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Post by mythosequidae on Mar 28, 2008 0:45:13 GMT
Hi. Is there a problem with using a plasma cutter (super high temp.) to create sword blanks from high carbon steel/alloy? Say from the 9258 that is favored by Brenno, or from any of the other popular grades for that matter. (In the annealed state). Very entertaining threads by Brenno, I must add. I was also wondering about more durable grip materials. Namely the indestructible, yet easily shaped nylons. (For a base, than sheathed with leather or wire). I worry about wood breaking. Thank you.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2008 0:50:16 GMT
nothing wrong with it, just leave the extra meat along the outline to compensate for grinding it all off nice and smooth. Waterjet is better IMO, or bandsaw is best.
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Post by brotherbanzai on Mar 28, 2008 1:39:13 GMT
I've been using a plasma cutter to cut out blanks and find it to be pretty handy if you're doing unusual shapes but it makes an awful big mess. If you're cutting straight lines I think a cut-off wheel in an angle grinder will work better. Also keep in mind that because of the "swirl" a plasma cutter will cut better in one direction than the other.
I've been playing around with some high density plastics for some other projects and imagine they might be pretty usable for grips, however you might have a hard time gluing separate pieces together. If you are using wood make sure it hasn't been dried for use as a building material or furniture or something. If you get stabilized wood there shouldn't be any problem with breakage.
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Post by Dan Davis on Mar 28, 2008 2:18:38 GMT
I wouldn't worry about wood breaking; we have several blades over 500 years old in our collection and the original wood grips are just fine.
Like everything else, if you start out with the best and the do the best job on it possible, you will end up with a superior product. The best materials in the universe cannot save a sloppy job and the best craftsmanship in the universe cannot make a pearl from pig-poopie.
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Post by Brendan Olszowy on Mar 29, 2008 1:48:04 GMT
Very entertaining threads by Brenno, I must add. Thanks, I'm glad. I hope to get others off their asses and making / customising swords too. It's a time consuming hobby, but very satisfying. Hanwei and others use some pretty soft wood for their grips with no reports of failure. All the DSA grips I've heard of have been cracked and still not failed. I make my grips out of very hard wood, in two halves, epoxied together. I haven't had any problems with the ones that haven't been wrapped. And thats with some pretty big beater swords - Wallace.
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