Sword making

Sword making, historically, has been the work of specialized smiths or metalworkers called bladesmiths or swordsmiths.

At the same time, it must be strong enough and flexible enough that it can absorb massive shocks at just about any point along its length and not crack or break.

Secondary operations involve removing material from the roughcasting, polishing, and the application of decorative elements.

In places and times where iron and steel have been more rare and valuable stock removal has not been used except as part of the finishing process.

In most techniques, the basic materials, generally iron and/or steel, are shaped into a bar or billet first.

Whether single or multiple, the ridge's primary purpose to give the blade greater structural strength relative to its mass.

With swords, due to their length, the challenge is greater as in a typical quenching it is possible to bend or warp the blade if it is not introduced to the quenchant smoothly and evenly.

Finishing encompasses polishing, decorating, and crafting and assembling the hilt, guard and sheath.

Other artisans would likely be involved in the work of fashioning the hilt, sheath and other furniture; and in any fine decoration.

It has been speculated by researchers that swordsmithing has been performed in the northern regions of Italy since at least the 10th Century BCE.

Brescia remained an important swordsmithing and steel manufacturing hub for centuries due to the high manganese content of the local iron ore deposits, which assisted in the creation of high-quality steel.

[1] Japanese smiths discovered, similarly to many others, that iron sand (with little to no sulfur and phosphorus) heated together with coal (carbon) made the steel they called tamahagane.

Once the blade had been heat-treated, a sword would be ground with progressively finer abrasives, typically different types of rock.

Some pursue the traditional methods while others apply modern tools, techniques and materials to the craft.

The vast majority of commercially available swords have been made with modern tools and materials as it brings greater profit and less time than hand forging.