 Forging a Heavy Duty Blade |
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| Added by | Morrowind Rebirth | ||
| ID | MR_Book_Forging_A_Blade | ||
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300 |  |
3.0 |
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Found in the following locations:
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Forging a Heavy Duty Blade
by Glasha Gra Shugarz
Blacksmiths should follow these steps to forge a strong and reliable heavy duty blade.
Heat the metal in a forge or your own personal metal working furnace. Proper temperature varies, but a charcoal fire with air from some bellows will work well.
Pound the steel on an anvil to shape the metal, starting with a bevel where you intend to make a blade.
Leave room for a tang (the part in the handle). Leave about two inches or more on one end.
Make a blade, by repeating rows of small taps in long rows up the blade, narrowing the steel. Work on both sides of the blade to prevent it from distorting. Try to keep the blade from bending over itself, as this will weaken the blade.
Remember, when it is a rough blade shape to bring it to red hot temperature three times and let it air cool untill [sic] all the red is gone. After the third heating, let it cool in the fire overnight. Cooling it very slowly will make it softer and easier to file.
File to shape and even up any uneven spots.
Bring back to a red hot temperature and dip the blade in a vat of oil. Dipping only the cutting edges will provide a hard durable cutting edge but leave the back flexible, thereby increasing the overall strength of the blade.
Take time to craft a quality custom hilt. There are many methods to craft a hilt you can forge it from metal, drill holes and pin scales of wood, wrap with cord or wire, or make a pointy tang and put it in a block of wood and then file the wood to shape. Whichever method you choose, be sure to take care to make an item you are proud of. A fine smith will want their work to be recognised as well crafted, quality items.
Sharpen the blade with a fine file, then with a whetstone. Finally use a leather strop and polishing paste to remove any burr and leave a razor sharp edge.
Put it in water and then reheat it slightly to temper it. Use metalworking files to grind the blade bevels. Finish with a whetstone to make it even sharper.
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