Years ago, one of my best clients asked if there was a sword that I had wanted to make, and one immediately came to mind. On one of my sword research trips, to England, back in 2008, I had studied some fantastic pieces at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. These really great swords are not on display but are tucked safely way in an archival vault. Since that time, several of those swords called to me from my stacks of sword documents. One in particular had both elements of a cut and thrust sword and a rapier, handling just like the later but also capable of a serious cutting action. It was believed to have been assembled by Dresden swordsmith Othmar Wetter in 1590 for Elector Christian I of Saxony, and the hilt work was stunning. I always wanted to recreate that piece and now a client was offering me the chance.
I created some design drawings for the project and, after deciding to forgo some of the more over-the-top elements of the lavishly gilded hilt, my client agreed that it would be the sword to make. Over the next couple of years, I worked on the piece while also tending to my many other teaching, speaking and general bladesmithing obligations. It took me most of the fall of 2017 to finish the decorative chisel work in the complex hilt, but by February I was finally ready to deliver what was one of the finest pieces I have made to date.
The Blade is L6 tool steel, martempered for maximum strength and impact toughness. The Pommel and complex swept hilt is 1018 steel chiseled with a vine like scroll work that was copied from the original and then fire blued, rather than gilded (the idea of burning off a gold/mercury amalgam did not appeal to me). The grip is wrapped exactly as the original with two twisted wires of bronze, separated by a single twisted iron wire. The scabbard is of my own design, since the original is long lost, and is carved poplar wood covered in a rich, goat skin, book binding leather with 1018 fire blued throat and chape.
The sword is incredibly light and fast and feels fantastic in the hand. I very much enjoyed the look in my client’s eyes when he held it for the first time when I delivered it to him at the Badger Knife Club show in Janesville WI, where it won the Best of Show award.
"One test is worth 1000 'expert' opinions" Riehle Testing Machines Co.
Wow that's nice
That is some pretty amazing work! Can I ask how many hours you would spend on a project like this?
Wow. I would have enjoyed viewing that in person.
Spectacular.
Karl B. Andersen
Journeyman Smith
Wow. Stunning piece, Kevin. Congratulations!
|quoted:
That is some pretty amazing work! Can I ask how many hours you would spend on a project like this?
Very Hard to say when you work on it the way I like to- taking my time so that it is enjoyable, rather than stressful. This is now the property of my wisest customer ever, he wants me to make what Iwant to make, we set a price range, and then there is never a deadline, I can take as many years as I like to finish. By giving me this freedom, he always gets my best work. Also, because of this, he is perhaps the only person on earth that can still get an order with me. I don't do orders anymore, because I am far too busy teaching, speaking and researching to ever meet any sort of a deadline. I also think the idea of a custom order is somewhat self defeating, i.e. somebody thinks I know so much about making blades that they are willing to pay me thousands of dollars to do it, but then they feel they need to tell me how to make it... I still have a hard time wrapping my head around that one. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//wink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />
Now how it was done in the 16th century is almost anybody's guess. Heated in a forge, obviously, and quenched in water, or some sort of organic oil. I doubt the HRC was anywhere near what I went to. There is some evidence of some rapiers just being work hardened, but I a sure the better ones had some sort of heat treatment applied as well.
"One test is worth 1000 'expert' opinions" Riehle Testing Machines Co.
I like your philosophy regarding taking orders Kevin. I find myself leaning that direction more and more as time goes by.
The sword is absolutely exquisite. Wonderful detail and I applaud your patience and determination to re-create the piece right down to the "feel" and balance. It's truly an inspiration.
Kevin,
What a stunning looking sword. I would be interested in hearing about your heat treating process. Comparing what you did to what you believe would have been done back when the original was made.
Thanks,
Ken
Wow!!! Very nice Kevin beautiful work.
I'd also be curious to learn more about the heat treatment and tempering.
Thanks Mark
The blade was soaked in a high temperature salt bath set at 1520°F and quenched into a 420°F low temperature salt bath, tested. It was then tempered in 400°F salts for 30 minutes, quenched and tested, before increasing the temperature in steps until the final longer temp and 56.5 HRC was obtained (around 550°F). I chose this HRC after a series of un-notched tests I did years ago on my Charpy impact tester:
In the tests I found that Crucible L6 (Champalloy) chemistry with added Mo, was cable of bouncing 240 Ft. Lbs of impact force without breaking at 56.5 HRC, that is the maximum the tester can do, so I don't know what it would take to break it. This hardness also corresponds well with the hardness to toughness ratio that avoids some tempered martensite type embrittlement in that occurs from 450°F to 550°F in this chemistry.
"One test is worth 1000 'expert' opinions" Riehle Testing Machines Co.
That is so beautiful and what a display of craftsmanship in several disciplines. How many artisans would it take to make something like that in 1500s 3 ?
Always a pleasure to read your post, and see your pieces.
Kevin, that is a true work of art. A very lucky collector. Thank you for showing this.
Brion
Brion Tomberlin
Anvil Top Custom Knives
ABS Mastersmith
Truly an exquisite piece Kevin, especially the basket and pommel. Could you maybe expand a little on how that basket was constructed?
Joshua States
www.dosgatosforge.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg
https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71
Also on Instagram and Facebook as J.States Bladesmith
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.â€
|quoted:
I like your philosophy regarding taking orders Kevin. I find myself leaning that direction more and more as time goes by.
The sword is absolutely exquisite. Wonderful detail and I applaud your patience and determination to re-create the piece right down to the "feel" and balance. It's truly an inspiration.
That makes it much tougher to do than simply making my own design. The forging has to be done with calipers in hand. Then, at the grinder, the measurements are recorded down the length of the blade and the material is shaved off carefully until it is within tolerances that will allow final polishing to bring it into an exact match with the original. Much of this has to be done after the hilt and pommel have been roughed out because they will effect the overall weight which will give me a clue as to what dimensions that unseen tang may be.
"One test is worth 1000 'expert' opinions" Riehle Testing Machines Co.
