Subject: Re: Stupid question: Titanium swords?

From: [email-masked] (Dave Vogel)
Date: 13 Jul 1995 02:48:46 GMT

In <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Tsunami)
writes: 
>
>	Thanks to all the people who took the time to respond to my 
>original post (I got too many responses to reply to everyone directly)
>
>PeterWRowe ([email-masked]) wrote:
>: On the other hand, if you wanted a narrow blade, and could just
grind the
>: bar to shape, you'd most likely have a good stiff blade that with a
little
>	
>	Now I'm considering buying some Ti stock and grinding my own 
>sword blade patterned after the steel one I already have.  I already
have 
>a list of two sources, but does anybody have a source that they know 
>sells Ti of the correct basic size and shape?
>
>Tsunami

Hi!

Just to get in my two cents worth, there are a couple of things that I
might mention.

There are many different alloys of titanium. The one that is used the
most, is the comercially pure metal. This is easy to machine, and
fairly soft, as titanium goes. The pure metal has a yield strength of
about 75,000 psi. This metal can not normally be heat treated for more
hardness or strength. I think that you will find, that this does not
make a very good sword blade, as it will bend easily, and will not take
an edge very well.

As well as C.P. grade ( comercially pure ) titanium, you might be able
to find some of the really exotic alloys. If you purchase one of these
>from  a dealer, I think that you will find that the price is very high!
That fact aside, one of these alloys would be the one that you want for
your sword. With the proper metal treatment, some of these alloys have
very high hardness, and over 200,000 psi yield points. 

Most of these alloys are worked in the soft state, and then heat
treated to bring out the desired properties. It is possible, that you
might find a piece of scrap titanium that has the right alloy and
temper that you want in your finished sword. With almost infinite
patients, you might be able to cold grind a sword blade. I say infinite
patients, because the right alloy and temper will be almost impossible
to grind! I would guess that a scrap metal dealer that buys from a
military contractor would be the best bet for finding your metal. If
you live on the west coast, a trip to the Boing surplus store would be
the place that I would start.

Hope that this helps, no point in spending hours grinding titanium, if
it won't work for your purpose.