Blacksmiths in India, Asia and Africa often employ used or recovered steel with no way to know its composition. Leaving the steel in a bonfire for a few days is the most efficient way to normalize unknown steels. This article is for experienced blacksmiths who have already made small, medium, and large knives. Knife making is the precursor to sword making.
If you are a novice metalworker who has not yet made any knives, please take community college classes in blacksmithing for a minimum of one full semester or apprentice yourself to a local blacksmith for at least six months. Make sure that you have all the equipment necessary to complete this project.
Once you've made the blade, use your choice of handle treatment.
This article is designed for the shoestring blade smith, who may not have a fully equipped shop. If you have belt, bench or pedestal grinders please feel free to use them. A 2-inch diameter black-iron gas pipe with one end cap will make a sufficient quench tank. Bury one end in the ground or clamp it to your workbench so that it will remain upright.
Instructions
1. Heat the leaf spring in your forge until the curved sections are bright orange. Hammer the curved sections flat and straight.
2. Place your smallest and hardest hardwood pieces, intermixed with anthracite coal, at the bottom of your fire pit. Lay your straightened leaf spring edge up, surrounded by coal and hardwood, and cover it with more firewood. Have at least three hours worth of firewood ready, and make sure there is absolutely no chance of rain. Ignite your fire.
3. Have fun with your friends while you wait for the steel to normalize in your bonfire. Roast hot dogs and marshmallows while swapping tall tales. Play hand instruments and dance around the bonfire. Keep adding wood until you run out of fuel. Your fire should stay hot until the next afternoon. If you are going to normalize the steel in your forge instead of having a bonfire, heat the blade past eutectic, seal the forge and allow the steel to slow cool to room temperature, about 24 hours.
According to Gypsy Wilburn, "Blacksmiths are not always the dour, sarcastic, people you encounter when you are looking for someone to teach you to make a master sword from paper clips in the metalworking forums. We know have a good time. If you do not like to have fun or have no friends willing to join you for a night of fun around the bonfire, heat the steel in your forge instead."
4. Remove your steel from the cooled ashes of your bonfire. Heat the leaf spring steel to bright orange, as seen in a dimly lit room. Do not hammer steel lower than medium red, as seen in a dimly lit room. If you do, it will cause metal fatigue and stress cracking, which will ruin your blade. On one end of the leaf spring, hammer your desired tang shape and thickness. Turn the blade around in the forge.
5. Use a cutting hardy or the abrasive blade on your 4-inch grinder to cut your blade to the desired length. Hammer out the profile and thickness of your blade. Check the blade and tang for straightness in length, thickness and width. Hold the sword in one hand, with your arm fully extended from the shoulder. Turn the blade from side to side, sighting along the length of the blade.
6. Hammer the bevels of the blade to a 30-degree included angle. Grind your sword blade to its final intended shape using a 24-grit wheel and your 80-grit mop disk. Heat the blade to bright orange and quench it. Use the 24-grit wheel to grind away the scale.
Heat the steel to light blue three times to triple draw the temper. Use a fine wire wheel to give your sword blade a brushed finish. Keep blade cool to the touch while grinding and wire wheeling by sprinkling it with water. Do not allow the blade to change colors while grinding, as this will destroy the temper of your blade.
Tags: leaf spring, your blade, bright orange, your forge, 24-grit wheel