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Post by Matthew.Jensen on Aug 7, 2015 14:11:03 GMT
Don't destroy it, send it to meeee! I know its not fun to see perfectly decent swords destroyed but that is why I get them. Ronin sent this one to me for free to test and break. They never said I have to break them or anything but it would feel dishonest if I didn't break it..
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Post by Croccifixio on Aug 7, 2015 14:52:44 GMT
Care to share what katana that was?
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Post by Matthew.Jensen on Aug 7, 2015 19:12:58 GMT
It was a deferentially hardened ronin katana of some type.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2015 20:15:59 GMT
Some Atrim tacticals still in their blanks. CNC allows the cutting of profile, bevels and distal taper. At the stage shown, they would then be further cut out of their webs and heat treated. There is still grinding before and after heat treat.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2015 20:28:51 GMT
Don't destroy it, send it to meeee! The pictures are gone but here is a transcript of Randal Graham breaking an Atrim Swede back in the old days. The following is a destructive test, done to one of Atrim's Swede blades, by Randal Graham , of Dragon Fist Forge, Nova Scotia, in the Spring of 2001 ...... Atrim had sent this blade to Randal, and gave him the go-ahead to test this blade to failure....Randal , being Randal *g* , did not fail .....here is his report!( dont try this at home boys & girls :-) Excellent job RG , Mac
First, my camera is dyin...I'll get a new one if I ever get ahead. Donations gratefully accepted... :0)
This is the last phase of a test-run for proofing heat-treating parameters and steel quality. Flex/Bend/Break 5160 56HRc as tested; graduated file test. "Decent" sword should go 45 without a set, should go 90 before cracking or breaking. These meet test requirements as per the ABS. When I do this on my own I expect 90 before a set, multiple flexes to 180 before break, and at least two...these are minimums. (symetrical double-edged, through-hardened, "Spring" draw,exceeding 24 inches blade length)
Pic # 1 45, not a prob.
[pic]http://www.ezshots.com/members/mcdonaldthomas/images/mcdonaldthomas-557.jpg[/pic]
Pic # 2 90, no set yet, minor "piling", a term for a sudden increase in tension from stresses/stretching/compacting in the steel.
[pic]http://www.ezshots.com/members/mcdonaldthomas/images/mcdonaldthomas-558.jpg[/pic] Pic # 3 a little more than 115degrees? 120? first sign of set.
[pic]http://www.ezshots.com/members/mcdonaldthomas/images/mcdonaldthomas-559.jpg[/pic]
Pic # 4 Pic of the set, fairly minor...unfortunately crappy pic...portion of blade beyond the bend follows the inseam of my jeans in the pic. This is quite acceptable considering angle shown in the previous picture.Piling was moderate. Lack of stretch-marks on surface is encouraging.
[pic]http://www.ezshots.com/members/mcdonaldthomas/images/mcdonaldthomas-560.jpg [/pic]
Pic # 5 Onward in a single flex towards 180 degrees...no cracking, definate piling after about 140 degrees, stretch marks on the outer side of the bend. [pic]http://www.ezshots.com/members/mcdonaldthomas/images/mcdonaldthomas-561.jpg[/pic]
Pic # 6 Blade breaks on opposite flex at about 50 degrees. More than acceptable. Shows an extremely matched HT procedure to the 5160 being used. [pic]http://www.ezshots.com/members/mcdonaldthomas/images/mcdonaldthomas-562.jpg[/pic]
Pic # 7 Grain isn't visible really, it's quite good though, could be improved on slightly with an adjustment of austenizing temp and perhaps duration...issues that were considered and acted apon in later swords. Still , in this example, it is very fine for a production sword, significantly smoother and finer than the majority of broken sections I've seen in production swords. What the pic does show is the smooth rise across the break at the ridgeline, as opposed to a straight-across break...to me this rise is an indication of the better condition...blade did not "snap" from brittleness but instead broke from stress-build up in the bend region. This is really the best that can be aspired too. This blade, handled in the manner that a sword should be, would be EXTREMELY difficult to bend to a set, and breakage outside of a internal flaw, or abuse, would be extremely unlikely, In my opinion.
[pic]http://www.ezshots.com/members/mcdonaldthomas/images/mcdonaldthomas-563.jpg[/pic]
Other testing was done previous to this final phase, for edge-holding, edge-strength, resistance to twist, and the hilt components were subjected to severe treatment as well. All results placed the sword well into the realm of very upper-end performance, pricing and manufacture class (production) being considered. Only issue I had was possibly the bubinga grip, although it also passed without any trouble...just didn't seem to match up with the rest of the sword's far-above-average solidness. I think the Walnut handles now in place would likely suit me better personally.
Finally, the blade was a little more "wobbly" at times than I'd personally like...however, this has also been addressed in prototype stage ( this sword is a prototype ie pre-production) with a slight change in the blade's dimensions. This sword was also reviewed by Mariah Clark.
Caveat- any bend in a "decent" blade much past 15 degrees will propogate permanant stresses....this series is destructive testing for controll and parameter consideration, and is as such, pure abuse. Sword owners who bend thier swords to show "quality" on a regular basis, intentionally, are simply shortening the lifespan of thier blades unnesecarily.
Overall...I'm quite impressed.
RandalIf anybody remembers the test, Randal pretty much had his knees on the ground while heaving to the 180 degree mark. Grain is effected in terms of piling. Not compacting but in essence ripping/pushing metal around. If I can ever recover the photosd (Tom MacDonald may have them)(they belong with the above text. This goes back to the first batches Gus was doing.
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Post by Matthew.Jensen on Aug 8, 2015 22:48:33 GMT
Here is a video that should cover the Peen question and the grain structure..
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2015 0:44:00 GMT
Nice job on these videos. The heat treat and build look adequate, with the peened tang a huge improvement over the first generation. The multiple bends showed it breaking pretty much as expected. You don't really comment if there was much set in the early stage but little or non was exhibited before the failure. From those few close ups of the grain, it looks fine and not the BisQuick we often see in broken overheated blades.
So, aside from the slightly anachronistic blade profiles and stylings, I wouldn't be concerned in offering the new generation as a possible recommendation at that price point. Just to add for shoppers to avoid the eartlier threaded tangs.
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Scott
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Post by Scott on Aug 14, 2015 1:01:20 GMT
These look like a good option, I wonder if they will be improving the tang on the first six models.
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