Just thought I will post an update - I moved ahead with this project. Decided not to try a fuller this time though, a relatively long double edged blade is enough of a new thing for me to experiment with.
I went with hexagonal cross section at the base, which seems to be also historically correct for some of these early baselards.
Will try fullers in some later project, and probably on a flat of a single edged blade rather than on a ridge of a double edged blade, to start with something simpler.
Thanks for the encouragement to try for a 7" blade - it worked! I was rather nervous as it was hard to keep the whole length heated to non-magnetic, tip was losing hit very fast. But the blade came out straight and feels hardened all the way, even the first inch of tang. I tempered the blade to golden-straw color and then heated the tang-blade junction to blue to make it tough and springy, you should be able to see the color on the middle flat area in the attached picture (which was taken after tempering and correcting the tang, but before blade
polishing started).
There was a little bend in the tang, about where hardened area ended. I was able to bend it back after tempering and that took me pushing on the blade with practically my full weight, with the blade itself bending quite far and springing back. So I am satisfied the blade is tough enough. After I took it down to the edge with 150 grit, point easily makes deep scratches in unhardened steel, so hardness seems good as well.
I am hand polishing the blade now and got one side to 220 grit without ruining the geometry, so there is a good chance I will be able to finish it with reasonably straignt and crisp lines.
Overall, I am very happy with how this project is going so far! This is the first double edged dagger blade I ever made, and the longest blade ever for me, too!
Alex.
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