I am Tony Swatton, a blacksmith who’s made weapons and armor for over 200 films and TV shows. AMA.

What was your favorite build on the show? Least favorite?

Well the favorite build was Gimli's Axe, as I mentioned above. Pattern-welded steel.

My second favorite would have to be Raphael's Sais. The bladesmithing, the forging of it required a lot of skill.

My least favorite would have to be Captain America's Shield: due to time constraints it didn't come out as perfect as I like to make my work. I'd redo it correctly if given the chance.

Of all the civilizations and styles that used pattern welding for their swords, who do you think did it best?

Probably the vikings. They were using pattern welded steel in the 7th and 9th century, and it created a very strong, durable sword. It's one of the better uses of pattern welded steel.

Thanks for all your questions! I had a great time answering them and maybe we can do another one when season 3 starts!

How did you get into this line of work? Were you approached by film studios, or did you actively seek it out?

I started cutting gemstones and making jewelry from 7. At 13 I started cutting rocks professionally. At 15 I met the creator of the Conan swords, Jody Samson, who I pestered until he was willing to critique my work: a knife I made.

When I was 17 I went to a renaissance fair. Saw a guy making armor. He was using a railroad track as an anvil and modified hammers and chisels. He wanted $5,000 and a year's wait for a suit of armor. So I watched him work for a few hours, went home and replicated all his tools to make my own armor.

I was working as a machinist making stonecutting equipment in my early 20s. The business adjoining the shop I worked at was a prop house, and they saw the work that I created: the weapons, jewelry, leatherwork, and they commissioned me to make seven sculptures for Disney World, Epcot Center. That was in 1987. That same company referred the movie Hook, Michael Jackson's tour, and everything else.

What was the worst accident youve had? Worst one in your shop that wasnt you?

Answered about cutting off my nose here.

The one that wasn't me, I was working on a film production and the producer showed up a week in advance in a very expensive suit and probably $2,000 shoes. He walked in my workshop as I was forging his pieces. I explained to him that it's dangerous and he shouldn't be there.

I put the red-hot metal over to the side of the forge. He walks over to a work bench and picks up a razor-sharp knife I made and runs it across the ball of the thumb cutting it to the bone while asking if it was sharp.

I take him to the first aid center, and bandage him up. He walks back to the workshop, picks uip the blocks of metal I had just forged for his production, fusing it to his hand. He shakes off the metal that's fused to the skin of his hand and immerses it into a big plastic tub of what he thinks is water.

It's actually a phosphoric acid pickle used for cleaning the metal. So he's cut his thumb, burned his hand and immersed it into acid.

Shop etiquette: when you come into the shop, assume everything is hot, sharp, poisonous, and offensively rude.

I live in NY, and would love to take up blacksmithing as a hobby. Whats the best way for someone with no experience to start?

Also, I love the Man at Arms series, and would like to thank you for doing it.

I'm self taught, but I don't recommend that route. I would join an organization such as ABANA - the Artist's Blacksmith Association of North America. They have regional affiliates, I don't know what the affiliate is in New York, it's probably the New York Blacksmith Association. In California it's the California Blacksmith Association.

The affiliates have meetings and you can take classes from them. They'll generally have hammer-ins (get togethers with a bunch of hairy blacksmiths and one woman.)

Swords in the movies seem to be impossibly sharp. Chopping off heads like a warm knife through butter. Cutting lesser swords in half. What degree of sharpness is actually possible and what is the sharpest thing you've ever made?

A sharp sword could definitely cut a lesser sword in half. I was interviewed for a Japanese TV show and forged a sword out of D2 steel. Shaved the hair off my arm to show how sharp it was, then cut through a piece of 4"x4" oak beam, then took a 1" round bar of unhardened mild steel, chopped through that, shaved off chunks of steel, then shaved my arm again. Then they realized there was no tape in the camera, and they had to do it all over again.

The second time, they lost battery midway. The third time went smooth and it maintained that sharpness the whole time.

I sharpen knives. My showroom's open to the public on saturday and I offer knife sharpening and razor sharpening while you wait.

My process will leave an optimal 1 molecule thick on the cutting edge of a blade. That is the sharpest it will ever be. Then it's just a matter of the type of steel whether it maintains that edge or not. I do that on the daily basis, they're all the sharpest.

Most of the pieces I make for film aren't ever sharpened (actors with a sharp knife?!). They're predominantly made out of aluminum for lightweight prop purposes.

It seems like all you do in your videos is make what other people want you to make. Is there anything that you'd personally really like to do a video of?

Also, loving the videos - look forward to them every week.

^{Edit: Accidentally posted this comment 3 times due to a server error, sorry everyone!}

Glad you love the videos! It's the end of season 2 but look forward to more videos coming.

I'd love to make a giant cauldron bubble bath to bring out in the dessert, but it's really not for a video. That's more for burning man.

What is the most requested weapon for the show that you might not be able to do? People say you can't do the Mastersword because it's been asked for too much or has already been done to death? Comments?

Master Sword will have to be done at some point, it's asked for so often.

When? You'll have to wait and see.

What is your favorite project that you have made?

Gotta be Gimli's Axe.

I forged it from Damascus Steel, which is one of the things that makes it more exciting for me. It's actually a challenge to make the piece. It raised the bar over aluminum. It's a real weapon with folded steel.

Tony, firstly let me say I love your show. Everything you make is so nice. But say you had to go into a medieval war, which 3 piece you've made would you take with you?

Well, I'd need a shield for defense. I'd go with a kite-shaped shield, I've made plenty of those.

A double-edged broadsword or bastard sword.

And a main gauche parrying dagger might be good.

If it was just from the show: Captain America's Shield, Raphael's Sais, and Jamie Lannister's sword.

Can't help but reading all of your replies in your narrator voice.

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

(That was a sexy sound.)

What was your favourite job you did for a movie?

Probably Hook back in 1991. It was my first big commission. To see my work on billboards throughout the world was really gratifying.

In case you can't tell, I made the title weapon. The hook.

Hey Tony, love your work, you're very skilled.

1) Curious, do you do commissions for people? If so, how costly is that?

2) Also, what style of weaponry would you say is your favorite? Things like types of swords (Katana, Rapier, Epee, Scimitar, Kilij, etc) or daggers or polearms or the sorts.

3) And in relation, what type of armor have you found the most interesting/appealing?

Thanks in advance if you get to my questions :)

Thanks for the appreciation on my work.

1) I do take custom commissions. Right now I'm booked until about 2015. Most knives and swords cost $500-1000. I would need clean design work, and without seeing that I can't comment more on that.

2) Probably swords. They're what I make the most of.

3) We did some horse armor, that was pretty fun. Once made a suit of armor in four days to fit a five year old for a McDonald's commercial. At the end of that I couldn't move my right arm and my left eye's peripheral vision shut down.

Have you ever made a build in your long career where and said to yourself "This is to amazing I need to keep it."

Yea, but they pay me too much money to do that.

Probably 20 years ago, a film production came to me and asked me for something. I can't remember if it was a sword or piece of armor. I told them it would cost them $500. They told me they had a budget of $5,000, but they needed it produced in 48 hours.

So I said no problem. They picked it up, they paid me $5,000, the check cleared.

Two weeks later, they reappeared at my door bringing the item they made and returning it to me because they got their shots and no longer needed it so they're giving it back to me.

That established my rental policy. A lot of the things I'll create nowadays I'll do with a very fast turnaround and RENT it to them. That offsets my build costs and have it on display in my showroom available for rental.

What was the weirdest thing you were asked to make?

One of the first weird things that I was asked to make was a peg leg for a three legged dog for the movie Hook. They never used it, because the dog had gotten used to walking around without the leg.

What do you do with the recreations you make on the show? any plans to sell them?

All the recreations are displayed in my private vault at Sword and Stone in burbank. None of these pieces are for sale. These are my fan-based interpretations of other people's copyrighted products. I've probably had about a thousand requests for a damascus steel Bat'leth and 500 requests for Finn's sword.

Unfortunately I can't sell these things without the rights, especially with things like Batman's Batarangs and He-Man's sword since I actually worked with Warner Bros and Mattel.

Hey Tony! You let me visit your shop on a Saturday last year as a curious college student who's always admired your work and wanted to see swords being made. I wanted to thank you again for letting me hang around all afternoon and for answering my questions. It really meant a lot to me. It's great that so many more people are able to have that same experience through your webseries, it's been really wonderful to see. I was wondering, what's your favorite material to work with, and why? (steel, aluminum, bronze, whatever.) Thanks again!

Oh yea, I remember when MoonSpider spent the afternoon at my shop. Whatup, MoonSpider? Word to your mother.

I have a love affair with metals. So each material I work in has a different property. If I'm grinding away, I want aluminum. It won't gum up the works. If I'm welding then its a low carbon mild steel. But sometimes I need to work in very difficult materials like titanium and stainless steel. They're a lot more stubborn to work with.

Is there any weapon you would love to make but don't have the skills or the means to do it?

Also do you have a favorite era or style of weapons you like?

I don't make phasers or electronic weapons so much. Been playing around a little bit with more steam punk-y things, but incorporating air canisters and electrical charges.

I just like to make weapons of all eras. No favorites.

About how long does it take, on average, to make a video?

I don't make the videos. I make hammers.

Production is done over a five-day build period and then the next week we do the testing phase. That's not five days for one weapon, we shoot six episodes at a time. So six weapons, five days, no sleep, lots of rockstar (if they want to send a free case address is on my website,) and then the testing the next week.

What is the biggest task/ most difficult weapon you have been asked to make?

Gotta be the Buster sword. Have you seen how huge it is?! Watch the episode

Building Gimli's axe has to be the most fulfilling project to a LOTR fan. Now you can exclaim "AND MY AXE" to anybody for any reason.

And I do!

I hear you mention over and over how dangerous the grinders are on Man-At-Arms. Whats the worst injury you've seen in a shop? Worst injury you yourself have sustained?

Excellent work, btw - everything you do is awesome!

You can see the sexy scar on my face. It's from when I cut off my nose while polishing a piece of gothic armor on the buffer. Just the left side, it took 44 stitches to sew the inner membranes and cartilage.

Do you have a favorite piece that you've made specifically for yourself?

That question's a bit like the cobbler's shoes. His family walks around barefoot because he's making shoes for everyone else.

I'm too busy with everything else just to make something for myself.

If you didn't have blacksmithing, what do you think you would be doing instead?

Poledancing for sure.

Tony, I love watching your series. The He-Man sword was awesome and so is everything else you're making.

Can you tell us more about the trouble you had with the Captain America Shield? It seemed the least polished of all your other entries. Was there anything you could have done to make it look closer to what it should, as if it was made from 1 block of metal.

Also, Any plans for the Eye of Thundera? How about more unconventional weapons? Maybe armor? Bracers?

Captain America's Shield, I was going to have the shield spun by a big spinning blade. That would have required a month and a half build time and we had three days notice. I had to use existing shop equipment that didn't match perfectly.

If I had more time to build it, it wouldn't have had the gaps on the medal. That's the problem a lot of people had - it didn't look like one piece because we couldn't have one piece to have that anodized color that I heard Stan Lee prefers.

Lots of plans for more coming up. I'd like to do more armor, it's just the testing for armor at the end of the video is less exciting than seeing stuff smashed up. I have an armor tutorial for the Stan Winston School you can watch.

Hey there, I'm a huge fan of your work! Currently I'm an Industrial Design student from Canada. We have a small forge at school so I've started to take up blacksmithing as a hobby in my free time. What can I do now to intern for you in 1-2 years? I would be happy just sanding for you.

edit: Here's a batarang I made as a Christmas gift: http://i.imgur.com/apAUrTf.jpg Blackened with a patina instead of quenching.

Wolverine claws in progress: http://i.imgur.com/vHI22Bc.jpg

I get about a dozen requests for interns or apprenticeships daily. I'm not currently looking for any interns.

You're welcome to visit on Saturdays when my shop is open. But right now just because of my workload and commissioned projects.

If you're serious there's an amazing program at The Hereford School of Blacksmithing

1. If you were given enough adamantine to make one thing what would it be?
2. Same question, but with mithril.

I don't know the working properties of adamantium or mithril. I looked it up in the AMS metallurgical handbook but it wasn't there. I may need a more current issue.

I also like working with unobtainium! But I can't get it anymore.

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There are trade schools, ABANA is a good place to start. Not many on the west coast but I know there's Penland School in North Carolina. Also in North Carolina is the John C Campbell Folk School

Was there any project for a movie you really wanted to do, but couldn't for timing or other reasons?

Back in 91 I finished with Hook and got custody of my son who was four years old. I declined doing Dracula's armor for Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Not much of a loss I suppose. I ended up taking my son for a 2-month bicycle ride down the west coast from Canada to Los Angeles.

do you prefer Coal or propane ?

I use propane exclusively due to being located in Los Angeles country. The AQMD (Air Quality Management District) doesn't allow me to use an open hearth forge in Los Angeles.

It might be nice to have a bigger grill with an open charcoal hearth, but I like propane.

I'm an aspiring hobby blacksmith, just getting started with a shitty homemade break-drum forge. How did you get started in the trade? Were you formally trained? How did you first start making money off of your work?

Great to hear about your homemade forge! I answered most of your question above.

As for the money, my business was established with the gem cutting and jewelry work when I was 15.

Do you pick which weapon to make for the channel, or does somebody pick for you?

The producers of the show suggest weapons based on your YouTube comments, I do all the logistics and timing. And weapon building.

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For Kroenen's swords I had a lot of input. They're based on a tonfa, a Japanese police baton weapon, but with edges all over. The grips were wire wrapped from my design and incorporating a black cabochon gemstone in the handle.

It was funny when United Cutlery got the licensing to reproduce that, Kit Rae called me trying to find the stones. The black stone that I cut the cabochon from was from a piece of obsidian I found while camping in Mammoth, CA.

LOVE your videos. Since you never play video games, as you've said, how did you react to being approached to doing the Diamond Sword from Minecraft?

I think my exact reaction was "what?"

Trying to figure out a way to make a sword of that type that you could actually carry and wield and be real was a very difficult build. Also that week was during season 2, when we also built Captain America's Shield, Sora's Keyblade and the Buster Sword. What were we thinking?!

Hey! I love the show. One question, do you ever worry about the chemicals or fumes you breath in while smithing?

Have a good one!

[COUGH COUGH COUGH] No.

In all seriousness, if it's extremely dangerous I do wear respirators and proper safety gear.

Did you make Xenas sword?

If yes: did it feel awesome having her hold your sword in her hands?

No I didn't make Xena's sword for the show. But I make replicas for people who go to Xenacons.

But if you like Xena, I DID make a Xena breastplate and skirt for Rainn Wilson.

Have any actors commented on your builds, good or bad? Whats the best example of either?

I was building an aluminum stunt weapon for James Franco for Tristan and Isolde. When he came into my showroom, which is decorated with the castle walls from Army of Darkness, and I walked out of the back workshop filthy.

He asked where I keep the gimp.

What is being done with all the weapons made in Man at Arms? Do you keep them on display in your shop or something?

Answered above, they're all on display in my shop in Burbank.

I'm very familiar with basic mold-making, sculpting, casting techniques but what you do is awesome and your swords actually "cut!" The largest machines I use are handheld (dremel, circular saw, etc). What would you consider your starting "tool kit" for what you do?

A hammer.

Which weapon was the most time consuming?

Which one was the most frustrating to make?

Time consuming would probably be Jamie Lannister's sword with all the sculpting, molding, and lost wax investment bronze casting.

Frustrating would definitely be Captain America's shield.

What's your favorite movie weapon that is made by another artist? Perhaps the Conan the barbarian sword? I saw a replica one in a sword factory in Spain

Edit.. Sorry for repost.. Phone said it didn't go through

I was 16 when I met Jody Samson and he was creating Conan's sword so that was definitely an inspiration to me.

In 1998 I created the Atlantian sword for the TV show Conan the Adventurer with Ralf Moeller. Actually, in the opening credits they showed me forging the sword as Crom!

Has there ever been a project you backed out of midway ? if it was too expensive or you realized half way through that its not doable

Also, is the beard/mustache a requirement for being a blacksmith ?

I'm a taurus, so I'm inherently stubborn. If I take on a commission, I finish it.

Beard/mustache is definitely a requirement. Especially on women smiths. (just joking!)

What do your consider your main inspiration and meaning to continue working as a blacksmith? From what I've seen in Man at Arms you just love your thing and you have a fiery passion for it ^{(no pun intended).} Also, who or what got you into this reign of work?

You're right! I do love my thing^{Tee hee.} I love what I do. I'm truly living the dream. I get a lot of celebrities who come in the door who are jealous of the passion with which I'm running my life.

They may make a hundred million, but they're not happy doing it. I'm at the top of my game, I've got the equipment, the skill, I can make anything I want. So I do. Most people are working 9-5 doing what other people tell them to do. I pick and choose my jobs. A lot are commissions, some are high profile commissions, but it's pretty fun!

What's your favorite fast food restaurant? (Not counting in N' out)

Tommy Burgers. I get the diet combo platter: a triple chili cheeseburger caliente style with everything, chili cheese fries, and a diet coke.

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A lot but not enough.

What is your spirit animal? Mine is an aardvark.

I'd have to say a wild boar, what with the nose hair and everything.

What gave you the idea to start a series in which you make 'geeky' weapons/artifacts? I really love your series and hope you keep it up!

The folks at break.com called me with the show idea while I was bicycling down to San Diego with my son Connor. We were on a tandem bike, towing a trailer with surfboards and camping down the coast.

I just watched the Buster Sword episode! (Awesome job btw, I've been a fan since day 1)

What could you have done to make that thing lighter? You mentioned that it was 80 lbs. Would a lighter metal have helped?

I try to build everything as a real cutting weapon, which entailed having that steel cutting edge. In order to do so I had to sandwich that between the aluminum.

If it was just a prop weapon I would have considered lighter metal.

Whats the longest time you've spent on a single project?

I created a private commission replica of a stechzeug jousting helmet based on illustrations from Albrecht Durer and that took over two years. At the time I was working on Hook and a bunch of other major features, so trying to fit in a private commission took quite a while.

For photo-etching metal: I've heard one can print an image with an inkjet printer which will transfer with alcohol to a metal plate and resist the etching solution, which will only etch the negative or un-inked areas. is this a method you use? or do you have another process to transfer a printed image to a metal plate which will resist the etching chems?

I don't use that method. I create a silkscreen stencil, where we remove the polymer off the silkscreen so the electrolyte will etch through. I'm using electrochemical etching, not acid etching.

1. Has there been any requests that you have invested time in but ultimately found to be impossible to make?

2. Has there been any effort to try and make Man At Arms a half hour show that could be sold to a network? I'm sure many believe, like myself, that this show is too good for just youtube.

1. I wouldn't invest time into anything that's impossible. I determine if it's not feasible ahead of time.

2. We're in talks with various production companies about a half hour show. I'll keep you informed!

Think if given the time and effort, you could make Iron mans full suite of armor?

Yes, I could. Probably not with the nightlight or talking computer. Definitely not for an episode of man at arms, it would take too long. I did create some of the prototype armor for Stan Winston's studios to incorporate into the first Iron Man. None of which was used, they went with fiberglass.

Just have to say. I love your Men At Arms show. Thank you for great entertainment. :-)

And now on to the question. How many people is involved recording the episodes?

During the build phase, there's a director, a producer a cameraman, a camera assistant, a PA and a set medic.

On demo days, there's probably about five or six more crew members.

In my shop I have Bryan Forrest as my main assistant and two or three additional assistants depending on what I need to delegate to get it done in the short lead time.

Hey Tony! Love your work and the show. Adored the Keyblade. I hope you kept the dimensions for that, because if I ever win the lottery, I'm buying one.

What's your favorite build you've done outside the Man at Arms show? Also, do you have to get permission from companies to do all those different weapons?

I can't sell you the keyblade or any of the other weapons from the show unless you get me written permission from the copyright owners. These are all my fan-based interpretations of the weaponry from videogames, tv shows or movies.

Sometimes we'll be sponsored, like with Jamie Lannister's sword. But again, I can't sell it to you unless you have that written permission.

As for outside the show, I just made a brass ensemble for Selena Gomez at the Billboard Awards.

You're most recent episode featured the buster blade. Have you ever thought of trying the Fusion swords from Final fantasy Advent Children? Would you be interested into doing one that complex?

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/2879/clubicbm47310oe.jpg (just in case you haven't heard of it)

Not for this show. That weapon (or nine combined) would just take too long.

What weapon would you most like to make but are unable to? (like for size or feasibility issues?)

None. From a size perspective I don't feel any feasibility issues.

I mean look how big the Buster Sword is! www.youtube.com/watch?v=xogheZdAO18

Would you give any advice to anyone considering becoming a blacksmith in today's world? Is it worth it, stable? Do you enjoy what you do?

I love what I do. I wouldn't recommend it as a business, unless you become a farrier and focus on the horses.

I imagine generic swords and the like are very common, so I'd be interested to know; what's the most unique weapon you've ever produced?

I've made some pretty unique stuff for something coming up, but I can't mention that yet...

I've made stuff for BondCon. That's not a James Bond festival btw.

What is your favourite material to work with? And favourite tool?

We've already covered the Burr King belt grinder. My favorite material would be Holly Blue agate

Hey tony! Im a big fan of yours, and have been since I saw you on break once and that video with oddjobs hat. Im more interested in your blacksmithing videos. Im very interested in blacksmithing, and find it a wonderful profession and am quite jealous of your forge. Anyway, I have two or three questions for you. 1. What started you on blacksmithing and creating props for movies? What pushes you too create items in said forge? And what is your favorite piece that you have made so far, not just on the show, but all time?

Here's how I got started

I initially started because there are certain things that I saw like knives and armor that I wanted. Things that made my fanboy self happy. I couldn't buy them anywhere, so I learned to make them.

My favorite

Do you have some ridiculous collection of weapons at your house?

Yes.

What project, if any, have you had on your mind for a while but haven't gotten around to doing yet?

Nothing really. If I want to do something, I do it.

What is the prop weapon you most enjoyed making?

My favorite is always the next one I'm gonna build.

Whats the most recent film you've done work for?

Man of Steel.

Hi Tony! It's been great seeing your work. What piece has brought you the most fame? Can we see a pic?

Edit: my question seems boring. Which Ren Faires can we see you at? I'll hopefully be working Northern this year. I would love to catch up with you and get a pic!

Famewise, I've only been credited in one feature film which is Don Juan Demarco. I made the sword Jonny Depp uses to menace Marlon Brando. I don't have a picture on me, sorry.

As for my most famous piece, probably the Hook from Hook.

I was just at the original Renaissance Pleasure Faire out in Irwindale for the last day. I haven't gone to Northernfaire at casa de fruta, but I have visited Black Point in Marin.

how many bottles and tables do you break every time you make the videos?

Too many. Countless. Literally as many as we can.

My neighbors are complaining about the broken glass in the parking lot.

This is amazing! I'm a huge fan of your work - Outside of swords and Shields, what's the most interesting & most difficult thing to work on? Is there something you particularly HATE working on?

AFAB!^{Anything for a buck.}

What's your favorite normal type of weapon? {Like Claymore's, Scimitars, and the like.}

I don't even carry a pocket knife.

Hey Tony huge fan and your videos always make my Mondays!

*What is your favorite machine in your shop?

*Have you ever designed your own weapon and then smithed it?

*What's your favorite movie you've done weapons for?

My favorite machine is probably the Burr King Belt Grinder.

I design my own weapons and smith them daily.

Cabin Boy. I did 5-foot long nail clippers to cut someone's head off. Oh wait, no! Kung Pow, Enter The Fist! I made the armor for the main guy - i think his name was Betty.

Man, I just want to say I love mondays now that I found your channel on youtube. Also what are the chances of a Legend of Zelda Master Sword build in the future?

A chance exists.

What was your job before being a blacksmith?

I started my own business as a jeweler when I was 15 and eventually got into stock-removal knife making, where I removed everything from the knife that didn't look like a knife. From there I got into armor making and eventually blacksmithing and bladesmithing.

Have you thought about making wooden tutorials for inexperienced viewers who would like to make pieces for themselves?

No I've never considered it. I work in metal, not wood.