulds (hence sword in the stone idea)and then sharpened up.
Steel or in those days iron blades where a different kettle of fish. You start out with a layers of metal in different directions like downwards and then across, then heat together, sandwiching them as a bar. This bar is then beaten to a very thin blade. Oh bother this would be so much easier with diagrams. You also need a forge, an anvil, hammer and blacksmith/swordsmith. The blade is made separate to the hilt which is rivetted on afterwards. The blade itself is then ground to a v.sharp edge but that bits obvious, in fact forget my attempts to describe this, I know exactly what I mean (I've even had a go) but I can't describe in adaquately. You'll be better off asking at one of those web sites already mentioned. Sorry, this is useless to you. I could lend you my broadsword or gallus perhaps. I watched my broadsword being made. I can't actually lift it because I am a particularly weedy girl. The gallus is not really any use in Middle Earth unless you're also a 'Gladiator' fan. I really am rambling aren't I? I'll try and find some better information for you. Sorry.

[The Fifth]

Making a real sword? Wow. So many things to do with swords... scratching your back with them and fending off siblings, etc., etc.

[NyteSky]

Wow. Where'd you get a sword like that? If it's that heavy than it's more than just a decorative one, right? I'm jealous. smilies/wink.gif
Do they cost a ton? I'd love to get one.

[Joy]

Hey, guess what!!!!

I went to the American Bladesmith Socity web site and I found someone in my own city that is a master bladesmith.

The weird thing is that there is less than 1,000 people in my community! - And he lives on the same street as me! WOW! I have lived here - on this street - for almost 23 yrs and didn't know this guy. He became a master in 94!

I am just amazed. I'm going to call him tommorow and see if he will walk me through the process.

[Auriel Haevasawen]

Nytesky, I'm not sure if it was me you were talking to about the cost of the sword etc. Yes it is suitable for fighting but I only have it for decorative purposes. I have friends who dress up as Vikings and fight with real swords and stuff but I am rather slightly built and can hardly lift her, nevermind swing her at my enemies. As for price she cost me £100 when I was 16 and I'm now 30 so who knows what she's worth now. Sorry I've noticed I've slid from it to she, I do that often, whoops. She's called Silencia. She lives at my mothers house because I have friends here in the city who have swords and stuff on their walls and I don't want to be accused of copying them when theirs are decorative and mine is the genuine orc killing article. Sorry I am rambling, just in case you've not come accross me on this site before I am famous for it. I got it because I quite liked the film 'Highlander'. That's embarressing isn't it? The blacksmith who made it is stll working near Bamburgh in Northumberland, England but he doesn't do technology and looks like King Arthur (if you can imagine that). Bother rambling again, swords, saxons and food are my three favourite topics after LOTR (oh and sewing!) so I don't half go on. Sorry, I'm leaving now I promise.

[NyteSky]

Wow. Quite a reply. smilies/wink.gif
Most swords nowadays seem to be more expensive than that, or purely decorative. I think looking online will be my best chance at finding one.
So how much does it weigh? I'm a "rather slightly built" guy myself, but since I'm an elf it's not a problem.
How long is it? What's it made of? What kind of sword is it? (Sorry, I'm overly curious, just consider it the perfect opportunity to ramble)
Off subject, who exactly were the saxons? (it's embarressing to ask but I can never remember)
Don't bother answering anything if you don't want to, (it's impossible to satisfy curiosity anyhow) and thanks for your previous one.

[Pips]

Actually, it really depends on the sword you're making. Take a samuri sword, a MASTER samuri sword, that's a good strong made sword, is folded over 2000 times.

[Gimli Son Of Gloin]

Here's a half good site
Here (http://members.tripod.com/wtimmins/lore/swords.html)

[Auriel Haevasawen]

No no Nytesky, don't encourage me. Sorry I've no idea how much it weighs, I just know it takes almost all my strenght to haul it off the floor. It's a iron/steel sword (ie if it was completely original it would have been of iron construction but it is modern so made of steel). It is a traditional English Broadsword circa 1450 so completely out of step with all the historical stuff I'm into. I also tried some armour on from 1485 a couple of months back and nearly got squashed, never again, chain mail is soooo heavy! To use a broadsword you swing the massive thing round your head and cleave the skulls of your enemies apart with it. (It was Richard III favourite weapon - sorry that was industrial strength boring) As for the Saxons, phew where do I start, this is one of my favourite subjects because I'm of Saxon descent! (My real surname is Saxon)O.K., potted history. The Saxons are tribes from Germany who moved into the British isles when the Romans left. You could consider it an invasion but largely they just moved in peacefully where ever there was land spare.(This is circa 410AD) They stayed and never left, their culture being very 'middle earthish' using runes like the dwarves etc. They were repeatedly attacked by Vikings from Scandinavia and were eventually destroyed by William the Conqueror who came over from Normandy in France in 1066 and splattered them. Oh, goodness I've just seen how long this reply is! Gosh I'm so sorry. I really do go on. So so sorry, I'm gone.

[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

Joy - you must post what you learn from the master swordsmith. I insist! smilies/smile.gif

-Maril

[NyteSky]

Sigh. I want one! I'll have to keep my eyes open for one I guess.
Ah. I didn't know most of that about Saxons. I wonder if I have any Saxon ancestors. I'm German, Irish and a tiny bit Welsh so sounds like I could be.
Sounds like what you need now is some elvish armor. Strong and light.
Anyhow, thanks again for all the info.

[Joy]

Spoke to his wife, he is out of town till the weekend. He is at a show.

But she said that he would be glad to help me, even show me how it's done.

[Lostgaeriel]

Hey, Joy! I look forward to reading what you learn from the master swordsmith. Maybe you could ask him how the shards of Narsil could be reforged into Andúril? smilies/rolleyes.gif

To me it makes no sense. A totally new blade on Narsil's hilt, yes, but patching together a broken blade, no. You certainly couldn't melt it down to reuse it - the edges would be of hard steel while the centre would be Damascus steel - it would become a single steel alloy of the wrong composition for either centre or edge.

[ May 29, 2002: Message edited by: Lostgaeriel ]

[Joy]

Actually, I am planning on asking him that very question! I have been wondering about that, but didn't think of compostition of the steel being a problem.

[Lostgaeriel]

SUPER! (I did a search on the Barrow Downs for this info, but did not find any discussion of the re-forging.)

[Auriel Haevasawen]

No problem Nytesky.

[Baran]

Thjis is a VERY good article about swordmaking, where they show every step in the making of a sword with pictures and everithing you could ever need. How to make a sword (http://www.howstuffworks.com/category.htm?cat=Weapons)