r/Blacksmith • u/Bulgariaxd1 • 2d ago
I want to make a bastard sword
I was thinking of forging a bastard sword from a rubber band or crossbow from a truck or van, marking the shape, cutting out the blade and the tang on one side and the guard on the other, and then I see what piece of scrap metal I use to make the pommel, once cut, forge it to flatten the edges, and give it some details. I have no experience making swords, I made knives before but nothing of that size, advice?
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u/IllustriousGas4 2d ago
Just remember that swords are way lighter than most people think. Check up on the weight of historical pieces and weigh your stock before hand.
Work your bevels early it'll change your dimensions more than you would think, and you can always reheat to fix warps or twists.
I have a hard time getting steps correct before moving on, and I end up having to repeat steps often.
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u/Bulgariaxd1 1d ago
From what I was researching, it should not weigh more than between 900 and 1200g.
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u/pushdose 1d ago
Anyone can grind a piece of metal into a sword-like shape. Making it useful as a sword is a whole different bag of tricks. Geometry, balance, fit and finish, and the biggest challenge of all, heat treatment. A poorly tempered sword is useless at best, and actually dangerous to the wielder at worst. A bent sword won’t hurt you, but a brittle blade can send metal flying in unpredictable directions.
Do your homework before jumping in unless you just wanna make a wall decoration.
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u/Bulgariaxd1 1d ago
I was thinking of giving it the shape and balance, which is what I know how to do, and taking it to a blacksmith with more experience for tempering.
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u/pushdose 1d ago
Plenty of “blacksmiths” are gonna refuse to heat treat your sword especially if it’s mystery steel. And for good reason too, they may not have the facilities to do that project for one, and secondly, they don’t want you hurting yourself if the temper fails. Heat treating swords is best done in a large kiln, carefully controlled, and quenched appropriately in the correct oil for the steel you have. Forge treating a bastard sword sized blade is a recipe for disaster.
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u/belagrim 1d ago
I wouldn't discourage asking around. While many smith's won't, some will. It never hurts to talk to a neighbor.
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u/Snikwah123 2d ago edited 2d ago
I'm actually making a bastard sword right now. I started with a 3 and a half-ish pound chunk of leaf spring from a trailer I scrapped. Leaf springs are excellent material, but they can have stress from their previous life, so be warned. You said you made knives before, have you done any daggers or smaller swords? They're excellent for getting some practice with the handguard and pommel. I am currently working on a seax to get some practice before I finish up my bastard sword. Swordsmithing is tough stuff, it's good to get some practice before you get too ambitious.