Wes Sander - 101 Bladesmithing Mistakes: Knife Making Mistakes That Ruin Your Knives and How to Avoid Them

101 Bladesmithing Mistakes

Knife Making Mistakes That Ruin Your Knives and How to Avoid Them

Copyright 2019 - All rights reserved.

The content contained within this book may not be reproduced, duplicated or transmitted without direct written permission from the author or the publisher.

Under no circumstances will any blame or legal responsibility be held against the publisher, or author, for any damages, reparation, or monetary loss due to the information contained within this book, either directly or indirectly.

Legal Notice:

This book is copyright protected. It is only for personal use. You cannot amend, distribute, sell, use, quote or paraphrase any part, or the content within this book, without the consent of the author or publisher.

Disclaimer Notice:

Please note the information contained within this document is for educational and entertainment purposes only. All effort has been executed to present accurate, up to date, reliable, complete information. No warranties of any kind are declared or implied. Readers acknowledge that the author is not engaged in the rendering of legal, financial, medical or professional advice. The content within this book has been derived from various sources. Please consult a licensed professional before attempting any techniques outlined in this book.

By reading this document, the reader agrees that under no circumstances is the author responsible for any losses, direct or indirect, that are incurred as a result of the use of information contained within this document, including, but not limited to, errors, omissions, or inaccuracies.

Introduction

A Master bladesmith is an individual that has spent countless hours honing and crafting multiple skills to produce flawless knives and swords out of common metal and steel. When viewing one of these individuals in the process of creating a piece of work, it is easy to become captivated. You can quickly be pulled in and filled with excitement and eagerness to learn how to mold and manipulate steel the way they do. As exciting as it may appear to be, actually beginning the process yourself to becoming a bladesmith will be met with plenty of hiccups and letdowns.

This is not to discourage you. Even the most skilled Master bladesmiths have a list of mistakes they encounter and grew from as they transformed their techniques into perfect designs. While mistakes are expected, and necessary to truly learn the appropriate skills of bladesmith, some should just be avoided completely right from the beginning.

If you are someone who is just starting out in bladesmithing or interested in learning about the process, then you will find value in the pages that follow. This book lists the most common mistakes bladesmiths make when they are just starting out. From ignoring serious safety concerns and design flaws to just not understanding the importance of each step. These mistakes can leave you discouraged, hurt, and result in lacking the necessary skills needed to obtain the title of Master bladesmith.

But you dont have to suffer through these common mistakes. As you will learn, there are easy and simple ways to bypass these hard lessons. Whether you are looking to get into bladesmithing just for fun and use it as a side hobby or want to earn the title of Master bladesmith you will want to first begin by taking notes and not making these mistakes.

Chapter 1: What Is Bladesmithing?

B ladesmithing is an art form that has a history dating back thousands of years. Through this art, a bladesmith carefully designs, files, forges, hammers, and grinds unique swords, daggers, knives, and more.

Bladesmith Versus Blacksmith

A bladesmith and blacksmith are terms that are often interchanged. There are key and significant differences between the two. A bladesmith refers to an individual who makes knives, swords, or other blades. A blacksmith refers to an individual who can forge iron. The two can be the same. A blacksmith can forge whatever piece he or she wants from iron including blades. A bladesmith commonly uses steel to create blades but could also use iron. The steel used in bladesmithing is often a combination of iron, carbon, and sometimes additional alloys.

Stocking Versus Forging

T here are two general techniques or methods used by a bladesmith to create a knife. The first is stock removal. Stock removal is the process of filing, grinding, or removing excess metal to form a blade. The second technique is forging. Forging adds the element of heat to the metal to shape it into the blade.

A skilled bladesmith knows how to stock and forge metal effortlessly. Individuals can begin to develop their skills as a bladesmith by learning to properly work a piece of steel. There are plenty of methods and techniques that can be used when doing stock removal and you must understand both techniques. Stock removal is a process that can be used alone to create a blade and it is also used a great deal when forging metal into a blade.

On the road to becoming a Master bladesmith, it is these two vital techniques that will ultimately determine whether they earn their respective titles or not.

What Does It Take to Become a Master Bladesmith?