10-20-2003, 03:37 AM
Ghostiger,Oct 19 2003, 11:49 AM Wrote:...As for the European blades, I personally dont think welding harder and softer steel together at the forge is an especially complex or clever idea. But yes the techniques did become rather advanced in the Renaissance. Also sometimes I think people over hype differential heat treatment. It is important but a rather simple concept, perhaps not for a guy making horseshoes, but pretty basic to any sword maker.It sure as shucks is if you want to keep the sword from peeling apart at the laminates or the welds (which will happen if you forge out of proper temperatures or allow too much oxidation to take set between forgings).
And "welding harder steel over softer steel" should be of interest to anyone studying either Viking/Migration Era or Japanese swordscraftâ considering that is how swords of either genre were traditionally constructed.
It's not an answer-all, but it does help open eyes. I just hope everyone here has pretty good bandwithâ this is a long post and has lots of pictures:
Secrets of Swordmaking Revealed!
Sure, it's modern reproduction. But it does illustrate that swordsmithing, even (especially!) if you're going to make a Viking/Migration Era style pattern-welded blade, is a bit more than "...pound heated metal until flat. When look like sword, stop pounding..."
Political Correctness is the idea that you can foster tolerance in a diverse world through the intolerance of anything that strays from a clinical standard.