Subject: Making a double-edged sword

From: Stephen Smith <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 16:00:01 -0400 (EDT)

I've been trying for quite a while to make a two-handed, double-edged
broadsword, but I can never get the bevel right on the second side.  I do
just fine on the first side, making good bevels, forming a center ridge.
But when I turn it over to do the opposite side, I can never get it to work
right.  The blade is tilted at such an angle to make it flat against the
anvil, that it makes it almost impossible to hammer out the edge and make a
bevel.  If you have done some bladesmithing before I would really appreciate
any help you could give me.  Thanks.
Stephen Smith

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From: "[email-masked] 415.855.5707" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 16:28:34 -0800 (PST)

I've never done this, but what about using a top & bottom tool with the bevel
in it, sort of like a swege?

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From: Chris Kilpatrick <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 19:38:56 -0700

Steve, I have always had to forge both edges at the same time, about 
four to six inches at a time.  Top and bottom swedges help.

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From: George Ezell <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 13:30:38 -0500

> any help you could give me.  Thanks.

Hi Stephen,
	I've had the same problem myself with daggers, and this may be the reason
we see alot of them with a triangular cross-section...
I took a piece of rail road track, carved a beveled trench into it (cross ways)
and do my shaping over that...Only problem is that it works for one size only.
Some swage blocks might have a simular apature.
	I've made a few swords myself, real beauties, can't finish them
because my forge is too small to heat-treat them in, I'll have to make me a
bigger forge this summer.
	Hope that helped some,
	George Ezell

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From: Chris Kilpatrick <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 18:18:40 -0700

Your forge is too small?  I have heat treated a 48 sword on a 
charcoal forge that was nothing more than a hibachi/blow dryer setup.
The secret is to keep the sword moving through the heat slowly, back 
and forth, it took me about 30 minutes to get the sworde cherry 
red,but it was possible.  Do not build a 4 foot forge until you have 
tried this, as they take way too much fuel.