Here is a free, beginners, pattern welding tutorial of mine on Octavia Randolph's Saxon site.

This can get a person going with modern materials, and technique.

Period craftsmanship, and ore to blade tutorials coming this spring and summer, Lord willing.

Hope some of you folks can get something from it?

Robert.

http://www.octavia.net/anglosaxon/theCreation...dBlade.htm

thats a very cool article and very informative. i eould love to give that a try

Robert - thanks for the link and the tutorial. I don't imagine that I will ever attempt to make a pattern welded blade, but that doesn't dampen my interest in the process - I find it fascinating!

Thanks Sean and Steve.

I was reluctant to even do it, but lot's of folks said some of the things I do, and the way I do them are not coved in some of the other books out there. I also had a huge handful of purpose from Mrs. Randolph, who unlike myself is a true scholar. And to top that off, I'm really not good at all at public speaking, and when I do a demo for a school, or event, it' s actually my wife who does the talking to "schmoose" the crowd. This was my way of trying to pass along some experience to others. I'm really looking forward to the period method, and ore to blade, tutorials, probably out this spring and summer. Then I might take it all and do a hard copy? All the information is out there but it's spread over a million period specific web sites, and most "how to" books don't even try and get into the period stuff.

Robert,

Is it even worth attempting pattern without the power hammer? Would a 175 lb anvil be large enough to attempt something like this. I keep thinking how someone must have done it with just hammer and anvil at some point.

Some of the archeologists have described early trade of steel as being based upon long rods (rather than large flat strips.) I am wondering if tforging wisting rods of different steels would not make hand hammering more forgiving (as opposed to favoring power hammers for large width strips.)

Well Jared, I'm not trying to open a political can of worms, but "back in the day" they had bu'cu slave power, serf power, and other forms of forced/coerced manual labor.

In the beginning, I did my first two hundred or so, blades on a 125lb anvil. A power hammer is not necessary, BUT I didn't shy away when one finally came my way for a reasonable price. Yes, without a trip, air, or power hammer it will take you about 10 times as long to do it.

Nothing says you have to perform any smithing operation in a day or two. Take months if you need but don't pull back if you have the desire in your soul.

Robert.

;)

I hope to eventually pattern weld.

Truthfully I am on step one of basic metal working (an anvil to be picked up, looking at hammers, welder, etc.) No metal removal and shaping tools (belt grinder, grinding wheel, mills or other things) have been bought yet. Coal is not readily available locally either... so I will probably start with the simple kaowool lined small gas forge and small scale beginner stuff (forging some scabbard chapes as a first effort.)

But in the interest of pattern welded work, I have thought about a "do it yourself" powerhammer such as those which Appalachian Blacksmith's association sell plans for. Their designs have very small forging tables and the larger design describes itself only as a 50 lb hammer.

http://www.appaltree.net/rusty/dusty.htm

I wondered if a smaller power hammer design like this with a larger support table could be a reasonable tool for forging sword "length" random twist billets. At least one other genuine craftsman out there advocates that a power hammer for pattern welding should be at least 100 pound weight. I understand the problem of de-carbarization and benefit of rapid welds, but wonder if a smaller power hammer might be adequate for simple twist and random forgings (not going for elaborate mosaics.)


Feedback is appreciated.

I' have friends that have used those "kinyon" plans, to great success. I've seen 'em made from #25-#150. You can still at times pick up a Little Giant, or some other used brand.

www.anvilfire.com is a great place to start.

Google; Kayne and Son's, and other blacksmithing supply stores for all your equiptment needs. Hit antique stores, farm auctions, and country swap meets.

cheers.

Robert.