Bladesmith
Bladesmithing is the art of making knives, swords, daggers and other blades using a forge, hammer, anvil, and other smithing tools.
[1][2][3] Bladesmiths employ a variety of metalworking techniques similar to those used by blacksmiths, as well as woodworking for knife and sword handles, and often leatherworking for sheaths.
[4] Bladesmithing is an art that is thousands of years old and found in cultures as diverse as China, Japan, India, Germany, Korea, the Middle East, Spain and the British Isles.
The central plate protrudes slightly from its surrounding pieces, allowing for a sharp edge, while the softer spine protects the brittle core.
[9][10] This technology included folding, inserting alloys, and differential hardening of the edge, which historically has been the most common technique around the world.
[citation needed] Metal swords of double bladed leaf structure have been found throughout Korea dating back to the Bronze Age.
[citation needed] The technology that led to the development of the Japanese sword originated in China and was brought to Japan by way of Korea.
[9] The oldest steel swords found in Japan date to the fourth or fifth century A.D.[9] Although appearing to be ceremonial in nature, samples of these straight blades preserved in the Shōsōin were hand-forged with hardened cutting edges.
[9] Due to the quality of metal found in Japan, Japanese bladesmithing became an extremely rigid, precise process, involving folding and forge-welding the steel many times over to create a laminated blade.
By the time of the Kamakura period (1185–1333 AD), Japan was under the rule of a military class and repelling Mongol invasions.
[13] After abdicating, Toba II summoned Japan's finest bladesmiths around him in an effort to develop the perfect sword.
[9] 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.
Sword-making was completely banned following World War II and did not resume until 1953, under heavy restrictions to preserve it solely as an art.
Migration Era blades were often forged with a hard steel edge wrapped around a pattern welded core.
One is the true Damascus steel, or Wootz steel, which is a high carbon alloy with tremendous edge retention possibly due to its composition of carbon nanotubes and carbide nanowires,[18] with a wavy surface texture originating from the crystalline structure of alloy metals such as tungsten and vanadium - elements that occur naturally in iron ore from southern India - to the surface during the manufacturing process.
[19] Between the 15th and 17th centuries the Toledo sword-making industry enjoyed a great boom, to the point where its products came to be regarded as the best in Europe.
However, no living bladesmith knew the exact techniques and without a recipe for the process, it was in danger of being lost; through trial and error he taught himself pattern welding and referred to his end product as "Damascus steel".
Despite its name, this was an international group of knife makers dedicated to preserving the forged blade and educating the public about traditional bladesmithing techniques.
