| The process of making a sword is more than | | | | to grind into shape. The sword is now heated and |
| what you see in the movies. For many people | | | | then allowed to cool very slowly. Often it is |
| being a blacksmith is a fantasy where you pound | | | | wrapped in an insulating material to slow down this |
| steel against an anvil, dip it in water and voila! You | | | | cooling. It can take as long as 24 hours and this |
| have a completed sword ready to mow down | | | | annealing process makes the sword soft and |
| the evil hordes of creatures that lurk in the | | | | easy to grind.Step Three: GrindingNow the |
| forest. But swordmaking is much more than this. | | | | blacksmith uses a grinder to work out the edge |
| Swordmaking is both an art and a craft and it | | | | and point of the sword. This would also be when |
| takes hard work, a lot of practice and a significant | | | | any engraving is added. This is not a completed |
| amount of specialized tools to create a sword. It | | | | sword yet. It is still much too soft so it must be |
| also takes many years of practice to become | | | | hardened.Step Four: HardeningNow the sword is |
| proficient at this skill.Before the blacksmith or | | | | heated to a very high temperature and then |
| swordsmith actually starts hammering or heating | | | | placed into a quenching tank. (This is what we |
| the metal for a sword there is a lot of work to | | | | always see in the movies). This quenching allows it |
| be done. The sword size, shape, properties, and | | | | to cool quickly and evenly which will harden the |
| metal composition all have to be decided upon. | | | | metal. After this hardening the sword is brittle and |
| These factors determine the amount of metal, | | | | something must be done to make it strong yet |
| the temperatures of heating and the specific | | | | flexible.Step Five: TemperingAgain the blade is |
| steps in the process that have to be completed. | | | | heated and quenched. But now the heating is at a |
| This article doesn't cover the complete art of | | | | much lower temperature than was used at the |
| swordmaking. It will only discuss and outline the | | | | hardening. This heating/quenching cycle may be |
| process of smithing the blade of a sword.There | | | | repeated several times. This tempering allows the |
| are many different methods for making a sword | | | | blade to be strong but not brittle. This is one |
| and the art has changed over the centuries as | | | | stage where the skill and experience of the |
| technologies, tools and the science of metallurgy | | | | swordsmith is invaluable. It takes a trained hand |
| has changed. But for the past five hundred years | | | | and eye to understand the properties of the |
| there has been one method that still stands as | | | | meta. It will have a certain amount of flexibility |
| the most common. This is the six step method. | | | | yet still retain its sharp edge. Now the sword is |
| of taking a bar of the desired metal to a | | | | ready for completion.Step Six: CompletionThe |
| completed sword.The First step is ForgingA bar of | | | | sword blade itself is now complete. Now the |
| the desired metal or combination of metals is | | | | additional parts will be added such as the pommel |
| heated in a forge and then it is hammered into | | | | the guard and the hilt.For the past five hundred |
| shape.(The shape of a sword) This hammering | | | | years the only way to learn the art of |
| process can take a long time and it is called | | | | swordmaking was to find a skilled blacksmith or |
| drawing out the sword. The sword is worked on | | | | swordsmith that was willing to take you on as an |
| in sections (usually around 6 inches in length) and | | | | apprentice. Because of the specialized skills and |
| repeatedly hammered and heated until it comes | | | | tools, and the skill that is required this tradition |
| into the desired shape .This process is repeated | | | | remains the best way to do it today.Before you |
| many times and the sword is often heated then | | | | invest lots of time in money in equipment and |
| allowed to cool without hammering. This is | | | | materials you should find a master that is willing to |
| required by the metal to keep the desired | | | | teach you the basics of the art. You won't have |
| properties of strength and flexibility. Once this | | | | to devote your life to endless hours of |
| step is completed the sword is in the proper | | | | hammering against an anvil and with a little |
| shape but the properties of the metal make it | | | | perseverance, a little patience and some practice |
| very brittle and something has to be done to give | | | | you will be able to make some decent swords |
| flexibility to it.Step Two: Annealing | | | | that you can be proud of.Will Kalif is the author of |
| Annealing softens the sword and makes it easy | | | | two epic fantasy novels. |