[geeks] Swords (forge)

[Michael A. Turner]

> > Are you going gas or coal?
> 
> I don't know yet.  Probably gas, because it's easier to lug 
> around a can
> of PPG than coal.  But I don't think I'm to that point, yet.  I still
> need to read up and take a good luck at what I'm getting myself into,
> since I have a hard time maintaining attention on nifty projects.
> 

	It though that when hand forging steel you had to use charcoal in
most cases to keep the iron in it's steel form. The carbon was the key to
keeping things going the right direction, but I am not a sword smith by any
means. IANASW? 

	Second thing, I once heard of a respected sword smith that used
steel cable scrap for his forging. Apparently the thick twisted steel wires
of a thick steel cable get you half way to the number of folds needed to
make a strong katana. Anyone else heard of this? Again IANASW so the person
who told me this may have been pulling my leg.

Michael A. Turner
Systems Engineer WHRO
michael.turner at whro.org
http://www.whro.org