A loooong thread about homemade sword

[L.S. Lawrence]

About the double hi, I do those when the steel is still straight, I am doing bar-steel sword remember? And I cut them with the angle-grinder, with an another steel-bar on top to guiding the grinder it’s really difficult because the grinder is big and heavy and its so easy to do a mistake here, I have reject several bar-steel “sunobi” over the years because the grinder wobble a bit or cut to deep.
After that I widen them with round files in different sizes to the width I want and then it´s just sandpaper until its looks good. I usually use 80-180-240-400-600-800-1200-1500. I use files that you use to sharpen ¨chains on motorsaws.
I am afraid I don’t have any pics one the making of them, hope this makes sense

Thanks for your reply. I have tried it that way with the grinder, and also with a Dremel/ rotary tool. I know from difficult experience how hard it is to get a decent result with any sort of machine as mistakes happen so quickly. Your result in this case is really impressive.

[Seth Borland]

WOW! I love the sword! You did a super job! Truly this is an inspiration to DIY swordmakers everywhere. Thanks for showing it! Is it a fully functional piece or intended for display? Is it battle-ready durable or not?

If I may ask, where did you learn to do this and how long have you been making home made swords? Thanks in advance for your reply!

Seth

[Mats Gustavsson]

Hi Seth.
I have not done any cutting with this sword yet ( I just do them I am not a swordsman), but I am assured it will be a good cutter, it’s a good steel professionally hardened and as I said sharp and very springy.
It´s light cutter though, the kasane is bit under 6 mm (7/32 inch) so against a armoured opponent I think I would prefer something heavier.
Well about the making, I have walked the long way and learned my self, with help of books and the internet, this forum is a good example.
For every sword I do I afterwards sit down and evaluate it. I write down every mistake done in a book, and step by step get better and better.
But, remember this; I am just an amateur doing this for fun, this sword is nice, but if you put it besides a sword mounted by who?? K. Larman for example, you would see the difference.

[Sam Salvati]

Remember Mats, also do not undercut yourself, you did a fantastic job, in a few years some of those big names will be mentioning you.

[Mats Gustavsson]

Sam, you are on my buddy-list

( ok ok, you all are)

[J.Williams]

this thread is a really great example to follow for those of us wanted to give sword making a go

I have remounted many blades in my day and have been fencing for years

wanting to make my own blade has been there since the beginning
but its only in the past 5 months that I have really started to look into what it will involve

I have a little bit more bravado then you had then (bravado or stupidity, not sure yet) as I intend to quench my own blade. I have been studying like crazy to understand all that's involved in stock removal pieces and your thread just goes to show that its not impossible

you made an amazing piece and I hope to follow in your footsteps

thanks for all of the details and pictures

[Stefan W.]

Making a sword for a passed away loved one...how respectful!

Can you believe me that I sincerely mean this: *bows*

[Mats Gustavsson]

Thank you, and I bow back, that sword is a great memory of my father, it’s on a rack in my living room and is (naturally) not for sale.

[Geir H.]

Simply stunning work, Gustav.

Do you have any shots of the finished sword on it's stand?

[Mats Gustavsson]

Thank you.

Do you have any shots of the finished sword on it's stand?

Sorry i don’t have a digital camera right now (it´s broken) But when i got a new one i could try to take some

[Z.Coppleman]

Simply brilliant! Well done indeed!

[J.Jarman]

Exceptional. True craftmanship.

Congratulations!

[Tomas M.]

WOW !!

pretty awesome work you have done. congratiolations.

How's the katana performing ?

[Mats Gustavsson]

Sorry about the delay, have had a lot of things going on lately (not sword things)
This one is very light with a relatively thin kasane so it´s for light targets only, I have actually never tested it, but it´s very sharp and fast so it should do well.