# Aluminum Swordmaking



## Sheilawisz

Hello everyone!!

I wanted to start this thread to share pictures of the Aluminum swords that I produce, and in case anyone is interested, to provide details about how to make these swords- To start, I wanted to share two selected pictures and here they are =)

First, my Sheila-class Aluminum sword:








Now, here you can see the Angelica-class sword:







These swords are 100.7cm long and are made from 6061-T6 Aluminum, what do you think??


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## Philip Overby

Those are really impressive!  How many of these have you made?


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## Aidan of the tavern

Wow, they are nice.


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## Sheilawisz

@Phil: Thank you!! So far I have made only a few of these swords, because I work by hand and it's a really hard work!! I am considering to use power tools instead and start a really commercial production- the swords that you see here were unfinished and still needed polishing and sharpening =)

@Aidan: Thank you =)

The Angelica-class was developed to have a shorter blade and a longer handle, creating a better balance for a faster weapon that is also a little heavier than the Sheila-class but these swords are very light because they are Aluminum. So, anyone interested in Aluminum swordmaking around here??


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## Kevlar

Not so much aluminum, I'm actually trying to get a smithy set up. These are some beautiful looking blades, though, how are you making them by hand? There might be some crossover that will make it easier for me to get started smithing, which I've wanted to do since I got a taste of it in my grade nine metalwork class.

I hope you continue with this, they make very nice pieces of art.


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## Sheilawisz

Hello Kevlar, and thank you for your appreciation of my swords and your interest!! I cannot provide information about smithy, I have never tried that, but if you want to be a blacksmith then working first with non-ferrous metals like Aluminum and others can help you to get started =)

I make these swords by a cutting/carving/removing technique working with hacksaws, special heavy files and sandpaper- very soon I'll start posting a step by step guide for anyone that wants to try it... with the special warnings included, by the way!!

It's a little dangerous, but I love it =)


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## Graham Irwin

I'll be heading to your stronghold when the 2012 zombie-mayans start their attack


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## Sheilawisz

Sure Graham, we can fight off the mayan zombie hordes together!! XD! Well, now I am having second thoughts about posting the step by step Aluminum Swordmaking guide here in Mythic Scribes- After all these swords are real weapons (not at all toys or harmless wallhangers) and that means responsability issues, I'll have to ask Black Dragon about it.


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## Reaver

Wow! These are some of the most exquisitely crafted swords I've ever seen! Nicely done, Sheilawisz!  I'll definitely be the first in line to purchase some from you once you get your commercial production line going!


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## Sheilawisz

Thank you Reaver, you really cheered me up!! XD! The commercial production is still just a project, the power tools involved are dangerous and I have not decided yet whether it would be a good idea to take the risks or not- Anyway, comments of appreciation like yours tell me that it may be a good idea after all!!


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## Reaver

You're most welcome, Sheila! I wouldn't say it if it weren't true.  No matter what you decide to do on the commercial side, these swords are works of art!


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## Sheilawisz

You know, it gives me a good feeling to think of my swords as works of art instead of weapons!! It's a good idea, and now I want to use that point of view as part of my Swordmaking guide- thank you Reaver =)

Black Dragon has granted his permission for the Swordmaking Guide to go ahead... first instructions coming soon!!!


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## Reaver

I'm glad that I could make your day! I'm looking forward to your Guide.


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## Kevlar

Well, if they were steel I'd say they were beautiful weapons. As aluminum, they don't really qualify. Therefore my stance is at beautiful pieces of art, as I'd certainly never want to pit these against period swords. Also, labelling them as art pieces might get you around certain laws and restrictions as "weapons" would.


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## Sheilawisz

Hello Kevlar =) Aluminum 6061-T6 is not exactly a soft material, and these swords can easily slash cardboard boxes, bushes in my garden, watermelons and they can deliver stabs that easily go all across very hard pumpkins, not to mention that they are very fast and easy to handle- I don't like thinking about this, but my blades are capable of mortally stabbing a human being.

Aluminum swords are sometimes used in the practice of sword combat instead of training with steel blades, and sometimes they end up in the hospital with serious injuries caused by blunt aluminum weapons =P

Sure that carbon steel is stronger, but aluminum swords are real swords too and if someone was in a rampage wielding one of my blades in a shopping mall, I would run!! Anyway, for the guide I'll make use of the "works of art" description and special warnings shall be included.

First page of the swordmaking guide coming within a few minutes!! =)


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## Sheilawisz

*Aluminum Swordmaking Guide for Mythic Scribes*

Authored by Sheilawisz.

_*Disclaimer:*_ The instructions presented here are intended for the production of Aluminum swords as Works of Art. This Guide is for educational and artistic purposes only. We are not responsible for the possible misuse that could be given to the swords produced thanks to this Swordmaking Guide.

*Warning!!:* The practice of producing Aluminum swords for artistic purposes involves hazards. Hacksaws and Files are dangerous tools that can seriously hurt your hands. Always wear protection gloves and goggles while working with Aluminum swords.

*ALUMINUM POISONING:* Danger!! Something that other Aluminum Swordmaking guides and tutorials do not warn you about is the serious possibility of Aluminum Poisoning. Aluminum is a dangerous poison than can be inhaled or absorbed through skin contact, causing injuries to the nervous system in particular. Wear gloves, goggles and respiratory protection to avoid inhaling Aluminum dust or getting Aluminum particles inside your eyes.

Aluminum Poisoning Symptoms:

1- Trouble with your Memory.
2- Trouble with Emotions.
3- Disturbed Sleep.
4- Headaches.
5- Difficulty to concentrate.
6- Impaired intellect.
7- Sometimes you want to say something but you cannot find the words to express yourself.

If your nose starts feeling funny while working on your swords, you have inhaled Aluminum dust: Blow your nose immediately!! Do not let Aluminum dust to come into contact with your skin. If you experience these symptoms stop working with the metal and seek medical attention.

In severe cases, Aluminum can cause bone degeneration and permanent damage to your nervous system.

While working with hacksaws and files, always concentrate on what you are doing and do not let your mind to think of anything else. Angle grinders with metal cutting disks are even more dangerous and I do not recommend their use at all.

Warnings are over now- Page 2 coming tomorrow =)


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## Reaver

Kevlar said:


> Well, if they were steel I'd say they were beautiful weapons. As aluminum, they don't really qualify.



No offense, Kevlar, but this is akin to saying that aluminum baseball bats don't qualify as weapons.  If someone was pointing one of Sheila's swords at me in anger, I'd run away faster than Sir Robin from the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog .  But that's just me.


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## Reaver

Sheilawisz said:


> Aluminum Poisoning Symptoms:
> 
> 1- Trouble with your Memory.
> 2- Trouble with Emotions.
> 3- Disturbed Sleep.
> 4- Headaches.
> 5- Difficulty to concentrate.
> 6- Impaired intellect.
> 7- Sometimes you want to say something but you cannot find the words to express yourself.
> =)



And all this time I thought I was just really depressed.  I suppose that I'll have to quit eating all those empty beer cans. Y'know, come to think of it, Legendary Sidekick did warn me about that once...


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## Steerpike

Reaver said:


> If someone was pointing one of Sheila's swords at me in anger, I'd run away faster than Sir Robin from the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog .  But that's just me.



"He is packing it in and packing it up
And sneaking away and buggering off
And chickening out and pissing off home,
Yes, bravely he is throwing in the sponge..."


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## Reaver

Steerpike said:


> "He is packing it in and packing it up
> And sneaking away and buggering off
> And chickening out and pissing off home,
> Yes, bravely he is throwing in the sponge..."



"No! I didn't! I never did! Ooh, Lie!":running:


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## Konjurer

Reaver said:


> No offense, Kevlar, but this is akin to saying that aluminum baseball bats don't qualify as weapons.  If someone was pointing one of Sheila's swords at me in anger, I'd run away faster than Sir Robin from the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog .  But that's just me.



I have to thank you for making a totally inane comparison between swords and baseball bats and then following it up with the obscure, yet witty Monty Python reference.  Nicely done.


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## Konjurer

Reaver said:


> And all this time I thought I was just really depressed.  I suppose that I'll have to quit eating all those empty beer cans. Y'know, come to think of it, Legendary Sidekick did warn me about that once...




Wow...you have a really weird sense of humor.  Like a bizarre mix of Woody Allen and Douglas Adams.


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## Kevlar

Everything I say is being misunderstood all over the forum... probably my fault. 

What I meant was not that these aluminum swords couldn't be used as real weapons, (and likewise I wouldn't stick around if someone was going on a rampage with one) but that the use of aluminum automatically implies that they are not intended for serious use as a weapon. Could they find use as one? Certainly, especially in this modern world where no one carries around anything to specifically counter it. Make no mistake, I was not saying they aren't weapons. I was mostly suggesting that labelling them as art could get them around a lot of restrictions.

Looking forward to the second part.


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## Devor

Kevlar said:


> Everything I say is being misunderstood all over the forum... probably my fault.



Happens to all of us.


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## Black Dragon

Reaver said:


> If someone was pointing one of Sheila's swords at me in anger, I'd run away faster than Sir Robin from the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog.



Thank you Reaver.  This just made my day!  :nerd:


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## Reaver

Kevlar said:


> Everything I say is being misunderstood all over the forum... probably my fault.
> 
> What I meant was not that these aluminum swords couldn't be used as real weapons, (and likewise I wouldn't stick around if someone was going on a rampage with one) but that the use of aluminum automatically implies that they are not intended for serious use as a weapon. Could they find use as one? Certainly, especially in this modern world where no one carries around anything to specifically counter it. Make no mistake, I was not saying they aren't weapons. I was mostly suggesting that labelling them as art could get them around a lot of restrictions.
> 
> Looking forward to the second part.



I stand corrected, sir. Thank you for clarifying that. You make a very good point.


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## Reaver

Black Dragon said:


> Thank you Reaver.  This just made my day!  :nerd:



You're very welcome, BD...I'm just glad that some people got the reference.  :bounce:


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## Sheilawisz

*Aluminum Swordmaking Guide*

Page 2- _What you need_

Well, now that you know the hazards that are involved and you are ready to go ahead, Page 2 will tell you everything that you need to get started in Aluminum Swordmaking:

1- First, you have to find a metals supplier (what I call metals shop) close to your place- these are the businesses that sell steel, iron, copper, bronze, aluminum and other metals for the building industry and so on. When you call them you have to ask especially for Aluminum 6061-T6 which is after all the most common Aluminum alloy. You can also ask for 7075-T6 which is a little more difficult to find, but it's even better to make swords with.

They may ask you what exactly you need it for- this is a funny moment because if you say that you want to make swords they will think that you are nuts, so just tell them that you want to reinforce a dog house or something like that. It can also happen that they have no idea about Aluminum alloy codes and they just sell it as Aluminum: This is not a problem, because 6061-T6 is the most common alloy and you will most likely be getting that one.

Now, you need to ask for an Aluminum bar (or slab? not sure what you call them in English) precisely 2 inches wide and 3/16" thick- That is what I work with, and even though other Aluminum Swordmakers use 4/16" I feel that just three sixteenths is better because it will make a lighter and faster blade. The little problem here is that the metals suppliers usually will sell you an entire 6 meter long slab and not just what you need, but don't worry: They will just send it to your place and then you will be able to easily cut it to have six slabs of one meter each.

2- You need three basic tools to start your Aluminum Swordmaking, and the first is a little wooden bench like the one I work with, picture here:








I work on my wooden bench in my back garden, if you cannot find a little bench like this then maybe you could use a table or something else. The other tools that you need are a one-hand hacksaw and a heavy triangle file, picture here:







3- You will need as well a plastic 30cm ruler and a ball-point pen, you will see why!! Now that you have all of these (and your gloves, goggles and respiratory protection!!) You are ready to start your Aluminum Swordmaking.

Page 3 coming tomorrow!!


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## Reaver

Sheilawisz said:


> *Aluminum Swordmaking Guide*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They may ask you what exactly you need it for- this is a funny moment because if you say that you want to make swords they will think that you are nuts, so just tell them that you want to reinforce a dog house or something like that.
> 
> 
> 
> *Note to self: *DO NOT  *go to the metal supplies shop dressed in your scalemail (again).*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now, you need to ask for an Aluminum bar (or slab? not sure what you call them in English)...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Either one is okay...a little known fact here: There's actually a bar close where I used to live called "The Slab".
> 
> 
> But seriously...thanks for the informative guide thus far!
Click to expand...


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## myrddin173

Sheilawisz said:


> Now, you need to ask for an Aluminum bar (or slab? not sure what you call them in English)



I think "sheet" is the best word.

So far very interesting.


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## Sheilawisz

_*Aluminum Swordmaking Guide*_

Page 3- _Start creating your Sword_

You have now everything that you need to start, and first of all, let me tell you that hard work is coming. Working by hand on metals may seem like a bad idea because power tools are available, but first, the specific tool that you would need for this is very dangerous. Second, working by hand will create a stronger link between you and the sword, and in the end you shall feel very proud of your blades.

1- Get creative!! Drawing your sword: You have now an Aluminum slab about one meter long, and the first step now is to use your imagination and create the design of your sword. I suggest a design created with straight lines only because curved lines are way more difficult to cut- another important point here is that you should create a design that minimizes the amount of metal that you will have to remove to finally create a sword from a slab.

Use the plastic ruler and the ball-point pen to create the drawing of your entire sword. The lines that you draw on the Aluminum will be slowly erased as you work, so you will have to draw them again later in the process. Keep in mind that the finished cut (already filed down and everything) will not run exactly on these lines, but about one millimiter beside them.

2- _Your sword is already inside the slab:_You simply have to remove the metal that is encasing it, so now take your hacksaw and start cutting!! As soon as you start hacksawing you will discover that this metal is not a joke, and if you have never hacksawed anything before, you will soon feel discouraged at the idea of cutting so much metal to finish your sword. You need to take it easy- Creating straight and neat cuts takes practice and patience.

Hacksawing Aluminum is not a matter of strength, it's all about skills and practice. The amount of metal that you will have to file away later will always depend on the quality of your cuts, so you can expect that your first sword will require a lot more of work than the blades that you will create when you are more experienced- Just be patient, be very careful and with practice it will become much easier.

This picture shows you the kind of cuts that you need to perform:







3- After you cut a long section like this, you need to remove it completely and then start to work with your File to remove the remaining metal and create a neat finish. You need to work by parts, it's not about cutting everything first and filing later: cut and then file, cut and then file and so on. Creating an entire sword from a slab usually takes me an entire month of hard work and patience, but believe me, the joy and the pride that you feel when you finally have your sword in your hand and wield it around is worth every second of your hard work!!

Your first sword may not be a perfect work, but that's alright. You will also see that the metal looks grey and dull so far: We shall fix that later. The next step of Aluminum Swordmaking is about the edges...

Page 4 coming tomorrow!!


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## Reaver

Excellent guide, Sheila! Your positive encouragements throughout this informative post are very inspiring!:smile:


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## Sheilawisz

Thank you, Reaver!! =) Well, I did feel very discouraged when I created my first sword, and it was even worse with everyone (especially my family) trying to discourage me too, saying that it was impossible- I really wanted to do this so I had patience and I practiced, which is why I want to encourage the readers of my guide to do exactly the same.


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## Reaver

You're welcome,Sheila! I'd say that all that patience and hard work paid off!  Your swords are exquisitely crafted and beautiful. I can't wait to see the pictures of the others you've made!


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## Sheilawisz

_*Aluminum Swordmaking Guide*_

Page 4- _Working on the Edges_

You have now an unfinished Aluminum sword!! You can already play with it, but more work is necessary if you actually want to have fun cutting targets or maybe using your sword for theatrical plays. Your sword has four edges now, two in the left side of the blade and two more in the right, so now you have two options:

1- Safe Edges: If you just want your sword to look great, and sometimes play with it having contact with another Aluminum blade, you need to create safe edges because the sharp ones can get damaged easily- First, take your File again and place it in contact with your blade with an angle of 45Â° precisely.

_Do not move the file up and down!!_

To create a neat finish on the edges, you need to move your file from one side to the other all across the length of your blade-You have to be careful to keep the file in exactly the same angle, and soon you will see how a different edge starts appearing as you keep moving the file from one side to the other.

Work by parts, first on the lower section of the blade and then the upper part...

Keep filing like this until you have edges around 2 millimiters thick, or a little more if you like, and then give them a better finish using a high grade sandpaper.

2- Sharp Edges: First, keep in mind that your sword will not be _really_ sharp!! Actually you would need to work-harden the edges, and I have no idea how to do that- However, you can create edges sharp enough to slash soft targets and a tip sharp enough to easily stab pumpkins and other similar things.

Follow the instructions for Safe Edges with the difference that you will keep filing until the 45Â° angles touch each other- this can take loads of time and hard work, just be patient!! Sharpening the tip of your sword means another set of complications, and you have to be particularly careful with that part. When you have finished, use the sandpaper on the edges and your sword will look great.

The metal is looking very grey, dirty and dull after all this work- Polishing your sword is coming next =)

Page 5 coming tomorrow!!


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## Reaver

Thanks, Sheila! This is yet another helpful, insightful page in an already very informative guide.   Nicely done!


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## Sheilawisz

_*Aluminum Swordmaking Guide*_

Page 5- _Finishing your Sword_

This is the last page of my Guide, where you can finally give the last details to your sword and enjoy it to the fullest!! You will really love the sword that you have made with your own hands, so I am sure that now you want to make it look and feel as best as you can to show it off and everything =)

1- Polishing your Sword: There are special polishing substances to work on metals, but you don't really need them: Just go to the supermarket and buy cheap and common toothpaste. That is excellent to polish metals too, and to work with it on your sword, you need to wear your gloves again and get an old piece of fabric or something like that.

The first step is to simply wash your sword with soap and water =)

Apply toothpaste and water to your sword and then start scrubbing it with the fabric- You have to work by parts again, frequently adding more toothpaste and water as you work. You will immediately realize that a black/grey liquid starts forming- _poison danger_ again, do not let this liquid to come into contact with your skin!! 

Polishing Aluminum is fast and you will see the first results after a few minutes of work- Your sword will really start to look great!! Keep polishing for as long as you want, or until you can see a clear reflection of images on the blade. You will realize now that Aluminum looks more like silver than steel, absolutely a beautiful metal =)

Aluminum is also very resistant to oxidation and corrosion, meaning that your sword will retain its great looks for much longer and it shall require far less maintenance than a sword made of steel or bronze.

2- The Grip: To finish the Grip of your Sword, you can add a layer of leather or just fabric of any colour that you like- I have used violet on my swords =)

I wish that you have enjoyed my Aluminum Swordmaking Guide, and if you actually decide to follow my instructions and make swords of your own, I wish that you shall have a happy Aluminum Swordmaking!!

*End of the Sheilawisz Aluminum Swordmaking Guide*


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## Reaver

Thank you for this entire Aluminum Swordmaking Guide, Sheila! It's very helpful, informative and encouraging! 

Hopefully I'll be able to find enough free time to try my hand at this very soon!  Great job!


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## Sheilawisz

I am very happy that I have been able to share this knowledge here in Mythic Scribes!! Good luck Reaver, when you have produced your first sword it would be great if you share pictures of your work in this thread =) Aluminum 2024-T3 is another good option to make swords with, but I did not mention it before because it is more vulnerable to corrosion than 6061-T6.

7075-T6 is considerably more expensive than other alloys (or so I heard) but it has a surprising Brinell hardness of 150 which means that it is harder than mild steel, so if you want your sword to be very strong, get that alloy!!

So, anyone else apart from Reaver that actually wants to try Aluminum Swordmaking?? Any comments about the Guide are highly appreciated =)


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## SeverinR

Reaver said:


> Sheilawisz said:
> 
> 
> 
> *Aluminum Swordmaking Guide*
> 
> *Note to self: *DO NOT  *go to the metal supplies shop dressed in your scalemail (again).*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Scale maille? Pictures?  or was it just talk?
> 
> I have chain maille items.
> 
> The ill affects of working with metal fumes= metal fume fever. Most metals cause, galvanized metal is really bad.
> Usually caused by heating metal or breathing metal dust.
> 
> Great looking swords, any pics with the grip on them?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...


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## Reaver

SeverinR said:


> Reaver said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sheilawisz said:
> 
> 
> 
> *Aluminum Swordmaking Guide*
> 
> *Note to self: *DO NOT  *go to the metal supplies shop dressed in your scalemail (again).*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Scale maille? Pictures?  or was it just talk?
> 
> 
> I have chain maille items.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was kidding.  Scale mail is for trips to the grocery store & chain mail for WalMart.  I only wear full plate when visiting any metal supply shop.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...


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## Sheilawisz

@SeverinR: Thanks for your appreciation of my Aluminum swords!! I just finished another Angelica-class last Tuesday, more pictures coming soon- The grip of these swords is nothing spectacular, but they look very good with their simple grips of leather or just fabric of any colour that you like =)

I had not heard before about the Metal Fume Fever, I need to research about that- When working with Aluminum to produce these swords there is not really a danger of fumes, just the dust that can indeed be very dangerous... Maybe if you worked with an Angle Grinder instead of a hacksaw to cut the metal there would be fumes, but I am not sure about that.

@Reaver: The next time that I visit my Metals Shop I'll wear full armour!! =)


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## gerald.parson

SeverinR said:


> Reaver said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sheilawisz said:
> 
> 
> 
> *Aluminum Swordmaking Guide*
> 
> *Note to self: *DO NOT  *go to the metal supplies shop dressed in your scalemail (again).*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Scale maille? Pictures?  or was it just talk?
> 
> I have chain maille items.
> 
> The ill affects of working with metal fumes= metal fume fever. Most metals cause, galvanized metal is really bad.
> Usually caused by heating metal or breathing metal dust.
> 
> Great looking swords, any pics with the grip on them?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In my 25 years of owning a metal fabrication business I have only heard of a handful of people getting sick from "metal fumes" and it was from Galv steel and aluminum. Its not the metal that gets you sick, its either the gas from welding or torching. Grinding metal does cause debris to float around and can be annoying but won't kill you. Bondo on the other hand will.
> 
> Me personally I wouldn't be doing this stuff with Aluminum, for a variety of reasons. But you have done a good job non-the less.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...


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## Sheilawisz

@Gerald: Please tell me those reasons!! Thanks for the information about the dangers from welding and torching gases, I have never done anything like that and I am not planning to do it =) So, why wouldn't you be doing this with Aluminum?


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## gerald.parson

Well its not that you are doing anything wrong by doing with aluminum, i hope i didnt give you that impression. But aluminum does cost more that steel, as much as double depending the grades and vendors. Aluminum is a great material for many applications if you have the right setup, one thing that aluminum can be difficult with is forming and cutting, as it as non-ferrous alloy you cant use conventional means of heating and torching cutting, you would need to "charge" the metal ( sending electric current into it) for it to heat to become pliable, and for cutting you can do what you have been doing (which is laborious and time consuming) or invest in a plasma cutter.

 Low carbon steel is another ball of wax, its cheaper, and there are many methods you can use to manipulate it and form it. easiest way is buying a small oxy/acetylene torch rig at Home Depot or Lowes. Steel in general is more forgiving, aluminum is very fickle. 

The one major advantage id give Aluminum over steel is weight, its very light, which in some cases is good ( such as shipping) and others it doesn't matter. 
Untreated Aluminum does hold up to the weather better, but people seem to think steel rusts away in days which isn't true, steel is rather durable and there are many ways to ensure its longevity.

 As far as looks go you have a couple of options, polished aluminum is very expensive but looks brilliant, normal grade or typical grade aluminum is rather dull and I am sure you noticed when you sand it or buff it, not a great deal happens. Any glint or shimmer you notice showing up is actually the magnesium in the alloy and not the aluminum it self. And it will wear off. 
Steel on the other hand can be sanded and ground to show a very brilliant shine, and can be preserved that way for a good amount of time. 

In short, with aluminum and a hack saw you will limit yourself what you can do, with steel and a torch its rather endless. But your doing nothing wrong, so please don't think I am implying that.


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## Sheilawisz

Gerald, thank you very much for that post!! I really value the knowledge of someone with a long experience in metals and metalwork like you are, I really want to know more about this stuff- I had no idea that I could use a plasma cutter, maybe I will consider that, but please tell me... Would it be a bad idea to use an angle grinder for my Swordmaking??

I am very scared to use angle grinders, you have to hold them with two hands and it happens that I have little strength and I don't think that I could control the grinder to create a good cut across the Aluminum =(

What else could you suggest me??


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## gerald.parson

Get a 4 inch angle grinder. They are pretty small, and get one with lower RPM's (less power) It is good you are fearful of them because they are the most dangerous tool in most any shop, used correctly though you will be fine. I am assuming you will be using them to refine or feather your edges? If so, invest in some C-Clamps and clamp the material down, that way you don't have to try and balance it with on hand. 

7750 4-1/2 in. Small Angle Grinder-7750 at The Home Depot

Pliers, Vise Grips, Vises, & Clamping | Pliers-Mini | Fast Releaseâ„¢ Locking C-Clamps with Regular Tips-6R | B226054 - GlobalIndustrial.com

Honestly though, once you use a grinder a few times you will be ok with it, just get some scrap metal and toy around with it, carefully of course. And wear safety goggles! 

Any questions you have buddy just ask, if I have the answer I give it to you, if I don't, I will find it for you.


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## Sheilawisz

Thank you, Gerald!! Well, in case I decide to get the Angle Grinder after all, you can bet that I will be wearing a face shield, goggles, my gloves, ear plugs and respiratory protection!! I did not know about the C-Clamps, that looks great... the only problem then would be that my neighbors would probably complain about the heck of a noise that Angle Grinders cause =P

What I really want is to discover a way to produce my swords faster and easier, like making a sword in one week or so without destroying my hands with the hacksaw and the file =)

Thank you for your information and your appreciation of my swords!!


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## gerald.parson

is that the only place you have to work is that park bench?


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## Sheilawisz

Yes, that's my little workshop Gerald!! I really need something better if I decide to work with an Angle Grinder and C-Clamps, I am now considering other options =P


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## gerald.parson

Sheila, let me ask you. Are you wanting to make swords and other pieces as a hobby, or with the intention of selling them?


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## Sheilawisz

It all started because I wanted to make my own swords, but when I discovered that it was possible and I was really capable of making them, I got the idea of starting a commercial production =) So my answer is yes, I have the intention of selling them if I can find a way to make them faster and easier!! What do you think, Gerald??


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## gerald.parson

I think if it is something you like doing then go for it. And for not having any real metal working experience you do an impressive job already, so you have all the tools you need for success, we just need to get you set up so you are doing it safely and proficient. The first thing you need is a decent work table, which you can make or have fabricated for you. I would suggest getting what we call a "hot box", its a welder (either stick or wire fed) that is small and isn't made for high yield heavy duty construction. Which is perfect for you. But if you don't want to go thru the hassle of buying a welder, learning how to weld and all that other jazz, try to find a sturdy table that has a metal top surface thats around 2'x2', I think any bigger than that it will be too cumbersome for you to lug around, and if possible get one with casters (wheels) It's too bad you don't live in my area cause I would just let you use my shop and help you out, but we will get you going none the less. Something like this would work very well for you. Strong Hand Tools Welding Table Nomad 30" L 20" W 26-32" H Ea TS3020 on eBay!
But it doesn't even have to be that fancy or complex. You just need a flat, level, metal surface to work from, and I say metal because with grinding and torching, you will likely burn that bench into the ground lol. 

The next big thing is id figure out if you want to do aluminum or steel. Or even both. Thats up to you. If you want to venture into steel than id highly recommend getting a torch set up like this Portable Welding Torch Kit w/ Tanks 

Don't be scared by learning and using these new tools, I will help you every step of the way, i will even make videos if need be. But the steel and torch method is much quicker than you may think. Here are some pictures of a rail and window fixture set I made with just a torch, hammer, and stick welder. ( and metal of course lol)














I dont know if I attached them correctly.


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## gerald.parson

myrddin173 said:


> I think "sheet" is the best word.
> 
> So far very interesting.



It's actually called Flat Stock, or Flat Bar. Flat Stock is the most common term, IE Round Stock, Square Stock, Flat Stock.


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## Sheilawisz

Hello Gerald!! Thank you very much for all of this useful information and your intention to help me, I really appreciate your knowledge very much... and it means a lot to me that an experienced Metalworker appreciates what I have been doing with my Aluminum swords!! =)

That rail and the window fixture set that you made are truly beautiful art works!!

Well, now I know exactly the kind of work table that I need to get if I decide to work with really powerful tools- I think that I have seen them somewhere, and certainly another option is to order one custom-made for me =) Steel, torches and welding sound very interesting and it's an entire new world of Metalworking that I might consider later, but first I want to try working with the Angle Grinder and stay with my Aluminum swords.

My Sheila-class and Angelica-class designs would be too heavy if they were made of steel, so I would need to create new designs and find a way to make the blade thinner all the way to the tip- anyway, that's a good possibility =)

So they are called Flat Bars or Flat Stock??

Thanks for the offer of letting me use your shop if we lived in the same area, that would be great, Gerald! XD!!


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## gerald.parson

Don't forget Sheila, just because its a "grinder" doesn't mean you can't use it for other things, like sanding and buffing. It is a pretty versitile piece of equipment. You can also get cutting wheels for some light cutting ( though I am not recommended you replace the hacksaw with this method"  But when you use the grinder for any purpose I highly recommend you clamp it down some how.


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## Sheilawisz

Gerald, the cutting is exactly the part of my Aluminum Swordmaking that I want to use the Angle Grinder for =( The other parts of the work are not so harsh on my hands, it's just the cutting that is so hard and time consuming!! Why would you not recommend the Grinder to perform the cuts across the metal? Can it get broken or something??

My nightmare is a metal cutting disk flying out of control =(

What about a Jig Saw or a Band Saw, would they be better for this work??


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## gerald.parson

a Portable Jig Saw with the correct blades would do you just fine, I wouldn't recommend using a cutting disc at all for this application. But again, id clamp it down when cutting. If you can afford it, a band saw with cutting deck would also be a good choice BS903 2.5 Amp Band Saw-BS903 at The Home Depot
The main thing is when dealing with power tools, is make sure the material is secure and you have a good grip on the tool.


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## Sheilawisz

I'll go and check my city's Home Depot to see what they can offer, the band saw sounds like the best option for the cutting part of my Swordmaking even though the Jig Saw is cheaper- Thanks, Gerald!! =)

You have encouraged me, maybe I'll decide to try with power tools after all...


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## Anders Ã„mting

Making aluminum swords is as good a hobby as any, and anything can become art if you put enough time and effort into it. 

This is also good practice in case you ever decide to move on to actual cutlery. The method you are using is called stock removal, and a lot of swords these days are made that way. With the right tools, stock removal requires much less work then forging, with the downside of being more wasteful. 

I've mostly done stock removal on scrap steel, but I have dabbled a bit with aluminum as well. One problem I had was that when filing the stock, the soft aluminum would get stuck in the file. I was told I could prevent this by dipping the file in denatured alcohol, but I never got around to trying it. Have you had this problem?

Over-all you're doing a pretty good job. If I know my imperials correctly, though, you are using very slim stock. Tell me, do you put a distal taper on your swords? (If you don't know what a distal taper is, I'm going to guess "no".)

Now, when it comes to power tools, I heartily recommend one of these:








That is a power file. Let me tell you this: I spent _a lot_ of time looking for the most efficient way to shape metal blades, and this device is _by far_ the best tool I have found, short of large stationary grinders. It's lighter and easier to use then an angle grinder but has far more bite the any rotary file. If you're going to grind a blade out with anything, this is what you want. With one of these bad boys, I've radically altered the blade profile of an L6 tool steel sword, and that stuff is _tough as nails._


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## gerald.parson

> That is a power file. Let me tell you this: I spent a lot of time looking for the most efficient way to shape metal blades, and this device is by far the best tool I have found, short of large stationary grinders. It's lighter and easier to use then an angle grinder but has far more bite the any rotary file.


 I'd have to respectfully disagree. I have one of those sitting in my shop, and that is all it does is sit there. It's hardly lighter, if it is, not noticeably. And its covered space is nothing, maybe an inch at best. I've use it a couple of times with rails, its nothing more than a sander, its name comes from its shape. I can't see why you would think going up and down the side of long piece of metal would be proficient with this tool and its whopping 1 inch coverage space. Take a grinder, make a bevel, go back over it with a sanding disc to smooth it out, done. 

      The tool itself I wouldn't recommend, not saying its horrible, just didn't do what I needed it to do even though it said it would. But that aside, would that be quicker than a file? Yes. Would a grinder be quicker than a file and that? Yes.


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## Anders Ã„mting

*shrug* All I can say is, I've tried grinding blades with an angle grinder and I've tried grinding blades with a power file, and the file just works _way_ better for me. The grinder may be more powerful, but I could never get the level of fine control I needed. Anyway, "efficient" isn't the same thing as "fast."


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## Sheilawisz

@Anders: Thank you for your excellent post and that picture of the power file, I'll try to find that at Home Depot =)

In answer to your questions, only the softer alloys of Aluminum cause clogging on the saws and the files- I use 6061-T6 which is one of the harder alloys so it causes virtually no clogging, I have never had that problem!! About the distal taper, I wanted to do that since the beginning but the work is already very hard and I cannot imagine how long it would take me to file away that much metal =(

My blades would indeed be better balanced and way faster with distal taper, but they are anyway very light and I can easily wield them around and slash targets even with the poor balance that they have... The other commercially available Aluminum swords for the practice of sword battle techniques do not have distal taper anyway (so the edges are safer) and this does not cause a problem to the practitioners at all.

What I really need is a water jet cutter, or just something that would squeeze the metal with many tons of force and create swords in the same way that coins are created =P


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## Anders Ã„mting

Sheilawisz said:


> @Anders: Thank you for your excellent post and that picture of the power file, I'll try to find that at Home Depot =)



The biggest issue with these devices is that the little rubber wheel holding the belt in place will eventually wear out and break. When that happens you may need to buy a whole new arm. It's annoying but at least on my machine the wheel itself can't be replaced.

That said, like the name implies it's basically a machine file. Since you're already used to manual filing, you shouldn't have trouble mastering it. You'll want to pick one of the grittier belts if you need to remove a lot of material. 

Gerald probably makes a good point about the angle grinder (heck, I've seen tutorials of the exact thing he's talking about) but I assume he's also very used to handling them. Personally, I find them very difficult to handle since the way they are held obscures my view of what I'm doing, making it difficult to control the angle of the bevels. 



> In answer to your questions, only the softer alloys of Aluminum cause clogging on the saws and the files- I use 6061-T6 which is one of the harder alloys so it causes virtually no clogging, I have never had that problem!!



I suspected something like that. I'm not even sure it's possible to get harder aluminum alloys around here: It's pretty much just "aluminum" and you get what you get.



> About the distal taper, I wanted to do that since the beginning but the work is already very hard and I cannot imagine how long it would take me to file away that much metal =(
> 
> My blades would indeed be better balanced and way faster with distal taper, but they are anyway very light and I can easily wield them around and slash targets even with the poor balance that they have... The other commercially available Aluminum swords for the practice of sword battle techniques do not have distal taper anyway (so the edges are safer) and this does not cause a problem to the practitioners at all.



Good point. Of course, if I was making practice swords in aluminum, I'd use even thicker stock then I would for a steel blade. That way I could keep them safely blunt while trying to get something that behaves somewhat like a real sword.

Actually, I wonder if the swords you are making aren't closer to movie props. Swords used for fight scenes in movies are often made from aluminum for lightness and safety, though they must still resemble the steel props (the so called "hero swords") as much as possible.



> What I really need is a water jet cutter, or just something that would squeeze the metal with many tons of force and create swords in the same way that coins are created =P



I've always wanted a CNC machine, myself. 






So jealous.


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## gerald.parson

> Gerald probably makes a good point about the angle grinder (heck, I've seen tutorials of the exact thing he's talking about) but I assume he's also very used to handling them. Personally, I find them very difficult to handle since the way they are held obscures my view of what I'm doing, making it difficult to control the angle of the bevels.


 Safety is the most important thing, if you find grinders hard to handle, which is understandable, go with what you are comfortable with. Grinders are dangerous, any tool is for that matter, but many people do not realize the danger of a grinder when they are surrounded with welders, shears, breaks, presses, torches, etc. I have sent more people to the hospital with grinder related injuries than anything. I do use them daily, and have for years, and sometimes I need to be reminded of how understandably apprehensive people can and should be.


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## Sheilawisz

@Gerald: I am really apprehensive about all the power tools that we have been talking about, like I said before my nightmare is that a metal cutting disk would break free from the angle grinder and fly out of control =(

I really am too afraid of such tools, who knows, maybe it's better to just keep working by hand and continue my Aluminum Swordmaking just as a hobby.

@Anders: Great video, I am jealous too!! Well, with a machine like that and everything else that they have, it's no wonder that they can produce swords so easily =P

About the Aluminum alloys, I am sure that you can find all of them in Sweden =) Actually 6061-T6 is the most common of them, and very good for swords even though 7075-T6 is better!! I do not view my swords as simple props or nothing more than practice tools: Wooden swords or the plastic ones are just that, but my swords are strong enough to be real weapons and not just a prop or practice stuff.

Sometimes I think that I should be more responsible about what I am doing, selling these could perhaps get me in trouble =P


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## Lawfire

Very cool, Sheila, very cool!


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## Sheilawisz

Thank you, Lawfire!! Are you interested in making Aluminum swords?


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## Lawfire

If by interested, you mean interested in seeing what other, talented people (like you) can create, then yes I am. If you mean interested as in trying it myself...probably not.


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