Forged titanium alloy sword with HT oxides

Mecha

Titanium Bladesmith
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
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This sword began with a fact-finding adventure at David Mirable's top secret ice cave blade facility in Alaska, where it was forged and ground to general shape. Back in the lower 48, it was finished into an "oxide sword," or, one that has the actual HT oxide layer preserved on the blade. This titanium-niobium alloy is the perfect one for this purpose, as it produces especially vivid, glossy colors. There aren't many of them, as preserving this layer is one of the most difficult things to do when making a titanium alloy sword blade, and this one is the best example of it to date. It is also difficult to photograph or record what it looks like, as the colors shift and change in the light like a chameleon paint job. Since the blade colors turned out so well, the rest of the parts were also heat colored to match.

It's a slim little thing, with a blade of 24" and 32.5" oal. Weight is 1 lb 3.2 oz. with a distal thickness taper and fine balance.

Grip is neoprene bound with nylon, overlaid with leather. Hilt parts are titanium alloy, with a single "tuning fork" ornament.

Blade: Ti 10Nb
Guard: Ti 4Al 2.5V 1.5Fe
Spacer: Ti 6al 4V
Pommel: Ti 6Al 2Sn 4Zr 2Mo
Ornament: Ti 5.5Al 3.5Sn 3Zr 1Nb 0.25Mo 0.3Si

On to the build and final photos!

Blade and guard rough shaped:

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Blade marked:

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Almost ready for heat treatment!

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Quenched and aged:

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Showing some of the spine colors:

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Time to fit the guard and spacer:

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Finished guard and spacer were heat colored:

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Neoprene handle core ready to be bound with a double layer of thin nylon cord:

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The finished blade, with an attempt to show the colors:

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And last but not least, a light, stiff, but flexible leather scabbard made by Ms. Oye. It's 5 layers thick, with 5 deerskin panels per side, and includes titanium D rings for suspension.

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This little sword should serve its owner(s) well for many lifetimes to come.

Thanks for looking!
 
The pics show enough to show that they don't show enough. Must look great in person.


Thanks guys. I took a lot of pics and some video clips that are on instagram but they just don't look like the thing does in person.
 
Beautiful what a piece of working art. Have you tested it any? Swung it around somewhat? Nice work and it looks like quit a bit of it. Congrats to it's new owner,
Went by your site, I like the lunch money line, 😁
 
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another great one there. beautiful and mean lookin at the same time.
 
Beautiful what a piece of working art. Have you tested it any? Swung it around somewhat? Nice work and it looks like quit a bit of it. Congrats to it's new owner,
Went by your site, I like the lunch money line, 😁


Ha! The website confuses some people because they think the swords are currently or sale, but it's really just a gallery of finished blades, and sort of a mission statement, and collection of links.

This blade was tested in Alaska while still in a more crude state. Two clips here:


After that, the blade was thinned out and refined and re-heat treated. So in other words, greatly improved. There are some other photos from Alaska of it being made also, just back a bit from that video clip.
 
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