The sword is the pinnacle of the bladesmith's art, combining metallurgy, geometry, and craftsmanship. This campaign covers sword types, forging, heat treatment, guard and pommel making, and handle construction.
Chapter 1: Sword Types
Type
Length
Width
Weight
Historical Use
Short sword (gladius)
18-24 inches
2-2.5 inches
1.5-2.5 lbs
Roman infantry
Arming sword (one-hand)
28-32 inches
1.5-2 inches
2-3 lbs
Medieval steward
Longsword (hand-and-a-half)
35-40 inches
1.5-2 inches
2.5-3.5 lbs
Late medieval
Greatsword (two-hand)
48-60 inches
2-2.5 inches
5-8 lbs
Renaissance
Saber (curved)
30-36 inches
1-1.5 inches
2-3 lbs
Cavalry
Seax (Viking)
12-30 inches
1.5-2.5 inches
1-3 lbs
Norse, Anglo-Saxon
Chapter 2: Steel Selection
Steel
Carbon %
Properties
Best For
Heat Treat
1075
0.75%
Tough, forgiving
Beginner swords
Water or oil quench
1080
0.80%
Good edge, tough
General swords
Oil quench
1084
0.84%
Excellent balance
All swords
Oil quench
1095
0.95%
Hard edge, less tough
Cutting swords
Oil quench (careful)
5160
0.60% + Cr
Very tough, spring steel
Tough swords, sabers
Oil quench
L6
0.70% + Ni
Exceptional toughness
Premium swords
Oil quench
Chapter 3: Forging Process
Forging steps: 1) Start with bar stock (1 x 1/4 inch for arming sword, 36 inches long). 2) Draw out blade: taper from tang to tip. 3) Establish distal taper: blade thins from guard to tip. 4) Forge profile taper: blade narrows from guard to tip. 5) Forge tang: reduce to 3/8 x 3/8 inch, 5-6 inches long. 6) Normalize: heat to non-magnetic, air cool (3 times). 7) Straighten: check blade alignment, correct any curves. 8) Grind bevels: establish edge geometry (flat, hollow, or convex). 9) Leave edge thick (1/32 inch) before heat treatment.
Dimension
Short Sword
Arming Sword
Longsword
Blade length
18-24 inches
28-32 inches
35-40 inches
Blade width (guard)
2 inches
1.75 inches
1.75 inches
Blade width (tip)
1 inch
0.75 inch
0.75 inch
Blade thickness (guard)
1/4 inch
3/16 inch
3/16 inch
Blade thickness (tip)
1/8 inch
1/8 inch
1/8 inch
Tang length
4-5 inches
5-6 inches
8-10 inches
Tang width
3/8 inch
3/8 inch
3/8 inch
Chapter 4: Heat Treatment
Heat treatment process: 1) Clay coating (differential hardening, optional): apply thin clay to edge, thick clay to spine. 2) Heat blade evenly to non-magnetic (cherry red). 3) Check with magnet (steel is non-magnetic at critical temperature). 4) Quench in oil (warm oil, 120-140°F). 5) Edge-first, straight down, no hesitation. 6) Move blade in oil (figure-8 motion). 7) Check for straightness immediately after quench. 8) If bent, clamp straight while still warm. 9) Temper: heat in oven to 400-450°F for 2 hours (twice). 10) Test: blade should flex and return to straight.
Step
Temperature
Medium
Duration
Purpose
Normalize (x3)
Non-magnetic (~1475°F)
Air cool
Until cool
Refine grain
Harden
Non-magnetic (~1475°F)
Oil quench
Until cool
Harden steel
Temper (x2)
400-450°F
Oven
2 hours each
Reduce brittleness
Straighten
After quench
Clamp/press
As needed
Correct warps
Chapter 5: Guard, Pommel, and Handle
Component
Material
Purpose
Attachment
Guard (cross-guard)
Mild steel or brass
Protect hand, balance
Slot fits over tang, peened or welded
Grip (handle)
Wood, leather, cord
Comfortable hold
Shaped to tang, glued
Pommel
Steel or brass
Balance, tang retention
Threaded or peened onto tang end
Leather wrap
Leather strip
Grip texture
Spiral wrapped, glued
Wire wrap (optional)
Copper or steel wire
Grip texture, decoration
Spiral wrapped over leather
Assembly: 1) Fit guard: file slot in guard to match tang cross-section. 2) Slide guard onto tang (tight fit). 3) Shape grip: two halves of wood, carved to fit tang. 4) Glue grip halves to tang with epoxy. 5) Shape grip to comfortable oval cross-section. 6) Wrap grip with leather strip (spiral, glued). 7) Fit pommel: thread tang end or prepare for peening. 8) Install pommel, peen tang end to lock assembly. 9) All components compress together tightly.
Reference Card
Distal taper is the secret of a good sword (a blade that thins from guard to tip handles well and cuts effectively; without distal taper, a sword feels heavy and sluggish). 2. Normalize three times before hardening (normalizing refines the grain structure of the steel; three cycles produce the finest grain and the best combination of hardness and toughness). 3. Oil quench for swords (water quenching is too aggressive for long blades and causes warping or cracking; oil provides a slower, more even quench that reduces stress). 4. Temper twice (two tempering cycles at 400-450°F ensure complete transformation of retained austenite; a single temper may leave brittle spots). 5. The tang is the backbone (the tang extends through the handle and is secured by the pommel; a weak or short tang is the most common failure point in a sword). 6. Balance point determines handling (the balance point of a well-made sword is 2-4 inches in front of the guard; adjusting pommel weight shifts the balance). 7. A sword must flex and return (a properly heat-treated sword blade bends under stress and springs back to straight; a blade that takes a permanent bend or snaps has been incorrectly heat-treated). 8. Sword making is the ultimate test of the bladesmith (a sword combines every skill in metallurgy, forging, grinding, heat treatment, and fitting; completing a functional sword is a milestone achievement).
