This actually is the best hand and a half sword I’ve ever seen, finally no bothersome mirror finish everyone does and not a black spray paint handle, but beautiful wood grain and etched metal uhg so good.
I've watched several historical series of Roman, Japanese, Greek, etc. with various styled swords, short swords, daggers, knives used and in various qualities. I'd hate to see this quality of a sword go into battle. The rate that those historical weapons were made is mind boggling. They had to have numerous bladesmiths working nonstop to keep up with the damaged weapons, lost weapons, new weapons. Wow, what a time consuming craft. Thanks again Freerk!!!!
So here we have a few distinct examples that I'd like to break down for You: First, we'll start with the Romans - Roman swords were indeed made on an industrial scale, hitherto unprecedented in that side of the world. Every soldier was given a standardised quality gladius for short-range engagements in which their standard-issue _pila_ spear may become a hindrance, and the quality of these swords was *_rigorously_* controlled, so much so that they became common spoils of battle for the celtic, germanic, and slavic tribes which bordered the Empire on the North and Northeast, where they would either become grave goods or would continue to see use for a few generations. Suffice it to say, Roman blacksmiths had their work cut out for them - but they were working as part of one of the largest ever artisan guilds, so in that respect they didn't have such a terrible time. Plus, the consistent pay from Imperial coffers in regards not just swords but all the an-the-go repairs an army needed, all the things horses required, the pots, the pans, and of any sort of long-lasting tool, had blacksmiths in an extremely favourable position. Without a blacksmith, any pre-industrial community would grind to a halt in about 3 days. Of the Japanese swordsmiths, there is a slightly different story. Swords in Japan were very definitely used as a status symbol above most else - it was the province of the samurai and their retainers to possess such wonderful tools, though even then they were used sparingly. The common battlefield weapons were, as ever, the bow and the spear. For the mounted samurai, their order of weapons went: bow, then spear, then sword if necessary. Swords were for situations where a bow is impractical and a spear has either been lost or broken, and they have it to them that metal breaks under rather greater stress than wood, while being easier to hit with than a fast-moving arrow. Blacksmiths in Japan really only needed the _really good_ steel for certain tools and upper-class weapons, so they wouldn't be working on all cylinders at all times, and usually they'd be doing about as much work as the average blacksmith anywhere else: that is, they'd be making tool knives and horseshoes and door-fittings and such. Being a blacksmith is damn hard work, yes, but it's both necessary and beautiful, so often enough these craftsfolk were made poets by their extraordinary dedication and skill. In Greece it's actually a funny story. I'm presuming you mean _ancient_ (or classical) greece, in which they primarily used bronze. Now, bronze is a different matter to steel altogether - firstly, it's a hell of a lot easier to work! Bronze is made at lower temperatures, with more easily controlled materials, and it can be safely and effectively poured into a mould without being useless for work (as is the case with steel. while steel pouring may look cool in a movie, it's actually a uniquely awful way of making a weapon or tool. stick to forging, it's better). Additionally, due to the structure and plasticity of bronze, tools and weapons made from it could, if bent and damaged, just be bent right back, or melted down into a new mould. You didn't need to be a blacksmith for most of this, unless you were intent on repouring the bronze, and could make these adjustments on the fly. Oh, your sword bent on that guy's helmet? Set it over your knee and bend it back! Blacksmiths still had essentially the same amount of work before them, just the material they used was a good bit softer and more pliable. So yeah. In general, blacksmithing was a trade like pretty much any other - every community had their own blacksmith, and those that didn't generally had something weird going on commerce-wise. You may have this idea (spurred on, I'm sure, by artistic and movie depictions of battles) that armies were sort of a one-occupation deal, with just the soldiers and maybe a few cooks tagging along. In reality, the blacksmiths and fletchers and farriers and farmers and butchers needed to make an army function sometimes outnumbered the army themselves, and the enormous baggage-trains of oxen, sheep, cows, and all manner of other materials would stretch miles - and _days_ of travel - behind the army at all times, marking its location for just about anyone attentive to see. Production was high for everything, though looting after a battle was pretty common too, so you could go out with just an old billhook and come back home with three swords and a decorative axe handle.
The logistics behind ancient armies fascinates me. Imagine fighting a long battle in armor in a hot climate. They would need a massive amount of water at the ready. Not to mention the supply lines including blacksmiths, the numbers are industrial.
Absolutely spectacular! Mr Wieringa, if I may ask, when you sandwich the hot metal between the planks of wood, what does that step achieve in the overall process?
It keeps the steel straight and slows down the cooldown. In different stages this is beneficial. Basically tempering the steel a bit jut after hardening for example. Insteed of a rude and hard cooldown. Giving some flexibility already.
Gorgeous blade, beautiful work as usual! Glad to hear the use of pattern welding terminology, anyone else get annoyed when they hear people talking about damascus when it’s really pattern welding? Minor gripe I suppose but it always bothered me lol
Curious about the concept of dimpling the billet. Is it to make expansion or lengthening of the billet go faster? You're the only smith I see doing this and I'm trying to learn so any explanation would be greatly appreciated. Also your videos are excellent, haven't seen a bad one yet. Thanks
It creates patterns in the steel. You can't see it very well on this blade because he did a lot of forging afterwards (which interrupts and changes the pattern) but if it is done to a flat billet that will ground to shape it causes what is called a "raindrop" pattern, an almost pond ripple effect.
You again, with your incredibly amazing skills! Make something shitty and bad looking for once, so we see that you are actually a human being! You putting us all to shame with our underdeveloped forging and grinding skills
Probably the best looking sword i have seen in a long time. In my opinion these simpler looking swords are much more beautiful than swords like The Heretic or Kyle Royer's Excelsior
Just found your channel and subscribed, love your work and love all your bespoke tools, I mean bevel and fullering dies?! Genius, sword and tang shaped punch for the guard??!!! So good!
I like the concept of combining old and modern tools to create this wonderful piece of steel soul.. I would like to own one of these someday, but this is way too much, I guess...
Miedo me da preguntar el precio de semejante obra de arte, con todo el trabajo, medios, materiales y demás consumibles que conlleva, tremendo trabajo!!! 👍👍👍
One of the things I love about these videos is the flaws; they're very few and far between, but it makes the piece even better because it's not a soulless mass-production product. He's very clearly not a machinist-it's not his specialty-so when he ventures outside the "comfort zone" of his near-total mastery of blacksmithing tools, you can more clearly see him learning with every project. Just by eye, I could see (and hear) that the laythe was off by a few thousandths, and the drill press is a tiny bit wobbly, and with one of the parts going in between the crossguard/pommel and the handle, he probably should've really gronked-down harder on the vice, as it slipped and probably obliterated tolerances. But all of that doesn't make the sword worse, it actually makes it better, because it's another part of the piece's story; A master blacksmith using every tool available, even ones he's *not* a master in, to make a sword as good as it can be. I like that.
Raindrop damsscus. (Yes, damascus. Shut up you lot wanting to screech "It not WEEL Dummasscuss!! Nobody knows how WEEL Dummasscuss wuz made!!" You aren't being clever).
Well done, that is a good-looking sword. Why did you add rings to both sides. It isn't necessary for wearing it and the extra rings will make a lot of noise when you are wearing it.
Love this pattern. This sword reminds me Strider's sword in LOTR (Aragorn) Is this a decorative only or an actual cutting sword ? I think it could have a good cutting edge, after such an hardening temper in the movie.
You didn't seem to show the folding process but it definitely looks folded, did you purchase the steel that way or do that yourself? I am also curious what the dimensions of the blade are. Amazing work, it looks fantastic!
It won't be folded - that's more of a Japanese thing, to clean the occlusions out of their shitty steel. It will have started as alternating plates stacked and tack welded which are then forge welded into one solid piece.
This actually is the best hand and a half sword I’ve ever seen, finally no bothersome mirror finish everyone does and not a black spray paint handle, but beautiful wood grain and etched metal uhg so good.
I've watched several historical series of Roman, Japanese, Greek, etc. with various styled swords, short swords, daggers, knives used and in various qualities. I'd hate to see this quality of a sword go into battle. The rate that those historical weapons were made is mind boggling. They had to have numerous bladesmiths working nonstop to keep up with the damaged weapons, lost weapons, new weapons. Wow, what a time consuming craft. Thanks again Freerk!!!!
So here we have a few distinct examples that I'd like to break down for You:
First, we'll start with the Romans - Roman swords were indeed made on an industrial scale, hitherto unprecedented in that side of the world. Every soldier was given a standardised quality gladius for short-range engagements in which their standard-issue _pila_ spear may become a hindrance, and the quality of these swords was *_rigorously_* controlled, so much so that they became common spoils of battle for the celtic, germanic, and slavic tribes which bordered the Empire on the North and Northeast, where they would either become grave goods or would continue to see use for a few generations. Suffice it to say, Roman blacksmiths had their work cut out for them - but they were working as part of one of the largest ever artisan guilds, so in that respect they didn't have such a terrible time. Plus, the consistent pay from Imperial coffers in regards not just swords but all the an-the-go repairs an army needed, all the things horses required, the pots, the pans, and of any sort of long-lasting tool, had blacksmiths in an extremely favourable position.
Without a blacksmith, any pre-industrial community would grind to a halt in about 3 days.
Of the Japanese swordsmiths, there is a slightly different story. Swords in Japan were very definitely used as a status symbol above most else - it was the province of the samurai and their retainers to possess such wonderful tools, though even then they were used sparingly. The common battlefield weapons were, as ever, the bow and the spear. For the mounted samurai, their order of weapons went: bow, then spear, then sword if necessary. Swords were for situations where a bow is impractical and a spear has either been lost or broken, and they have it to them that metal breaks under rather greater stress than wood, while being easier to hit with than a fast-moving arrow. Blacksmiths in Japan really only needed the _really good_ steel for certain tools and upper-class weapons, so they wouldn't be working on all cylinders at all times, and usually they'd be doing about as much work as the average blacksmith anywhere else: that is, they'd be making tool knives and horseshoes and door-fittings and such. Being a blacksmith is damn hard work, yes, but it's both necessary and beautiful, so often enough these craftsfolk were made poets by their extraordinary dedication and skill.
In Greece it's actually a funny story. I'm presuming you mean _ancient_ (or classical) greece, in which they primarily used bronze. Now, bronze is a different matter to steel altogether - firstly, it's a hell of a lot easier to work! Bronze is made at lower temperatures, with more easily controlled materials, and it can be safely and effectively poured into a mould without being useless for work (as is the case with steel. while steel pouring may look cool in a movie, it's actually a uniquely awful way of making a weapon or tool. stick to forging, it's better). Additionally, due to the structure and plasticity of bronze, tools and weapons made from it could, if bent and damaged, just be bent right back, or melted down into a new mould. You didn't need to be a blacksmith for most of this, unless you were intent on repouring the bronze, and could make these adjustments on the fly. Oh, your sword bent on that guy's helmet? Set it over your knee and bend it back! Blacksmiths still had essentially the same amount of work before them, just the material they used was a good bit softer and more pliable.
So yeah. In general, blacksmithing was a trade like pretty much any other - every community had their own blacksmith, and those that didn't generally had something weird going on commerce-wise. You may have this idea (spurred on, I'm sure, by artistic and movie depictions of battles) that armies were sort of a one-occupation deal, with just the soldiers and maybe a few cooks tagging along. In reality, the blacksmiths and fletchers and farriers and farmers and butchers needed to make an army function sometimes outnumbered the army themselves, and the enormous baggage-trains of oxen, sheep, cows, and all manner of other materials would stretch miles - and _days_ of travel - behind the army at all times, marking its location for just about anyone attentive to see. Production was high for everything, though looting after a battle was pretty common too, so you could go out with just an old billhook and come back home with three swords and a decorative axe handle.
The logistics behind ancient armies fascinates me.
Imagine fighting a long battle in armor in a hot climate. They would need a massive amount of water at the ready. Not to mention the supply lines including blacksmiths, the numbers are industrial.
@@theradioactiveplayer3461tl:dr
The silent man strikes again. Think I’ve watched every video you posted, but this sword is now in my top 10 of your creations.
Best 51 minutes on CZcams! Amazing results as always, thanks Freerk for sharing your amazing talent!
Incredible craftsmanship! The whole sword is wonderful, but I especially love the pommel design!
Honestly one of your finer works as of date. Well done Freerk, you keep improving and refining your craftsmanship.
Wat een "VUSCHRIKULUK" mooi zwaard weer Freerk!! Wat een vakmanschap en toewijding om zoiets moois te creëren. Een genot om naar te kijken!
Dankjewel!
Man, I wish I could get a sword like this! Seeing it being made looks so awesome!
Thats one of the cleanest swords I've ever seen, god damn dude.
Absolutely spectacular! Mr Wieringa, if I may ask, when you sandwich the hot metal between the planks of wood, what does that step achieve in the overall process?
It keeps the steel straight and slows down the cooldown. In different stages this is beneficial. Basically tempering the steel a bit jut after hardening for example. Insteed of a rude and hard cooldown. Giving some flexibility already.
Since we are no longer fighting sword fights .. i must say the look of this sword is amazingly beautiful .. really appreciate the touches.
Your most beautiful sword yet love the intro presentation ❤
What a pleasure it is to watch you create such a beautiful work of art!
With much admiration and respect and your patience with the stubborn material...... What a splendid result!
This is it. It's the perfect sword. Perfect.
Just got out of boot camp to see that you've uploaded several videos in that time. *Beyond thrilled* I think is the emotion going on right now
SOI now?
That’s the best and most beautiful sword I’ve ever seen. Literally work of art.
Simply stunning. Always enjoy watching you practice your art.
What a sword. Love your craftsmanship, so précis and skilled
This man is a machine. Just cranks out amazing stuff.
You're truly an artist and custodian of our culture.
Of what fucking barbaric culture
Absolute work of art.
Gorgeous stuff!! in love with the scabbard
How awesome. Such a great work 👍👍
Gorgeous blade, beautiful work as usual! Glad to hear the use of pattern welding terminology, anyone else get annoyed when they hear people talking about damascus when it’s really pattern welding? Minor gripe I suppose but it always bothered me lol
Curious about the concept of dimpling the billet. Is it to make expansion or lengthening of the billet go faster? You're the only smith I see doing this and I'm trying to learn so any explanation would be greatly appreciated. Also your videos are excellent, haven't seen a bad one yet. Thanks
its to expose different layers of the steel in a Raindrop pattern. Just google Raindrop Damascus if you want to know more
@ughmas thanks for the response, your explanation makes sense now that you mention it. I'll look into it.
It creates patterns in the steel.
You can't see it very well on this blade because he did a lot of forging afterwards (which interrupts and changes the pattern) but if it is done to a flat billet that will ground to shape it causes what is called a "raindrop" pattern, an almost pond ripple effect.
Beautiful work as usual.
You again, with your incredibly amazing skills! Make something shitty and bad looking for once, so we see that you are actually a human being! You putting us all to shame with our underdeveloped forging and grinding skills
Make a video of your stuff, dont say anything, don't show your face, and put it out claiming that it's really Freerk's work!
Masterpiece of craftsmanship.
Probably the best looking sword i have seen in a long time. In my opinion these simpler looking swords are much more beautiful than swords like The Heretic or Kyle Royer's Excelsior
I had never thought of that kind of shaping die for the hydraulic press. Genius!
Just found your channel and subscribed, love your work and love all your bespoke tools, I mean bevel and fullering dies?! Genius, sword and tang shaped punch for the guard??!!! So good!
I like the concept of combining old and modern tools to create this wonderful piece of steel soul..
I would like to own one of these someday, but this is way too much, I guess...
Thanks. Don't own blades like this either lol.
Que preciosidad de espada y la vaina no se queda atrás. Trabajo perfecto
Parabéns que trabalho excepcional!!!!!! Grande artista
It is the sword of the Black Knight... And none shall pass!
Wow its amazing that medieval work 😮
Wow! It's a wonderful job, man! Congratulations from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Невероятная красота клинка и мастерство оружейника.
Really beautiful piece. You are definitely one of the best.
Miedo me da preguntar el precio de semejante obra de arte, con todo el trabajo, medios, materiales y demás consumibles que conlleva, tremendo trabajo!!! 👍👍👍
wow nice blade and i saw the sparcles good steel very nice
The chain links on the scabbard makes it 100% molle compatible. Perfect edc blade 😉
"Thee hath been an ally of mine, I asketh this. Do not cometh to schooleth on the morrow."
Wunderschöne Arbeit. Danke für das Video
I'm impressed that's got to be the kind of sword you would see in the Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones😎👍
That etching is super clean! What is your rig for the electro etch?
I love the pattern of the sword❤
❤ wow so beautiful and fantastic 🤩
It’s like a mix of the witch kings sword and glamdring from lotr. Looks sick!
One of the best blade that I have ever seen! (after the Heretic)
One of the things I love about these videos is the flaws; they're very few and far between, but it makes the piece even better because it's not a soulless mass-production product.
He's very clearly not a machinist-it's not his specialty-so when he ventures outside the "comfort zone" of his near-total mastery of blacksmithing tools, you can more clearly see him learning with every project.
Just by eye, I could see (and hear) that the laythe was off by a few thousandths, and the drill press is a tiny bit wobbly, and with one of the parts going in between the crossguard/pommel and the handle, he probably should've really gronked-down harder on the vice, as it slipped and probably obliterated tolerances.
But all of that doesn't make the sword worse, it actually makes it better, because it's another part of the piece's story;
A master blacksmith using every tool available, even ones he's *not* a master in, to make a sword as good as it can be.
I like that.
Such a dam really nice job man , respect❤
That's awesome 🤩🤩🤩
What a beautiful re-creation I'm starting to think of collaboration of you and THAT WORKS black smiths
literal work of art
Good job👍
Wow!
Beautiful blade. Idk what it's called but, the pattern on the center groove looks like waves crashing. So cool.
Raindrop damsscus.
(Yes, damascus. Shut up you lot wanting to screech "It not WEEL Dummasscuss!! Nobody knows how WEEL Dummasscuss wuz made!!" You aren't being clever).
Великолепная работа. Меч -очень хорош.
Thank you!
левша
beautiful
Magnifique !
One of your most beautiful pieces. Fuck man I love your work so much. Youre incredible. ❤
Well done, that is a good-looking sword. Why did you add rings to both sides. It isn't necessary for wearing it and the extra rings will make a lot of noise when you are wearing it.
likely so that it could be worn on the back, as well as the side.
Very nice!
That's awesome, ill take one 😊
admittedly, i skipped to the end. but goodness, what a sword.
Does hammering on the guard while hot not affect the heat treatment of the blade in the lower section?
💯👍 For NOT calling it "Damascus".
"It not WEEL Dummasscuss doh!!"
Mooi ding man 👌🏻💯
Es una hermosa espada
Love this pattern. This sword reminds me Strider's sword in LOTR (Aragorn)
Is this a decorative only or an actual cutting sword ? I think it could have a good cutting edge, after such an hardening temper in the movie.
You didn't seem to show the folding process but it definitely looks folded, did you purchase the steel that way or do that yourself? I am also curious what the dimensions of the blade are. Amazing work, it looks fantastic!
It won't be folded - that's more of a Japanese thing, to clean the occlusions out of their shitty steel.
It will have started as alternating plates stacked and tack welded which are then forge welded into one solid piece.
A Sword straight out of the armouries of Gondor ⚒️⚔️🗡️
hasil karya yang luar biasa👍
Это очень красивый меч!!!!
❤ my favorite ❤️
Beautiful. What something like that cost?
ESPETACULAR
Nice sword!
Hut ab, der Mann hat was drauf!
Quando vai fazer uma espada do Aquiles? Olha bem o desenho dela, o design, seria top
Baie mooi 😁👍👍
Thank god someone who calls it pattern welding.
"It not WEEL Dummasscuss!!"
@@timbirch4999 Grow up.
The Bible says that swords will be beaten into plowshares... but I sure hope not this one! This is a work of art.
The Bible also says to sell your cloak and buy a sword.
I seriously doubt that I could afford such a sword, but out of curiosity, what would such a blade cost, scabbard and all?
For prices mail me at freerkwieringa@gmail.com
Ned Starks sword ICE. Valyrian Steel looks like. 🖤🗡
Espada fantástica, mas, o cabo, empunhadura. Aqueles Anéis de enfeites redondos???
looks amazing, the only thing i dont like is how close to the tang the fuller goes
That's sword of the Witch-King
Beautiful sword but is it strong? Is it sharp? Is it well balanced?
I’ll give ya 6 Gold for it!
Sounds like a good deal now.
Que barbaridad. ¿Cuanto pesa eso?
Forgive me for asking this is simular to damascus steel swords is it simular technique?
Has anyone ever told you that you look like the sausage from Scooby-Doo but with a hard rock skin, please don't take it personally
Gosh. No. Thank you?
I asked you not to take it personally because I once commented that a CZcamsr looked like an elf and he banned me@@freerkwieringa275
I love you 💗😘
That bevel and fullering die is genius
What is the furnace made of that it doesn't melt?
Im not a pro but 21:10 making the tang red hot like that make loose the heattreat and the hardnes of the steel?
👍👍👍