Are you trying out your first sword? Or have you had many failed attempts at forging a sword simply because you could not get the right temperature?
Blacksmithing involves heating, and reheating; so, smiths often need to know steel forging temperature as they work on it. This is for a variety of reasons like annealing, hardening, and tempering.
According to history, professional smiths make swords. They were swordsmith, bladesmith and even metalworkers.
Sword forging involves several heating processes. Normally, the smith’s forge temperature is more like a huge super-hot oven.
Most conventional smiths use coal forges while contemporary smiths prefer the gas or electric forge.
Whatever the case, they all desire the same result; which is to heat the steel to the perfect temperature for shaping the sword. So, the choice of forge to use depends on your preference.
What factors determine the quality of a sword?
Four qualities characterizes sword; strength, hardness, flexibility, and balance. A good sword must be of standard strength, it must be hard, flexible and should also maintain balance.
In order for a sword to have these characteristics, it must undergo certain procedures. These procedures help improve the quality of the sword.
There are certain materials that are ideal for forging swords. The materials used in making a sword can determine the sword’s quality.
The methfor making the sword and the sword’s forging temperature also determine the quality of the sword.
One of the important factors that determine the quality of a sword is the temperature used for forging the sword. In order to make a sword strong and durable, you have to heat and reheat the sword at a certain temperature.
The continuous heating and reheating of a sword increases its strength. All these factors determine the final output of your sword.
Tips on Getting the Right Forging Temperature for A Sword
Getting the right temperature to forge your sword depends on the steel type you have chosen to use. Also, colors are a good way to determine the temperature of steel.
Here are some basic tips to help you get the perfect temperature.
Follow The Manufacturer’s Description
When working with modern homogenous steel, you should go with the temperature advised by the manufacturer. The forging temperature range for O1 and W2 is between 1500℉ and 2100℉.
When you are almost approaching your target shape, you can forge around 1500℉ to 1600℉. Still, it depends on you and what you are trying to achieve.
Your target output and the type of steel you are using are what determine the temperature at which you would forge your sword. If you are fine-tuning the shape, you could still go lower to a range between 1100℉-1300℉.
As you move closer to your desired shape and properties of your sword, the temperature at which you forge the sword should gradually reduce.
Watch Out for Color Changes
Another tip is to watch the color of the steel. The color of the steel can depict the right temperature to treat the steel.
It is vital to determine the temperature of red hot steel before proceeding with another process. Orange to yellow hot is a good temperature for moving the steel.
When the color of the steel changes from orange to red, it shows the temperature is good for moving the steel. Once the color changes to red, then that is the right time to reheat the steel.
Generally, steel becomes red hot around 1200-1500℉ and becomes orange at about 1800℉. Most steel alloys fall within these ranges and their temperature color falls under the range.
Any steel that falls outside this range is either a different type or it hasn’t reached a workable temperature for hammering and forging. If the steel doesn’t reach a workable temperature and gives a blue coloration, the process of hammering can shatter it.
Use suitable temperature to use for each process
Using the same temperature all through the process of sword making might not give you the best results. It is best to identify and use suitable temperature for each process.
Roughening Stage
For roughing, it is advisable to stay between 1500℉ and 1800℉. When roughing the sword, the temperature should be slightly moderate.
Steel moving should occur at high temperature. The process of roughing which involves shaping and smoothing should occur at a lower temperature.
At this point, the steel is undergoing smoking and forging drops to a red-orange color. It is best to do most of steel movement at a higher temperature and the temperature should be reduced when it’s time for corrections and straightening before being put back in the forge.
Beveling Stage
When shaping the bevels, it is best to begin at 2000℉ and hammer with lighter blows as the steel cools down to around 1100℉.
At this point, it is still very hot, but not glowing. The color will range from dark cherry to black.
It is better and easier to shape and hammer the steel at a low temperature. It is easier now to hammer marks and make the surface evener because the metal is not very hot that it could break and it is not cold that it would be difficult to hammer and shape.
At this moderate temperature, it is the best time to roughen the steel sword; shaped and smoothed. It is advisable to peen the surface and try to refine the shape until the steel is gray because, at this point, you can clearly see the surface of the hammer marks and lines of the sword.
Consolidation Stage
Another color change that should be noticed is the white heat color. When consolidating, especially when you are working on bloomery steel, the bloom you should fold and consolidate until it becomes homogeneous.
In order to consolidate, you must treat the steel to high temperature; temperature as high as 2300 to 2400℉. At this stage, the steel becomes white hot.
The steel starts to spark and other metals and substances with lower boiling points start to melt.
After a few folding heats, ensure you reduce the temperature to a lower point than the former. The temperature should be around 2200 to 2300℉.
Out of 100 procedures in swordsmithing, 60 have something to do with temperature. Indirectly, 60 percent of the procedures of making a steel sword deals with temperature.
What are other processes that involve temperature changes?
Below are other procedures and methods that deal with temperature.
Forging
This deals with heating the steel at a high temperature. The sword is from iron sand that contains very little or no Sulphur.
The way to achieve this is by heating iron sand and carbon together at a very high temperature. This causes the sword to have high strength and ability to hold sharp edges and reduce the risk of breaking.
The combination of the iron and carbon is done at a high temperature, about 1200 to 1500 degree Celsius. It is heated at this temperature for up to 72 hours.
Swordsmithing
This process involves heating steel to about 900 degree Celsius. The iron and carbon combination form into blocks.
In the process of forming into blocks, heat the steel to about 900 degree Celsius.
After heating, hammer and fold the block to make it thicker. You then place it into the fire back to be heated again.
Do this repeatedly about 10 to 16 times. The essence of this is to make the steel block homogenous.
Heat treating
To normalize the steel is very essential. This helps relax the stresses built up in the process of forging.
Heat treating of the blade is done after the blade has been normalized. This is because in the process of forging and heating, there might be some anomaly in the heating and cooling of the steel.
There would also be some hammering difference; some part being more hammered than the other.
So, if the steel is not normalized, when heat treating the blade, the tempering and hardening might not be even. This might even build up stress in the blade causing the blade to fail under much stress.
Even in modern sword making, the temperature at which the sword is being forged is always kept in mind. This is because temperature does a great deal of job in affecting the quality of the sword.
The modern method of sword making is very efficient because the temperature can be monitored and controlled. The precise temperature control and the modern means of reheating and tempering increase the quality of the sword.
What materials and tools are used in sword making?
There are different materials used in sword making. Each material used determines the quality of the sword.
The most common blade materials used in making swords include carbon steel, stainless steel, tool steel and alloy steel.
There are other materials used in making blades. These materials include cobalt alloy, titanium alloy, obsidian, ceramics, and plastic.
The blade of the sword contains certain elements. These elements have their functions and they are as follows;
- Carbon: This element increases the hardness of the sword. It also improves the edge retention and reduces the action of friction.
- Chromium: It creates resistance to corrosion. It makes the steel sword stainless. This occurs by causing the formation of an oxide coating.
- Cobalt: It intensifies and bring out the individual effect of other elements in more complex steel.
- Copper: This element creates resistance to corrosion.
- Manganese: It degasifies and deoxidizes by removing oxygen from molten metal.
- Nickel: It helps add toughness to the steel. It also prevents hardening by heat treatment.
- Niobium: It increases the strength of the steel and it reduces carbide grain growth. It also creates the hardest carbide.
There are other elements found in the steel sword. These elements also give their own protection and function to the steel sword.
Essentials Tools
Precautions and Warnings in Sword Making
Safety is one of the core practices of blacksmithing. Taking necessary precautions will not only mitigate the possibility of hazards and accidents, it will also ensure that the sword you are making is of high quality.
Below are some essential safety and precaution tips while forging a sword.
- Forging a sword requires high temperature; hence, it is best to handle all metals in the shop with care.
- Use appropriate temperature for each process.
- Be careful during the hammering to avoid self-injury.
- Ensure to use gloves, aprons, and other safety accessories necessary for the process.
- Keep other blacksmith safety rules and precautions in mind all through the process.
Frequently Asked Questions About Forging Temperature
What is the right temperature to forge a steel sword?
The right temperature to forge steel swords depend on the nature and type of steel. For some steel, when the temperature becomes too high, they burn while others don’t.
For other steels, when the temperature becomes cold, they crack. So, depending on the type of metal you are using, the right temperature for forging must be determined by the swordsmith.
Also, you should know the peak temperature of any forge you want to use. For instance, you should know the degree of hotness of your gas or coal forge, depending on the available option in your shop.
How hot does steel need to be before forging?
Steel must attain a certain temperature before you can forge it to whatever you wish. The typical forging temperature of steel is usually between 2150-2375 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is one of the first things to know when learning how to forge a steel.
A little more above this can cause the steel to melt, which is not suitable for forging. A lower temperature will also make it difficult to forge steel.
What is the forging temperature of iron?
Iron, just like steel, must reach a certain temperature before you can work on them. The best temperature iron must reach to forge is usually between 2400-2600 degrees Fahrenheit.
Iron needs to attain this temperature before you can work on it with relative ease.
How hot does a forge get?
The maximum temperature a forge can get is dependent on the type of forge. Some forge even has temperature control feature that can help you regulate the amount of heat generation.
Gas forge can get as hot as 3000 degrees Fahrenheit. Wood forge and coal forge can operate within the temperature range of 1500-2500 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can use a specific forge suitable for various processes.
How hot is a blacksmith forge?
The blacksmith forge temperature is dependent on the type of forge you are using and the temperature you intend to achieve. A blacksmith forge can get as hot as 3000 degrees Fahrenheit.
What do blacksmiths use to heat metal?
Blacksmiths use forge to heat metals. There are different types of forge, and blacksmiths can use any of them to heat metals.
Can you forge steel with firewood fire?
You might not be able to forge with firewood fire. You must heat steel to attain a certain temperature (usually above 1000 degrees Fahrenheit) before forging it.
Firewood fire cannot get hotter than 900 degrees Fahrenheit, which is not suitable to heat steel and other metals to forgeable temperatures.
Can blacksmiths forge steel without fire?
It is practically impossible for a blacksmith to forge steel without fire. Although there is a forging technique known as cold forging, it does not work in steel.
It might work for other materials like copper.
What burns hotter than coal and charcoal?
The forging fuel that burns hotter than coal or charcoal is lump charcoal. It is slightly different from regular charcoal.
Lump charcoal can burn up to 1400 degrees Fahrenheit.
How are swords used today?
Unlike the medieval period, where swords are strictly used as weapons, modern swords are useful for ceremonial purposes. However, they are still useful as weapons in some regions around the world.
Can I forge and sell swords?
Of course, you can make a decent income from making and selling swords. There is a profitable market for sword-making.
Can I use swords in place of knives?
Sadly, you cannot use swords instead of knives. Each one has its unique purpose, even though they have little intersections.
For instance, you cannot use swords for domestic purposes even though you can use knives as weapons.
How long can a sword last?
Swords are one of the most durable materials blacksmiths forge. It is durable because of the forging processes and the material source.
A blacksmith forge can last as long as 250 years. Some might last longer or less. Some medieval swords dating over 500 years ago are still preserved in various art galleries.
Do swords break easily?
Swords break, but not easily. One of the core forging processes of a sword is hardening, which is the technique that makes it difficult to break.
Do swords rust?
Steels are usually the dominant materials for making swords. Steel has iron, which means it is also susceptible to rust when exposed to adverse conditions.
Do swords bend?
Swords can bend. Against the unpopular opinion that swords are heavy and stiff, the process of hardening and tempering confers rigidity, flexibility, and hardness on swords.
Conclusion
The temperature at which a steel sword is heated determines the strength, resistance, and flexibility of the sword. The quality of a good sword is largely dependent on its forging temperature.
Most of the procedures used in forging swords deal with temperature. These procedures if carried out professionally and accurately will improve the quality of the sword you plan to forge.
The tips highlighted in this post are invaluable and very easy to follow. They will help you in your next attempt to forge a sword and ensure you obtain your desired output.