Creating the worlds strongest sword?

maybe it was random, but seriously man i didnt fire more than 2 clips and the bastard jammed on me, and about the residue it all depends man one of the bullets might have split or who knows what ive heard some funky stories about guns jamming, and see even you clean your gun every time you use it like a pro should, so you know the importance of its maintience wich was all i was saying to begin with, but maybe your right about it bieng random but it still happend.


peace

 

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What make/model? What brand of ammo, was it reloaded, or new, target or mil spec?

I used to shoot, and never had any major issues, even with reloads.

Anyway, back on topic, swords, a passing interest of mine,as I also used to do battle re-enactment, and now do a little Iaido (although with a bokken).

A monomolecular structure of some sort would be nice and strong, and if this could be grown layer by layer (via 'sputtering', the way they grow and dope silicon chips maybe?), it's properties could be varied to allow flex (as the sword will still need to dissipate shock and stress) and strength. Sounds really expensive though.

Sharpness, here's the rub. A really sharp edge is also weak. European swords, (before we learned how to temper) weren't ever that sharp, as the edges burred over too easily. Hardness helps, but a really hard edge is also a complete sod to sharpen, and any sword used will need to be maintained.

So I guess, the real question is, what's your budget, or is this just a thought exercise with no limits?

 

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As a recently retired bladesmith of near 35 years, I gotta tell you that the martial 'artists' out here, and note the stress on 'artists', actually use swords to cut and stab things of similar characterictics to 'other people'. There are exhaustive competitions and world renoun for the maker of the winning sword. A swordsmith has honor as well as the surgeon (assuming that he isn't a drunk or tripping on his own damn medications!! Ahem, but that's another story.. *__- ) Prehaps more of the smith's 'soul' goes into that blade than any other craft/art. A mans life depended on his blade. 'Perfection' is as diligently and sincerely pursued as in any other field.

Nutshell;
The best there ever was, 'is'. Any warrior of the past (all but the smallest and most fortunate few who could afford some of the absolute best, by the best, after 'steel' was 'mastered') would trade whatever 'prybar' he was swinging, along with his left testicle, for the finest of todays offerings.

Hard means brittle. Hard has something to do with the cutting edge. So does abrasion resistance. So does geometry. Brittle is not a good quality in a sword. Springy flex is a good thing but that temper on the edge makes it too soft to hold a good edge. Hard and brittle would take a quick toll on the edge (before the sword broke), so the edges had to be thicker, like on the katana. More metal to 'back up' the actual cutting edge. Differential heat treating was necessary to fight the hard vs flex problem. Edges were harder that the body of the blade.

It was, and is, an almost mystical persuit in the attempt to take many opposite characteristics (hard/flexible/impact resistent, abrasion resistent/ease of sharpening, thin enough edge to be sharp/ thick enough not to crumble on impact, etc...) and juggle, juxtapose them to find some nebulous conjuncture where the fine qualities of each might contribute to the 'whole', without the very same element's negative qualities being uncontrolledly detrimental. No wonder I pursued that chimmera all those years. Fairly 'successful' a few times.. lots of 'my best', and a huge scrap pile! *__-

Sometimes metals like tungsten carbide (very very hard and brittle!) can be applied to edges before sharpening... Sometimes a 'softer' application of something with greater abrasion resistence can be applied, like to the digging edge of a backhoe bucket.. There are lots of 'innovative' ideas (tungsten and titanium plating for abrasion resistance (and pretty anodized colors) for one), with a small following here and there.. What difference does it really make 'cept every 'warrior' wants the finest equiptment he can afford.

The best swords that 'can' be forged, are now being forged. Best steels, (powder steel technology allows the alloying of elements that could never be alloyed before, delicately shifting balances of 'qualities' within the steel to personal requirements), best methods, best tools, and craftsmen/artists as good as the world has ever seen!

*Bugei Trading Company* has beautiful, high quality for 'reasonable' price, if you like the Japanese line. *Cold Steel* has some lesser priced fine products, ...but one way or another, layered, homogenous, mosaic, shiny or etched, it is going to be steel (at least for the time being...).

 

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Nameless,
Well said. It's always nice to have someone who knows what they're talking about pipe up

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It IS a mystical pursuit. Alchemy was all about combining opposites. The ancients thought that if they could combine the four elements (earth, air, fire, water), they would create the philosopher's stone. Limitless life and wealth.

 

i dunno... i'm kinda suspicious of anyone who says they work with steels, but doesn't tell you how easy and well documented methods of hardening/strengthening steel are.
it's not smoke and mirrors. it's hard science.

a good strong steel blade would be soft+maliable in the middle and hard+brittle on the outside. The soft inside stops the whole blade from shattering (as it would if it the whole blade were hard)

 

Roman, thank you. Taking raw materials, scrap, etc.. and fashioning them into instruments of beauty in function has been a massive meditational practice.. on the 'cutting edge'! *__- The only reason I stopped is that one can hammer for only so long before the joints start complaining (and one best listen!). It has been an ever challenging path.. 'Dross' actually HAS been turned into 'gold', on many levels!

And-roid, the 'smithing world' has been waiting for you!!
While you still 'have it all down' and it is all so easy, I suggest that you pick up a hammer and show us all how it's done. From your comment, it is obvious that you have never 'hit' anything with a hammer but nails and thumbs. Respectfully. Funny how everything seems simple when watching a master do it... Or fantasizing. Get a hammer, some fire, and a leaf spring and go ahead.. Perhaps we will all learn something.

And..

Thanx for the tip.
*__-

 

i ment no personal offense.
If talking about a sword's strength, i'd be talking about internal/external grain structure FIRST, and i thought it odd you didn't touch on it. A 2nd knowledgeable opinion is always handy.
i weld

 

No offense taken. I didn't get into the technicalities as there are just so many! From the various differences that the alloy makes, to grain growth and structure, hardening and tempering, various quenches (from water to oil to sub-zero dry ice for full martensitic formation in various steels...), the effects of different edge geometries vs different steels and their properties and quench methods.. Not to mention damascus (pattern welded) vs homogenous vs Wootz vs powder technology (scintering..).... and on ad nauseum..
There is such a vast amount of variables involved that, yes, the 'juggling act' involved makes the upper reaches of this 'technology' truly an art which transcends mere technical abilities and knowledge.

Another reason that I didn't get involved with technicalities is that we werent talking about that.. talk was along the lines of 'light sabers' and such.. On the other hand, perhaps it will be one of you folks who will initiate the 'quantum leap' from steel to single layer mono-molecular "dream stuff"! Using the 'sword of the mind'?

And, yes, it is a field aswarm with opinions. There is a good chance, though, that I have heard them all by now.. Not that I would refuse to hear more, but, I am BS proof by now...
*__-

Oh, and roid,
"There are two kinds of people in the world, those who can weld and those
who can't". -Jessie James

 

That sounds interesting, yet I'm new to this forum and have a question of my own to ask too. What is the strongest metal used to make swords today?
I've been looking around and for one sword I found it said: The blade is forged and differentially tempered (HRC60 edge, HRC40 back) and the hamon is prominent. I'm not sure if thats that great. I know grade C metal is suppose to be weak, yet I've never heard of HRC and don't know what it stands for exactly. I'm looking for swords with very strong metals, so I can overview the price and compare it to other swords.

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Yeah emptys' got a point there. What if the noob with the gun forgot to take off safety? lol!

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i know as much about swords as i do alpha centuri, so with that in mind my opinion:
ever hear of damascas steel, supposed to be a method of producing swords.
also i hear the japanese are supposed to be good sword makers.
that is all.

 

Hi, as somewhat of an expert, I'll offer my opinion too..
Steel is the 'strongest' all-round metal for swords. If you want to cut the heads off of Kirlian Robot Drone Warriors, or your neighbor, steel has the best 'amalgamation of qualities'. There is more to it than strength alone. Abrasion resistance keeps it sharp enough to have a second slice. Edge geometry to balance sharpness with edge strength. Hardning so it helps keep that edge when contacting something hard, like bone or steel. Tempering so it doesnt break.

HRC is a 'hardness scale'. A diamond is pushed into the steel with a certain amount of pressure. The resultant depth of 'dent' is measured and comparatively recorded as 'hardness'. 60 is pretty hard and will be a bit difficult to sharpen (after the battle). Differential tempering, what you were mentioning is a good thing as the lower hardness (of the body of the blade) adds toughness to the blade while the the qualities of the hard BRITTLE edge can be safely brought into play. Many different sword designs are available with differential tempering, not just the katana.

There is no 'A', 'b', 'c' quality metal. Just about any commercially produced steel is better than what was available 100 years ago. What counts is the 'quality', the 'artistry' of the bladesmith.

What do you want it for? You can buy a wallhanger for $30. or a work of art and genius for tens of thousands, or a combat ready sword for a few hundred. One doesn't chop trees with a sword. That is what an ax is for, etc...

Do your homework and then.. learn and enjoy the fine art of systematic human disassembly!

Hope this helps. Any more questions, let me know.
*__-

 

I'd still put my money on the noob. It's not like he has no opportunity to fiddle with the safety before the ninja master (sprinting from a distance) finally gets close enough to slice him.

 

Starting 15 feet away, I (and anyone else with a modicum of skill) can slice you wide open before you can even clear leather.
The police have found this out the hard way.
At further distances, cowards use guns!

 

LOL--
Might as well ask the noob to strip naked, wear a blindfold, and stand absolutely still so the wielder of the super-sword can win.

I guess you could make it a little bit more of an even match, and mount the warrior on a motorcyle (IE- a Honda CBR). That way, he would be alot harder to hit, and present more of a threat to the shooter..........assuming the shooter isn't standing on the roof of a building somewhere.
oh wait, the motorcycle would totally defeat the entire paradigm of carrying a sword wouldn't it?
Never mind- I guess instead of a motorbike, he should be mounted an a super strong modernized horse.

 

Howzabout a drive-by with a sword in a convertable?
Headzapoppin!!!

 

hehe

 

Swordsmanship is an attitude, a state of mind. A path of perfection. Targetshooting can be too. Intent, attitude...

 

I somehow like the idea of a sword made out of depleted uranium. Very hard and heavy. One of the properties of DU is that when it breaks the broken edge still remains sharp.

But you need to be a hell of a strong person to use a sword like that.

 

Strange that your gun uses gunpowder when smokeless powder has been around for so long. In fact I cannot think of a semi auto that uses gunpowder at all. No could i find one when I performed a search. So you are either ignorant, stupid, moronic, or lying.

A gun is a far superior weapon of war to the sword. That is just fact. Don't like it, too bad.

As for sword strength Tungsten is a terrible idea. It's too brittle and rigid. It would shatter on first impact. A sword needs a certain amount of bend and flex in order to do what it is designed to do.