Forged weapons

[Faiyloe]

No the pace full traders would sell the mettle to Salamandastron to make in to weapons.

[NinjaMonkey]

i believe these weapons were not made as salamandaston, because some of the badge lords collect vermin made weapons. What most people forget about, is the northlands, from the studies i have done, in some of the books, there were vermin empires much larger then anything cluny or any vermin bands had.

[White One6193]

Er, I don't wanna be rude, but have you tryed making a spear? Its harder that it looks.

I have, in fact, made a spear, a short, leaf-bladed, double-headed one at that. But I was responding to Shadowed One's comment,

All you need for a spear is a stick and a pointy piece of rock.

And saying that for a rock-on-a-stick it's that simple, but for a spear you need flint and a flintknapper.

@rusvulthesaber: Would you mind explaining how you make weapons? I haven't seen a single satisfactory Sgian Dubh on Amazon, and I've been looking to have one for a while now. I think it would be awesome to make one

Sure! I will gladly yammer on about something I love to do. But, it won't help you make one. You have to have all the proper equipement and instruction, something that is hard to find. It actually took me like six years to find a blacksmithing instructor, from when I gained the interest.

1: Get a bit of old metal that's the right kind, (High carbon tool steel, usually. I made a pair of shortswords from a section of tierod from a car once, my blacksmithing instructor is awesome) and heat it up in a forge until it's red hot. Take it out, hammer it into a bladelike shape, leaving a long handle, and anneal it by making it cool very slowly. This will make the next step easier.

2: Get an angle grinder, and shape the blade more finely, taking out all snags and such. Polish the sides if you wish, this is not completely necessary. (I have a knife where one side is polished, and the other I did nothing to. Actually, if you don't polish it, it looks almost like stone.) You can polish it more finely with a belt sander.

3: sharpen it. Use the angle grinder and the belt sander to give it an edge.

4: Heat it to red-hot, then dip it in used motor oil, and swish it around until cooled. Dry the motor oil off.

5: Polish again. Apply oil to prevent it from rusting. Add handle, pommelstone, all that fun stuff.

If you want to use medeval methods, replace the gas-powered forge with a giant coal powered one, and replace every single power tool used with hours and hours of tedious, boring, difficult, filing. Ugh, I hate filing.


And Romsca, I could possibly make you a Sghain Dubh, but it would be expensive, take a while, I'd need to know where you live, it'd take a long time, and I wouldn't be able to even start for several months.

HAAHAHA! It is so good to meet a fellow bladesmith on these forums!  Your advice is sound, Rusvul, but I would suggest an addendum. Romsca should also look into the Arctic Fire videos on youtube. A few of my mentors are on those videos and show some of the best smithing I've ever seen

[Gonff the Mousethief]

that is awesome!!

[The Skarzs]

Fellow bladesmiths and blacksmiths, I greet you with great praise in continuing the dying art.
I've made a knife completely the "old fashioned way," and to all beginners, as cool as you think it may be to do it that way, it isn't that glorious. Save yourself hours of labor and sweat and us an angle grinder. And a gas forge. And several other tools I did not use which would have made that job, so much easier.

[Tam and Martin]

I would definitely try metal-working if I had the right equipment! it sounds soooooo fun!

[The Skarzs]

I've joined a blacksmith association near me; it depends on where you live. Beginner classes are very useful. Might want to take welding also. 

[Tam and Martin]

I've joined a blacksmith association near me; it depends on where you live. Beginner classes are very useful. Might want to take welding also. 

I have a neighbor who does welding and I've watched him do some welding before.

[The Skarzs]

Good! Any work in metal is a great start, and welding gives good jobs. Just don't look straight at the welding; that's UV rays and can permanently ruin your eyes!

[Tam and Martin]

Good! Any work in metal is a great start, and welding gives good jobs. Just don't look straight at the welding; that's UV rays and can permanently ruin your eyes!

I know! My neighbor really hurt his eyes looking at it.

[The Skarzs]

It's basically a poison. I've heard that putting pieces of potatoes over your eyes will help, but that's just what I've heard.  Make sure to use a welding mask.
Any one here make armor?

[Kitsune]

Nope.
It would be cool to be able to do so, though.

[The Skarzs]

I'm making my own suit (can't get the computer to work right though, so won't be able to show pictures) both plate armor and chainmail.

[Kitsune]

I'm making my own suit (can't get the computer to work right though, so won't be able to show pictures) both plate armor and chainmail.

Awesome!

[Leatho Shellhound]

I'm making my own suit (can't get the computer to work right though, so won't be able to show pictures) both plate armor and chainmail.

Wow, I normal work with wood.