differential hardened sword

I'm not all that sure that most commercial sword companies even heat treat, much less a custom technique like zone tempering. First, you'll need a blade made from a shallow hardening alloy, and old truck springs don't qualify, neither does old ship hull. Get out the Big checkbook. There are makers that will fab to your spec, but they aren't cheap.

Charly

A sword like that done by sombody who knows what they are doing would only come from a custom maker and will cost you a thousand and up. For a a decently made and treated for $400 and up you can try these folks:

I'm pretty sure they make swords you can beat the crap out of without breaking and yes, they are heat treated. I doubt if the hardness is all that good at the edge though. For a sword you can figure there has to be a compromise.

GA

Well, i do have a sword hangging on my wall , a blacksmith i know forged the blade out of a old truck spring. I have asked i he could harden it, but he is too occupied making damascus knife blades, so no luck there...

Due too the fact that i live in norway, and blacksmiths that has knowledge of clay hardening are impossible to find, i do not know what too do.

And commercial hardening are way too expensive.

"Charly the Bastard" skrev i meld>

You think factory mass-production is too expensive, but you're looking for someone with the rare skills to do this, then you expect them to offer you a bargain price ? Have you _no_ respect ?

You don't deserve a sword. Learn to do it yourself.

I meant that moust factorys involved in hardening , use batches , or runs if you understand. And the one piece costumer are charged a hefty prize.

And it is wery hard too find people that has knowledge of clay hardening in norway.

I have great respect of blacksmiths. And no respect for flamers.

"Andy Dingley" skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Try this place out I have personally handled many of their swords and found them to be of good quality. Heat treated by hand and sharpened per buyers request.

Byron Witty Metroplex Woodcare Quality Fence Staining and Restoration (469) 438-3076 snipped-for-privacy@metroplexwoodcare.com

Talk to this guy. He knows his blades.

Seconded -- with emphasis. I know Tinker casually, and his blades wistfully.

I have personally handled one of his Viking-style (similar to his

2002-076Xa) that he differentially tempered. The sword was light in the hand and perfectly balanced -- for me at least. Its owner took a piece of 1/2-inch square mild steel and shaved nice, curly chips from it with no apparent harm to the sword's edge. (Still popped hairs)

I don't know just how Tinker did it, but that one was the only Viking-style sword I've seen with hammons. (sp?)

Don't get upset, truck spring makes an excellent sword, but 5160 (which is what most of the US rides on) is a deep-hardening steel, and doesn't really respond all that well to the clay mask treatment. The whole point of the mask is to slow the cooling of the areas under it during the quench. What you need is a plain carbon steel with at least .60 % carbon to start, and a water tank to quench it in. The mask is essentially casting slip used for poured ceramics, mixed up thick and painted on. The thicker the layer, the slower the cooling. We're talking fractions of a second here, but that's all it takes. Ideally, you end up with a full hard edge, transitioning into a spring hard core, so when you draw it you get a nearly full hard edge and a nearly normalised core. This gives you edge retention backed up by toughness against shock impact. I tried it a bit some years ago, it was more trouble than it was worth. When you add in the extra materials, the prep, the time; it pushed the vend price above what the market was willing to pay. And... it's a crapshoot. Heat treatment is a Dark Art still, and absolute repeatability is still just out of reach. Even with computers, most makers only guarantee to +/- 1 point of Rockwell, which is a 2 point tolerance. Get out the Big wallet; you get what you pay for. Fast, Good Cheap; choose two.

Charly

"John Husvar" skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@newsclstr01.news.prodigy.com...

Amacing! Id like too se a video clip of that...

It'd be worth the rental price! :)

I cringed when John touched it to that piece of steel, but the sword didn't seem to be the worse for it.

I don't think John would do that often, but he did it once. I watched. :)