Don Abbott Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 In addition to several obvious talents, you, sir, are a fine forge-welder. You also have excellent taste in banjo pickers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor J. Myers-Norton Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 How long did this all take? It seems to be going really fast! Awesome work, keep it coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben A. Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 Don: Thanks for the kind words. Yeah, my wife is leaning to pick the banjo, and there's no better beginning book than Ole Earl! Connor: I started in early February, and I finished the sword June 8th. I'm just slow with the posting. There are a lot of pictures to go through! -Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Mercier Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I feel a little bit better then =D I started a pattern welded viking sword a year ago and I've yet to put the handle on the finished blade >_< I thought you were being a total wizard and getting it done in like 2 days =D --- Justin "Tharkis" Mercier www.tharkis.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dougherty Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I know there have been several discussions on tip welding techniques, but I'd like to hear how you did yours. It sounds like you hammered the tip down into a swage block of some sort. can you tell us more? -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben A. Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 (edited) Brian, My swage block is shown below. I found the depression on the outer rim that matched the tip curve best (looking for it to be just a hair tight). I think it was the second curve up, from the bottom left hand side in th picture. I stood the block on edge, on the floor, so I could hammer the sword down into the depression. I did one weld heat straight down, brushed, fluxed, then the next weld heat, I hit while rocking the sword in the slicing plane, back and forth. The next weld heat was at the anvil, starting with upsetting blows, and coming back toward the tang, flipping often to keep everything equal from one side to the other. then I worked my way slowly all the way back to the tang, with a lot of fluxing, cleaning, and heating. I hope that makes sense, feel free to ask for clarification on anything I might have explained too quickly. Edited June 17, 2016 by Ben A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben A. Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 (edited) Here are the roughed in wrought iron hilt pieces on the quenched and tempered sword blade. The string wrapped handle is just temporary, so I can hold the sword and do some test swinging. It will eventually be replaced with a leather wrapped wood core handle. The blade needs lots of finishing work, and more etching but, for now, I'm going to move on to the hilt parts. Edited June 17, 2016 by Ben A. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben A. Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 (edited) I start by engraving the channels in the upper guard that will hold the twisted copper and silver wire overlay: Edited June 17, 2016 by Ben A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dougherty Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 OMG, now he is moving into silver wire inlays! My nerdgasms may never stop Thanks for the tip weld description. 1 -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor J. Myers-Norton Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Sir, I suggest you upload a good picture of yourself, because I see a flaming beard in your future. If not at the conclusion of this thread possibly soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben A. Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 (edited) Here are the first twisted wires being inlaid in the grooves. This is the first time I have done this, so I learned as I went. The thing I messed up here is the alignment of the twists. If you look closely at wires 6&7, and 8&9 from the left, you'll notice that the chevrons aren't exactly lined up. Seems a small thing here, but it shows up pretty starkly later... Edited June 17, 2016 by Ben A. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Yep, I'll get the fire going soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben A. Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 (edited) Here's the first side fully inlaid, and planished to make the overlay, and the pommel shaped and fitted (you can see some horizontal black lines from the slag inclusions in the wrought iron). About the middle of the upper guard, you can see where two of the wires didn't match up very well. It's more noticeable than I thought it would be. Lesson learned. Edited June 17, 2016 by Ben A. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben A. Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 Next comes the engraving of the pommel. about 3-4 hours of mind numbing engraving, graver sharpening, engraving, etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alveprins Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 Now I want to make a sword too! I will restrain myself - and go for a long seax instead... Keep it up! Very informative to see your work method as well! Excellent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Detrick Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 Holy crap, this got super awesome really quickly! This is awesome work! 1 “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer." -Albert Camus http://www.krakenforge.net/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 Are you undercutting the grooves, or relying on the planishing to lock the wires in place? This is a form of inlay I have yet to attempt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdsmith02115 Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 What a great build! Thanks for documenting your work. I'm learning some cool things from you here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben A. Posted June 18, 2016 Author Share Posted June 18, 2016 Thank you all for your kind words! Alan: Yes, I tried to shortcut it but found that, if you don't undercut the groove, the wire just pops out. I think this is especially true when your wire does not fully fill the groove (there has to be enough left to spread on the surface for the overlay). I use a square graver for the channels,then a knife graver for the undercuts (although I think an onglette would work, and last longer between sharpenings). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben A. Posted June 18, 2016 Author Share Posted June 18, 2016 Here's a view of the inlay being set into the pommel. I quickly learned that you have to start on one edge, then hammer the wires all the way over to the other side. If you set both sides and work to the middle, the wire stretches, and pops out of the middle! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 Thank you sir, that's what I thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua States Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 Holy Jamole! I stay away from the forum for a couple of days and this happens. Great work Ben. I am lovin' this build. “So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.” The only bad experience is the one from which you learn nothing. Josh http://www.dosgatosdesignsllc.com/#! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg J.States Bladesmith | Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71 https://www.etsy.com/shop/JStatesBladesmith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Colwell Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 damn, this is one fine effort. thanks for sharing so much about the pommel, guard, etc. I am so intimidated by this sort of carving/engraving. What sort of graver/chisel are you using? really sweet stuff! please visit my website http://www.professorsforge.com/ “Years ago I recognized my kinship with all living things, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on the earth. I said then and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.” E. V. Debs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben A. Posted June 19, 2016 Author Share Posted June 19, 2016 here's the inlay of the pommel mostly done. Now onto the crossguard. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben A. Posted June 19, 2016 Author Share Posted June 19, 2016 engraving the crossguard... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts