Double edge PW short sword WIP

[Paul Carter 41]

Hi, I am making a short sword similar to a Perseus style or Gladius style. It's in my own version and style because I like full tang  knives and swords better than through or hidden tangs. I like the look of them especially when they are Damascus. Was wondering what you all think of the style and what I maybe should have done different, or ideas that would make it better looking. This is only the second sword I have ever made, so I'm trying to learn. The dimensions are as follows:

Steel is 27 layers of 15N20, 1075, and 1084, drawn out and cut into 4 pieces and re-stacked with 3 more layers of 15N20 added in between the 4 cut pieces for a total of 111 layers. Then I drilled a bunch of holes in it, and drew it back out.

Overall length is 20", and blade is 13".

Not sure how much it weighs but the billet started out at 3.38 lbs. I'm guessing now it is between 1.5 and 2 lbs.

Widest point of blade is 2 1/8", and narrowest point is 1 1/4".

Thickness is about .150". It's a lot thinner than I had hoped for. I was hoping it would clean up at 3/16"-1/4" thick.

 

 

This is where I got to when my forge ran out of propane.

 

 

More propane and I came out with this.

 

 

Then after a little time on the surface grinder, I have this, ready for edges to be ground.

 

 

After an hour soaking in coffee, this is what the pattern looks like before grinding edges.

 

 

Edited August 24, 2020 by Paul Carter

[Joshua States 1,717]

I won't comment on the "swordness" of the piece, mostly because I don't think I'm qualified to do so.

I will however, offer some advice and tips on the whole PW making process that I think will help.

You have way too much weld bead on your starting billet. If you are using TIG with no filler rod, that won't make much of a difference (and you can ignore the comment), but if that is MIG or stick weld, that's a lot of undesirable metal that you end up removing from the final product, lest it show up in the etch. 

This is a typical starting billet for me, and I don't even do the side welds this much anymore. I maybe come across the sides about 25% of the way and stop. I also turn the heat on the MIG down to the second lowest setting. I just want it to stick to the surface. I don't want any any penetration into the billet. These welds fall of after the first or second weld pass. A troublesome weld may need to be knocked off with the hot chisel.

 

Second, for the pool & eye (or bird's eye) pattern, you want to drill holes when the billet is much thicker and less drawn out. Start early and draw it out until you reach (or almost reach) the bottoms of the first set of holes. Then drill some more and draw it out a little more.  After two or three times, you should be at final thickness. This will develop a much more vibrant pattern.

 

 

[Paul Carter 41]

I did just fusion weld them together with a Tig welder. I don't use a Mig or stick because I don't want to add any other metals to it.  Thanks for the tip on the raindrops. I stopped forging this when it was pretty thick but then I surface ground it and by the time the pits came out, it was a lot thinner than I had wanted. Oh well, it was for me anyway. I'll get back to it once I get some other projects done.

[Joshua States 1,717]

If you drill holes, you forge it down, If you press the holes, you grind it down.

[Paul Carter 41]

Yes, I did forge the drill holes out, but the pits I was talking about grinding out were the pits left over by the scale.