# Questions on Smithing



## thecoldembrace (Apr 24, 2015)

I am writing a short story, having one of my characters create a metal battle standard. However, I'm not or have ever been one to work with metal. Is there any guides out there or help available to one such as me wanting to describe the process he is doing without sounding like I'm a complete idiot who knows nothing?


Thanks
-Cold


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## T.Allen.Smith (Apr 24, 2015)

What kind of metal is the smith working with? 

If it's steel I can help you with the basics. There should be loads of information on how to anneal the steel (make it softer so the smith can shape it) and temper steel (harden).

Annealing basically involves a slow cooling process. The slow cooling renders the metal soft enough to file (cold) and shape (when reheated). Hardening is done by cooling steel quickly. Usually the smith would use water, or preferably an oil bath. The fast cooling tightens the molecular structure of the steel, making it much harder. Tempered steel is much more difficult to work with. 

A good metal worker develops a process for temperature control that yields the results they're looking for. If the metal is too hard, it will also be brittle. Too soft, and it won't keep an edge well. The Rockwell hardness is a number rating. The higher the number, the harder (and typically more brittle) the steel. All of these factors are also dependent on the alloy mix. Different alloys of steel will reach a peak effectiveness at different levels of hardness. However, until modern times, steel weapons would be made from carbon steel (lacks alloys like chromium which makes steel "stainless").

That's the basics of metallurgy. My advice though is to develop a process for your smith that they follow. Don't be too specific, but show that he's following a "recipe".


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## thecoldembrace (Apr 24, 2015)

Thank you, T.Allen.Smith. I have him working on fantasy metals, but I wanted him to also work in bronze, silver and gold (gilding). Steel would be used on the pole holding up the battle standard. 

Another question. How long does the process of hammering and cooling and all that take? Is it better to draw it out or for it to go quicker?


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## T.Allen.Smith (Apr 24, 2015)

thecoldembrace said:


> Thank you, T.Allen.Smith. I have him working on fantasy metals, but I wanted him to also work in bronze, silver and gold (gilding). Steel would be used on the pole holding up the battle standard.  Another question. How long does the process of hammering and cooling and all that take? Is it better to draw it out or for it to go quicker?


This answer relates to steel only. There may be differences with other metals.

For annealing the steel, slower is better. The slower it cools, the softer it should be. I've annealed steel by sticking it in a bed of coals and just naturally letting the fire extinguish. Eventually, the steel air-cools. It pretty easy to work with then (for grinding and filing).

For tempering, I believe the quicker the better, but I'm not an expert. My limited knowledge comes from making my own knives from scrap circular saw blades and old files. 

Modern knife makers often specialize in one type of steel, like D2 steel, for example. D2 is a very hard steel that is almost considered stainless, but it's still referred to as carbon steel. It's hardness allows it to hold an edge for a long time without sharpening. A knife maker might only use D2, and have their process of heating and cooling down to an exact science. They may utilize special ovens that gradually bring the temperature down, or special quenches that bring it down quickly. Still, I believe the speed at which this happens does make a difference.


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## ArenRax (Apr 27, 2015)

Also I have heard that Katanas are made differently than the standard sword in that the metal is folded.
I'm sorry but that is all I remember.
The sacred blacksmith which is an anime is a good example of fantasy-magic forging.


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## Mr. Steve (Apr 27, 2015)

To add to ArenRax, folding the metal wasn't reserved only to Japanese smiths.  Folding the steel and hammering it was a pretty standard technique throughout any metalworking society.  The reason Japanese smiths were known for it especially was out of necessity - Japan's native deposits of iron ore were of terrible quality which translated into iron slag that was full of impurities.  The heating, hammering and folding was a way to work out many of the impurities, and to distribute as evenly as possible the impurities that remained (including carbon) in order to make a usable blade.  Smiths in other countries, working with a better quality iron to start with, still folded and hammered the steel, but not nearly as many times, because it was not needed.


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## TheCatholicCrow (Apr 28, 2015)

I'll be the first to admit that I don't know very much about the subject. However, I have seen an excellent documentary on the creation of (the Ulfberht) Viking swords  that you might find helpful.


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## TheCatholicCrow (Apr 28, 2015)

I haven't seen The Complete History of Swords but it sounds like it might also be of interest to you. Hope this helps.


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