I forge a lot of swords I know right what you are talking about. First the cork screw or twist, this is caused by the four facets of the bevel bein...

It sounds like the bar is air hardening or developing retained carbides. Try a sub critical anneal heat to 1200 DegF and hold if possible for 1-2 min ...

when I was starting out I would get drops from a local spring shop. They were the ends of bars 4-10 long thickness ranging from 3/16-1/2" and width fr...

THIS YEAR'S DEMONSTRATIONS INCLUDE: Pattern welding demonstrations by J.D. Smith, an American Bladesmithing Society Master Bladesmith and instruct...

I think this is what you are looking for. hope that's helpful. I have a chunk of 4" Rd 1050 that I am planing on making one of theses out of.

Sounds more like what is know as "hearth steel" more than wootz. I know Jeff Pringle has done a lot of experiments with wootz from ore in fact I wa...

I find it building them to be the best option I really don't like any of the models on the market by building my own I can make it the way it works be...

you can tell if it is the dies or technique, by if the bar is of 90deg on one facet or two (ie two sets of parallel sides or no parallel sides) if no...

I don't know it this will help you but, 1st as far as the billet becoming a parallelogram this is bet prevented by forging at 90Deg angles by rotating...

to my understanding the excess carbon is bound up as carbides and/or as pockets of graphite with in a matrix of ferrite. MP

Jeremry- the original stack was about 1" sq and 6" long of the following 1095,15n20,1095,4340,1095,15n20,1095 if I remember right the sizes on the b...

wow Kevin you just blew my mind.... That is one of the best most easily understood explanations of what is happening I have ever read, thank you!...

be sure to use distilled water to mix, tap water can have chlorine among other things in it that can cause issues with the etch. Tap water might be fi...