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Post by Dandelion on Oct 28, 2020 16:17:39 GMT
...would it be possible to BEND a crossguard, lets say from a Hanwei/Tinker Bastard or Longsword to get another form/shape/design/type???
Input/feedback appreciated, thank you!
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Post by illustry on Oct 28, 2020 17:06:43 GMT
you need be careful of the type of material and where you start and end your bends. you could screw up the flush fit at the tang slot with the blade and grip. so you want to start your bend AFTER that part.
i have done this on mild steel using a 2x12 board that a cut a small hole into, passed the quillion through, then bent there. it acted as a jig to ensure the tang area didn't have any pressure on it. this i did "cold" but it wasn't a large bend.
i don't know what H/T fittings are. they could be stainless but could also be zinc alloy casting. i would be careful bending as it could break. IF you can take the fittings off, as you can with those, maybe heat it first with a torch. at most to dark/faint red. then you could use a hammer to tap it.
if you use a hammer you want to use special rounding hammers that won't leave grooves. this is getting into "forging" territory though and there is a lot of subtle technique to get the results you want.
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Post by illustry on Oct 28, 2020 17:07:37 GMT
practice on a spare part first
you can also bend with pliers - put the center area in the vice. the bend will start at the area it leaves the vice. heat up a little. then bend with pliers.
you're going to see it will not be perfectly curved though. it takes a lot of tweaking or you bend it over the curved surface of the anvil as with forging. still, you will probably need to file/sand it smooth afterwards, to get a nice result.
and it's hot, so you have to not burn yourself
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Post by Dandelion on Oct 28, 2020 17:24:46 GMT
you need be careful of the type of material and where you start and end your bends. you could screw up the flush fit at the tang slot with the blade and grip. so you want to start your bend AFTER that part. i have done this on mild steel using a 2x12 board that a cut a small hole into, passed the quillion through, then bent there. it acted as a jig to ensure the tang area didn't have any pressure on it. this i did "cold" but it wasn't a large bend. i don't know what H/T fittings are. they could be stainless but could also be zinc alloy casting. i would be careful bending them as they could break. IF you can take the fittings off, as you can with those, maybe heat it first with a torch. at most to dark/faint red. then you could use a hammer to tap it. if you use a hammer you want to use special rounding hammers that won't leave grooves. this is getting into "forging" territory though and there is a lot of subtle technique to get the results you want. The fittings are definitely not zinc casting alloy, they are labeled as mild steel if i remember correctly.
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Post by illustry on Oct 28, 2020 17:32:40 GMT
The fittings are definitely not zinc casting alloy, they are labeled as mild steel if i remember correctly. If you just want a slight bend you might just put it between some shims of wood in a vice, warm it up, wear leather gloves and push it with your hands. The wood shims will smooth the curve a little. That way you don't have sharp bends to file out.
If you don't have a vice you can use a huge board with a square hole in it just big enough for the quillion, put through that, but make sure the tang slot is after the point of the bend. then push on it. i fixed some out of alignment quillions on a LA HenryV that way. the steel was soft. i may have used pliers and leather to wrap the quillions so they didn't get marred, can't remember.
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Post by illustry on Oct 28, 2020 18:06:34 GMT
Had another, simple thought here: if you wanted to take a tinker longsword guard and bend the cross slightly like this: ericmycue.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/wide.jpg?w=4707i would take a 2x4, cut a small square hole in it, put the quillion through it to the point where the part after it exits the 2x4 is about where the blade shoulder would be, then start then bend there, wrapping with leather and using pliers or even a pipe to fit around end of quillion for leverage. any more bend than this, you'd need heat for. and if the h/t fitting are not really soft steel, then who knows.
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Post by Dandelion on Oct 28, 2020 18:13:34 GMT
thank you for input!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2020 21:00:34 GMT
Hi Again, So it depends. Assuming it’s mild steel (which it probably is) it depends on how much you want to “bend” it. Typically when working steel you want to be in the 1400 (Generally) degree range. But I mean if you have a propane torch it would probably suffice, just be careful. And your going to need a good hammer. BUT I wouldn’t recommend doing it to be honest if your not experienced, and you really want the right equipment not just a propane torch and a hammer. I mean if you really want to make a custom cross guard you need a lot of tools and the experience, not to mention you could destroy or unevenly bend the guard among other things. Forging and working steel is not as simple as it looks by far. But I mean if your just bending the ends over to give the horned look, AND doing it safely with a propane torch and a hammer you shouldn’t really have to much problem.
Best of Luck, Parker
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Alan Schiff
Registered
Manufacturers and Vendors
Posts: 464
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Post by Alan Schiff on Nov 3, 2020 3:25:00 GMT
Mild steel is relatively easy to bend cold. If you have a vise or sturdy table and good clamps you can introduce a curve by hand.
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Post by Dandelion on Nov 3, 2020 23:20:26 GMT
Thanks again!
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