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The
Purpose of This Article
If
you're looking for a tutorial on how to forge a blade
to shape, then you're
going to be disappointed. This is not a "how to" but
rather a "how come?" article. If you've already
read the What Is A Bladesmith? article,
then you know that a bladesmith heats a piece steel
to a point in which it becomes malleable, then shapes
the blade with hammer and anvil. Forging to shape does
not necessarily mean the same thing to all bladesmiths,
so in this installment I explain what it means to me
and why I attempt to achieve it. By the way, you may
click on the small picture to look at the full picture
with description.
What Does It Mean?
It is obvious
that when used, this term means the basic outline (or profile) of the blade
has been established at the anvil. To most bladesmiths the term also means:
- The blade bevels have been forged in
- The choil and heel have been defined
- The ricasso shoulders have been established
- Distal taper has been forged to the tip
of the blade
- The tang has been tapered
- The back shoulders of the ricasso (for
the guard) have been defined
Why Even Be Concerned
With It?
I can think of two obvious reasons. One would be that it shows the bladesmith's
skill at shaping a piece of steel to very near its final shape and dimensions.
But if there's nobody watching, what good is showing one's skill? That brings
me to a second reason, which is more important to me. It saves time and is more
cost effective. Huh?
That's right. Think about it.
A little extra time spent at the anvil, saves whole bunch of time at the
grinder. The less time spent at the grinder, the fewer belts used. The fewer
belts used, the more money in the pocket. You get the idea.
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