Sword making is an all-but-lost art. It requires time, precision and hours and hours of practice. However, for many it is a fun and invigorating hobby that can transport one back to a bygone era. This tutorial will give you a basic outline and the proper procedures for creating your own sword.
Instructions
1. Come up with a basic design or schematic for your sword. Without an idea of what you will be creating, time spent at the forge is simply a waste.
2. Begin to forge the blade. Here, one has a number of options. Sword designs run from the multilayered, curved katanas to the long and powerful English broadsword. There are different processes for forging different types of swords, and it is highly recommended that one spend some time researching their choice in weapon.
3. Once the blade has been forged, it must be finished. Raw steel will likely still have many imperfections, and the blade must undergo a series of protective measures to prevent against rust, decay and general oxidation.
4. Fabricate the hilt and hand guard. Be it a traditional crosstress, a basket hilt, or the Japanese cloth and rayskin, this is a very important step and quality is essential. If a shoddy handle is used, it will eventually crack and fall apart or potentially bend or warp the blade, as the handle acts as a shock absorber.
5. Now that the raw components have been assembled, it is time to finish the sword. This can mean anything from personalized engravings, to mirror finishes on the steel, to making it razor sharp for practical use. Just be safe and have fun with this terrific hobby.
