Making a hunting sword from a machete

[LRB]

So, I guess this means Ashton's Hunting hanger is historically correct?

Only in profile is that hunting sword correct. Most machetes are made from uniform 1/16" thick steel. You will not find that used on an original. Just FYI for anyone wanting to know, forging does nothing to improve modern steel. It is merely just one way of shaping it. Steel bars come from the mills after being heavily rolled under high heat and pressure from heavy rollers. At the point that it is finished it has elongated directional grains from the rolling process but will change to random shapes the first time it is heated to austenitization. These random shapes are very much like the chips in wooden flake board and cannot be hammered back to ever have direction again. The so called direction of grains in a bend or shape are actually the product of the elongation of impurities, voids, and inclusion during the rolling process at the mill. These elongated voids, impurities, and inclusions will not change as will individual grains do, and will allow stronger bends than would a curved product cut from a sheet. The steel grains are drawn to, and kind of, encapsulate the impurities, inclusions, and voids giving more strength for bends. However, steel shaped and hammered from a poured ingot does improve with forging as the hammer is doing the job of the mill rollers, but you cannot hammer grain direction into the steel, and the mill rollers are many times more efficient than a hammer.

 

[tenngun]

Cool project....
Am I mistaken in thinking most "beater" machetes are quite soft steel?

Don’t know anything about metal work. But I have a couple of El Cheapo Pakistani and Indian made knifes from Crazy Crow. Easty to sharpen but hold an edge well and work as ‘better’ American made knifes in similar styles

 

[PhDBrewer]

More Hirschfänger here..
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/hirschfänger-german-hunting-swords.168381/
If interested I can show more.

William

 

[Loja man]

Cool project....
Am I mistaken in thinking most "beater" machetes are quite soft steel?

I would stay away from anything that’s says china on it. Look for a website called machete specialist. Then buy one made in a country that still uses them daily and are making them for the hard working lower class. Tramontina or Imicasa are two of the good ones.
It looks like the original poster did a good job in reshaping the blade to a sword shape! As LBR pointed out thier is a big difference between a cut down machete and a true sword. But the original poster had fun, was creative, and has a finished product that is still useful.

 

[LRB]

I would stay away from anything that’s says china on it. Look for a website called machete specialist. Then buy one made in a country that still uses them daily and are making them for the hard working lower class. Tramontina or Imicasa are two of the good ones.
It looks like the original poster did a good job in reshaping the blade to a sword shape! As LBR pointed out thier is a big difference between a cut down machete and a true sword. But the original poster had fun, was creative, and has a finished product that is still useful.

Tramontina offers an excellent machete for at or under 20 bucks, but an 18th c. hunting sword it will not make. Not really.

 

[Loja man]

Tramontina offers an excellent machete for at or under 20 bucks, but an 18th c. hunting sword it will not make. Not really.

True

 

[Rob M.]

Not at all, I cut slowly and use water to cool so as to not affect the temper. Two rules of thumb is to not let it be too hot to bare hand touch, or get the steel past a straw color to a plum-blue color from heat.

Smart ... I collect antique " corn knives " , look like antique machetes without the enlarged tip . These are nice antique long blades and ive made great long knives from them . As you said , you have to grind them slow ! to save the temper ... The long one is a corn knife I just put an antler handle on , other is my knife , blade made from an antique corn knife ..... Great job on yours bud !!