Bladesmith

Bladesmithing is the art of blacksmithing that relates specifically to creating knives, swords, and other blades using a forge, hammer, anvil, and other smithing tools. Bladesmiths employ a variety of metalworking techniques used by blacksmiths, as well as woodworking for knife and sword handles, and often leatherworking for sheaths.

It is important to note that bladesmithing is a branch of blacksmithing, that is to say, most, if not all, blacksmiths will be familiar with bladesmithing as well as the other aspects of their craft, while bladesmiths will not necessarily be familiar with areas of blacksmithing that do not relate to the making of blades.

Modern Bladesmithing

Modern bladesmiths use a variety of steels to produce their blades, most commonly high carbon steel such as 1075/1085 or 1095 (the '10' representing the 10 series carbon steels, while '75' '85' and '95' reflect the carbon content of the steel), tool steel such as O-1 or A-2, or other tool or high carbon steels. Stainless steel such as 440C is also used for knives that require high corrosion resistance, however, stainless steel is unsuitable for blades longer than knife length due to its hard and brittle structure in comparison to carbon steel. Despite this fact, it is often used commercially for mass-producing swords that are not battle-ready, advertised incorrectly as 'sword steel.'

Swords and longer blades, in modern times, are often crafted of 5160 carbon spring steel, which is not as hard or brittle as a high carbon steel such as 1095, but is more durable and less prone to breakage, and therefore more suitable for longer weapons. 5160 carbon spring steel is sometimes used for leaf springs in trucks, making it readily available from many junkyards.

For further clarification, 5160 spring steel is more durable than 1085 or 1095 high carbon steel, but does not hold as sharp an edge. 1095 high carbon steel is harder and more durable than 440C stainless steel, but will rust much more easily. Stainless steel is more brittle than both 5160 and 1095 carbon steel, but is still very useful due to its resistance to rust and corrosion.

Many advanced bladesmiths are able to forge a special type of steel using a technique called pattern welding, producing a metal commonly (and incorrectly) known as damascus steel. Pattern-welded steel is highly decorative as well as durable (if welded in certain ways with proper steels), and is often used in custom knife- and sword-crafting.

Typically the bladesmithing process begins with the forging of the blade itself, followed by the crafting of the handle out of wood, bone, antler, micarta, or any number of other possible materials. The handle is then affixed to the blade using various techniques that depend on the type of blade and the preference of the smith.

Historic Bladesmithing

Historically speaking, bladesmithing is an art that has survived and thrived over thousands of years. Many different parts of the world have different styles of bladesmithing, some more well-known than others.

Japanese

Japanese bladesmithing is often considered an extremely rigid, precise process, involving folding and forge-welding the steel many times over to create a laminated blade. In the past, it was typically assumed that more folds resulted in a higher quality blade. However, in modern times it is widely agreed that folding the steel past a certain point will actually decrease the effectiveness of the sword, resulting in a blade so thinly folded that it approaches the same effectiveness as a solid piece of metal with no folds at all. The number of folds that 'optimize' the blade toughness and edge-holding ability vary between smiths and between blade thickness and types of metal.

Often Japanese bladesmiths would forge their blades out of multiple materials, rather than simply folding and forge-welding one type of steel to itself. Wrought iron, which is very durable and less brittle than steel, would sometimes be used for the spine of the blade, with extremely hard high-carbon steel forming the blade's edge. This process creates a highly impact-resistant blade with an extremely sharp edge, however, under heavy usage, the edge would be more prone to chipping than its European counterparts, which were typically designed to deal with heavier armor than Japanese blades.

Norse

The Norse also had extremely advanced bladesmithing techniques for their level of technology. Norse smiths would often forge-weld blades of multiple materials, similar in some ways to the Japanese method, though their blades were typically double-edged and straight rather than the slightly curved style of the katana. Norse blades were often forged with a durable, wrought-iron core, with an outer surface of harder steel.

Indian

In India, true Damascus steel (not to be mistaken with modern pattern-welded steel, true Damascus steel is a high carbon alloy with a texture originating from the etched crystalline structure) was created in ancient times. This steel was known as Wootz steel, and, according to many accounts, held sway over Europe, Asia, the Middle East and parts of Africa for centuries, used for high quality blades and swords throughout three continents.

Bladesmithing in Movies

There are many incorrect depictions of bladesmithing in modern movies, which mislead their audiences into false understandings of the art.

For instance, in the beginning of Conan the Barbarian, Conan's father, upon forging his sword, quenches the orange-hot blade in snow. In truth, this action would probably crack the blade. Sub-zero quenches (that is, quenching a blade at forging temperature in a medium that is extremely cold, such as snow or liquid nitrogen) are useful for some metals such as stainless steel, which is a fairly recent invention, but most other high carbon steels must be quenched in some sort of oil or a brine solution to avoid cracking or warpage.

Another incorrect example of bladesmithing exists in the movie Highlander 3: The Final Dimension. Connor Macleod breaks his Masamune and must re-forge it using a block of steel left by the sword's original maker. Realistically, in order for his blade to once again be full strength, he would need to completely remake the blade from scratch, and reset it into the handle. There is no way to 'fill in the cracks' of a broken blade with new steel short of forge-welding, and a forge-weld in the middle of a blade like the Masamune would arguably decrease its strength considerably.