Doug Lester
Well-Known Member
We also have to consider the geometry of the blade such as a saber grind, where the primary bevel to take approximately half way up the blade, and a full taper to the spine. The shorter bevel on the saber grind causes courser angle where the bevel begins and a much larger difference in the mass of the top of the blade the the beveled area. This presents problems in some areas and advantages in others. One of the problems caused is the stresses applied to the blade due to the difference in the rate of cooling between the two areas. If you have ever seen the YouTube video of a Japanese sword master quench a blade in water you would be surprised that any blade survives that process let alone have only about a 25% failure rate.
So this leaves two choices. Read a rosery, light candles, plunge the steel in water and hope for the best or see if there is another quechant that is almost as good that will produce a little less shock. Or possibly grind the blade with a different geometry to reduce the stresses while cooling. You will find that blade making is just chock full of trade-offs. To gain something at one point you have to give up something else at another point. It is an art of ballance and compromise. Have fun.
Doug
So this leaves two choices. Read a rosery, light candles, plunge the steel in water and hope for the best or see if there is another quechant that is almost as good that will produce a little less shock. Or possibly grind the blade with a different geometry to reduce the stresses while cooling. You will find that blade making is just chock full of trade-offs. To gain something at one point you have to give up something else at another point. It is an art of ballance and compromise. Have fun.
Doug