1095 heat treatment

[Tobin Anderson]

Hi I know that this sounds slightly unusual but I was bored the other day because of quarantine and despised to make a sword, I make knives and that so I don’t have much sword worthy steel the only thing I had with a good enough length was 1095 steel the overall length of the sword is 90cm and is quite thick.
Because I haven’t ever made a sword I have no clue the correct heat treatment for such large blades and there are barely any 1095 tutorials online and those are small knives does anyone know how I should do it to get the best conditions?
Thanks,
Tobin

 

[BitingSarcasm]

There are sword makers who pop in here, but it might be quicker and net more responses if you post your question in https://bladeforums.com/forums/shop-talk-bladesmith-questions-and-answers.741/ too.

 

[Kailash Blades]

Hi I know that this sounds slightly unusual but I was bored the other day because of quarantine and despised to make a sword, I make knives and that so I don’t have much sword worthy steel the only thing I had with a good enough length was 1095 steel the overall length of the sword is 90cm and is quite thick.
Because I haven’t ever made a sword I have no clue the correct heat treatment for such large blades and there are barely any 1095 tutorials online and those are small knives does anyone know how I should do it to get the best conditions?
Thanks,
Tobin

There's heaps of info on this online- it's one of the most commonly used steels, especially for beginners.
1095 requires a very simple heat treat. Heat it evenly until a magnet will no longer stick to it then dunk it in your choice of oil. For a double edged or straight sword, tip first is your best bet, for a single edged sword, diagonally with the edge down is wisest. Do any straightening needed before it cools fully then temper it at about 220 c for two hours, cool at room temp and repeat.
The key to making a good sword is using a pattern which is sensible and including a reasonable amount of distal taper for proper weight and stress distribution. if you can accurately copy something historical you'll be more likely to succeed rather than trying to reinvent the wheel with your own design.