I ran from home at the age of 15 and became a swordsmith and a sword instructor. Also, I'm the Sword's Path on Youtube. Swords, swords, swords. AMA!

What is it like studying the blade while I am partying?

While you were mastering the blockchain, I was having premarital sex

Is Klingon batleth actually an effective, usable weapon?

Any hard, sharp object is.

It it good at killing a person? Sure. Is it optimal? No.

What modifications would make this fantasy weapon more capable? It is portrayed quite elegantly in Star-Trek.

Well, the construction isn't that practical - in general, you want your weapon to have as much reach as you can operate well. I can imagine a bat'leth being quite deadly in very tight quarters, however. Not as deadly as a historical weapon, but still very much usable.

What limitations might it have which a normal sword does not? What limitations does a sword have which might not be present in a batleth?

Well, a batleth, wielded as intended, has an abysmal reach. The design isn't optimized towards thrusting, either.

An actual sword would be way more dangerous in every way, being a lot faster, reaching farther, and allowing for easy maneuvering.

I tend to agree with this analysis, except for one thing - when I've thought about practical use of the Bat'leth, I think of it more as a quarterstaff. Obviously, that's not really how it was portrayed on the show, but by releasing one hand and snapping the weapon out with the other (assume incredibly strong klingon wrists), I think the reach problem is solved. With this technique, I think it becomes extremely dangerous - it has the staff's distance flexibility with the cutting damage of the blade.

(10+ years of kenjutsu here)

You can either snap for reach or prevail in the bind, not both at the same time. And an experienced opponent will go for a bind usually. :(

Hello! I was wondering in modern TV shows and movies, what fallacies or innaccuracies do you see regarding both smithing and swordfighting/combat?

Thank you

Whoa, that's a big subject.

Let's start with swordfighting: it's mostly balls, with no respect to our current knowledge of medieval/renaissance martial arts at all. Hollywood and TV are terribly stagnant about swordfighting: while the portrayal of, say, gunfighting or unarmed combat has evolved MASSIVELY over the past 30 years, most sword choreographies employed in high budget productions are still the same collections of slow, cliched-to-death moves bereft of dynamic and grace as in the 80s. If I had to point the main fallacies history-wise? Cutting through plate armour, never using the point, using a sword in a parry-response manner rather than /Indes/.

As for the smithing? Well, it usually doesn't get a lot of screentime, but when it does, the art is often raped with scenes such as reforging broken blades and casting swords from molten iron. :)

So once a sword is broken it is just scrap metal because it is too weak to reforge?

In a nutshell, yes. To achieve the previous material consistency, you'd have to smelt the shards into raw steel again.

It's also possible to forge weld the shards, creating a pattern-welded "damascus" sort of blade, but it will never be as good as the original one.

But muh Anduril

I know. :( But hey, the Elves of Rivendell knew magic. Maybe they fixed it right?

Which is more realistic swordfighting: Errol flynn style, conan style, or Kurosawa's samurai style?

I'd say Kurosawa out of the three. At least it portrays the speed and dynamic of a sword cut reasonably well. :)

What is Indes?

That's the great secret of german longsword fencing. :o

Am I allowed to know the secret?

You might wanna ask a Greater Daemon of Slaanesh

Slaanesh and I aren't on good terms.

"Indes" is the secret concept of striking simultaneously with the opponent rather than waiting for him to finish his attack. :)

How many people have asked you to make buster swords?

Like 10, but they always get scared off by the price estimate. :(

Is thst because of the material cost of a buster sword, the effort it'd take to forge such a thing, or because it's just completely unfeasible and you're just teasing them.

There's simply a lot of material and work involved. Especially if it's meant to be wieldable by an unaugmented human. :)

So how much would a replica as close to the original size, but still wieldable by a person cost?

I'd price it at around 2200 USD

That's about around what I'd expect. It's a lot of metal and it can't be easy to work with something that large. How would you go about making it? Would the blade be all one piece or would you have to combine several?

If it was meant to be wieldable, I'd make the blade out of several angled plates rather than a single piece of steel. :)

I see. I don't mean to keep pestering you, but how much would the sword weigh if it was an exact replica not meant to be wielded and how much if it was?

I estimate a wieldable replica at 5kg with good optimization. A forged, full one? Eh, 30 kg easily.

Is that possible to make that sword as a pipe shaped like a sword?

Sure. With proper geometry, it can be made hollow and still be highly durable.

Swords?

Swords!

(Enchantment!)

Magic is impressive, but now Minsc leads! Swords for everyone!

Go for the eyes, Boo!

Which enchantment is best for swords? Should I go with 2H to do more damage or 1H so I can use a shield?

Get Savagery with a 2H weapon

What is your stand on the whole ,,hand-and-a-half sword'', sometimes called bastard sword in fantasy books and rpg games? Do you think that it is the right name to call a longsword? Have you ever made such weapon, and how would you wield it?

As the name suggests, I'd have to mutilate my hand to properly wield it... so I'm waiting until I'm ready to ascend as the ultimate hand-and-a-half swordmaster.

There seems to be a real shortage of smiths who look at late-historical swords, e.g. French small swords and other 17th century (and later) weapons. Have you done any work in that area?

I've made several rapiers under one of my masters, but haven't delved into the subject at my own workshop yet. I know how to make a complex hilt from a single piece of steel, however! :)

I'll bite. How do you make a complex hilt from a single piece of steel?

With operations such as drawing out and forge welding. It's a lot of work, but it's possible. Hell, people already did it 300 years ago.

Hi, How can I start swordsmithing? Can you recomend some books? (Polish language would be preferable)

I don't know of anyone who learned to make swords from a book. :( Sadly, most of those available in Poland were written in the 80s and are terribly outdated, filled with inaccurate knowledge and long-debunked myths.

I think learning from YouTube videos is entirely possible nowadays, if you're determined enough.

So can you recomend some channels instead? ;)

Man at Arms is very entertaining... and VERY educational actually. The guys know what they're doing. :)

There's also an excellent armormaker on YouTube, Eric Dube.

Thank you, subbed. Btw you're making great job on yt. I'm waiting for more of your videos.

Thank you! I've got some cool things coming, stay tuned! :)

If there are no good recent books, sounds like you just found yourself a money making opportunity

Haha, that's not a bad idea actually.

Wouldn't you say this leaves the field wide open for someone like you?

Oh, the stuntsman lobby is very insular. It's nigh impossible for an outsider to enter the Hollywood/high budget TV stunts environment. The producers mostly rely on outdated, tragically inept teams when it comes to stage fighting.

Can anyone with the passion and time and money learn how to forge blades? How long does it take? Do you really need a mentor (it seems like you might since it's such an art form)?

Also, have you thought of competing on Forged in Fire?

Never thought about competing on Forged in Fire. I prefer to work at my own pace. :)

As for learning - OF COURSE. In fact, it's a simple thing compared to what we learn at universities nowadays. It's no rocket science. All you need is some tools, the will to learn and a tiny bit of crafting talent. The knowledge is freely available on the Web.

In fact, to make a sword, you don't even have to actually forge a blade - you can make it by grinding and its quality will be AT LEAST as good as that of a forged one!

I want to become a blacksmith.

What is the best way to start?

Well, actually... watching YouTube videos is a very good way to start. You will soon notice the basic tools that you need: an anvil, a forge, a hammer, a grinder. Experiment with those, keep learning from YouTube... and eventually you will get the hang of it.

So im off to a decent start than. Good to know. Ive been slowly gathering supplies. The major one im not sure what to do about is the forge itself. Do you have a suggestion?

You can purchase a propane forge quite cheaply at... eh, what was their name? Devil Forge. They sell their stuff through eBay.

If that's too steep, consider making a coal-powered "drum brake forge". I heard it can be done for ~50 USD or so. :)

Hi, i've been watching you for a long time on YouTube.. also i'm a visitor on a few of your streams. And yes, i am Polish but let's keep it English. So, i've got a question; It's quite interesting and rare to meet a person online who've been raised in a hamlet. So, can you tell me a little bit more about that? What kind of lifestyle did you have, in the terms of arising technology.. and also, gaming. Yes! I remember you mentioned gaming, when did you start? And, what do you think of the game Gothic if you played it? Cheers!

I was raised by farmers, so as a child I worked the fields, milked the cows, pastured the horses... I spent most of my free time wandering the woods.

Around 1999 I got a PC from my uncle. It was a Celeron 366 and it allowed me to experience games such as Sacrifice, Baldur's Gate, Planescape: Torment, Gothic.

It was about 2002 when I first encountered THE INTERNET at a public library a few villages over. It blew my mind. :)

The 40k feder you did was absolutely stunning. If you could design a feder or longsword based on any other Sci fi/fantasy/pop culture theme which would you chose?

The Lord of the Rings! The art in the movies is quite stunning. Also, the assassin symbol of Assassin's Creed would be pretty awesome on a federschwert. :)

I agree the art of the lord of the rings is amazing. Id be a liar if i said they werent half the reason i have a sworder (sword boner, im trying to get it to catch on).

However, what if you had to choose a theme not generally associated with swords/high fantasy?

Dune. Definitely.

I'd pay for that shit

Well, here is your chance.

^

Other than making money, and fulfilling the dreams of fantasy enthusiasts what value do you see in swordsmanship in todays world? While I understand that waving a big blade around may be intimidating it seems rather impractical as you are unlikely to ever encounter another person with which you will need to do combat with outside of some hobbyist association. Further, as a self defense weapon it seems rather useless as a long blade in tight quarters is more a hindrance than a benefit. To say nothing of the old "sword to a gunfight" premise......

I see it as a martial art: something that is worth preserving and practicing, but isn't directly useful in the modern world. I also see it as a unique sport with merits greater than all others: fencing trains the body and the mind (it's like chess with turns lasting tenths of a second). But beyond that...? I wouldn't recommend a sword as a self-defense weapon (even though it's far from useless in tight quarters), nor would I go to war wielding one.

In fact, I don't think it needs an external justification. It's a brilliant sport with a connection to our history.

Can I run away and become your apprentice?

If you're asking for permission you're doing it wrong. :D

I saw your latest video and your mention of attempting to legitimize the Witcher fighting style was of great interest to me. Based on the small sequences you've shown in that video, the style seemed highly reminiscent of Meyer. What would you say are the differences between the Witcher style you are developing and the Meyer longsword discipline that are of note?

Well, Meyer certainly loved his wide, beautiful strikes. But he also advised agression, true to Liechtenauer's legacy - while the Witcher style, as portrayed in the games, suggests a highly defensive art, where you set up traps for your opponent to fall into rather than engage him with a direct attack. :)

What is the most modern sword type out there (in terms of materials and smithing technique)?

Huh. That's an easy question, actually. My Chromium-Molybdenum new generation XVa-s. :)

http://store.audentia.eu/product/xva-sword-path/

are there any interesting swords made with ceramics or carbon fiber?

Not that I heard of. But metallic glass/amorphous steel sound incredibly interesting as a potential swordmaking material.

are there any techniques you borrow from people who make cutlery?

The methods of grinding the blade into shape are similiar. :)

How did you motivate yourself, at 15, to just move away and start doing what you did? Was anxiety a big issue and if so what did you do to alleviate it?

It was a matter of necessity, I think. I could no longer bear to live in a small society. I wanted the world. My parents disagreed, so I had to make the escape. Sure I was afraid, but at the same time I firmly believed I could survive and thrive on my own.

Where did you go? How were you not homeless?

I was lucky enough to get a bed at a dorm. I had it planned while I was running away. :)

Have you spoken with your parents since?

Actually, yes. I talk with my mother over the phone from time to time. But not too much.

So, how do you feel about threaded pommels?

Do you think "End Him Rightly" is a viable technique in sword combat?

I wouldn't rely on it, but I can see it working sometimes in a duelling situation.

Hey! I have always been curious about the choice of using curved blades vs a straight blade. In my mind, in a combat situation I would not want a curved blade as it seems like it would get stuck. Also, full disclosure I like Game of Thrones and am thinking of the Dothraki sword, but have been to a lot of museums and seen many curved blades.

Any insight on straight vs curved?

Curved blades are actually better at slicing cuts and don't get stuck as easily as 'chopping' straight blades. But there are downsides: smaller reach-to-weight ratio and single-edged... ness.

I get that for like a scimitar or a ghurka type blade, but what about the really curved ones?

Ehh, not very practical in my opinion. I'm still not sure why the Egyptians invented the khopesh instead of using straight blades. :)

I always wondered if it was for hooking and pulling shields down in a tight formation, a bit like axes and various polearms could. Does that sound plausible to you?

That sounds like a possibility, yes!

Hey, how did you first get into fencing ? As a matter of fact, I would like to do so but can't find any HEMA instructor nearby, do you know how to find one ?

I found my first fencing master from a recommendation - a friend of mine trained with him and invited me. :)

It's much easier nowadays - just jump on Facebook and ask on groups such as the HEMA Alliance or HEMA International. :)

A man with an eye patch once told me that swords are not for decoration. What's your stance on that?

They will fucking cut you open

What are your favorite youtube channels?

Also, you should definitely do a 'Draw my life' video!

I watch Angel Vivaldi a lot, such a brilliant guitar player.

From the big ones: Man at Arms. Vsauce. Videogamedunkey. The smaller ones? Metatron! :)

Dude, I've been reading all your responses. How did you get so fuckin cool?

I felt life was throwing punches at me so I kept punching back... and here I am. :D

What would you say of the sword choreography in the movie equallibrium? I love the movie and find the right scenes intriguing and different.

Love it. It was considered a Matrix rip-off back in the day, but the gun-fu choreographies were entirely different. Very original, very dynamic.

While you studied the blade, what were others doing?

Mostly complained about girls not being interested in them.

When you were young did you have sword fights with other boys?

No. But I remember I wanted to. :D

I see a cool sword on the shelf of some antique store. How can I make sure it's not going to snap in half when Hank comes at me?

It's actually not that easy without taking apart the hilt. Many shitty replicas look exactly like decent replicas.

One of the ways is to grab the sword just under the crosspiece with one hand and hit it on the pommel with the other. Full time blades will vibrate along the whole length, while false tang/rat tailed ones won't have that kind of nice harmonic. :)

Hello there. This is fellow YouTube sword guy Will Keith, channel BBillyK. Just wanted to say thank you personally for all your videos that have helped me in the past.

Also, what do you think is the absolute best portrayal of sword combat in a video game so far? Have you tried Mordhau yet?

Haven't tried Mordhau! But I really liked sword combat in Devil May Cry, does that count? :)

As for realistic portrayals... I'm looking forward to Kingdom Come: Deliverance.

Alan!!

Long time fan, it's awesome to see you here on reddit! I just wanted to let you know, that almost a year ago, I saw you on YouTube for the first time while looking for cool Witcher videos. It was thanks to you that I learned that HEMA was a thing, and because of how much I enjoyed your videos, my girlfriend signed me up for Longsword lessons as a birthday gift. I've now been studying longsword for about 8 months, and it's been amazing to get me in shape (I've lost 40lbs!), and I actually just competed in my first Saber tournament as well! Thank you so much for putting your content out there, and being the inspiration to start this life-changing hobby.

My question to you would be, if you could go back and give some advice to yourself when you started your first year of learning how to fight, or to anyone else new to the hobby, what would you tell them?

That's a heart-warming tale! You've done great, my friend! And I'm proud as hell that I actually helped someone find their way into the art. :)

As for the question: "Trust in the thrust. Don't parry low blows, strike over them from above." That would be my advice... to my past self.

Maybe you can settle this. Is it pronounced "S-ord" or "SW-ord"?

/sɔːd/

You ever seen r/mallninjashit?

Sure. :D

How did you learn English? Your writing sounds totally native, and your speech is easy to understand and relaxing. It really made me enjoy and learn from your "Basics" videos. Speaking of which, do you plan on expanding on those?

I read books in english. :)

"The Basics"? Well, I was just thinking about developing that series!

Do you regret running away from home? Can you tell us about some of your experiences?

No regrets at all. Experiences? Well, it was hard at first, being in a new place with no one to turn to. But I managed to secure a cheap bed at a dorm and found a job as a blacksmith's helper. I made friends quickly. I applied to a high school.

It would never be possible without the craft: smithing is what kept me fed and clothed back then.

As someone with an interest in smithing and with a decent stock of free raw material, how could I possibly go about trying to figure out what kind/grade of steel it is? Or does it matter, if I'm going to try heat treating or tempering it? I kind of figured I'd just make a forge out of a 30 gallon grease drum and start seeing what I could make and learn from there, but I'd really like to know what kind of steel I have laying around and what it'd be best suited for.

If you want to make a high quality blade, it's absolutely crucial to determine the type of steel. What are the origins of your free raw material?

You can spark-test the steel to check the carbon content (more carbon=more sparks), but it isn't always telling - there are excellent kinds of blade steels that contain very low amounts of carbon (~0.3%).

The pieces are from large shipping crates (not sea containers, they bolt together and get covered with something for shipping) for large CNC machinery, and they're either from Japan if they're Mori Seiki machinery or Germany if they're DMG machinery.

There are some pieces that are just about the perfect size for grinding and heat treating to make some easy machetes. I experimented with a piece, one of those purely 'back-of-the-envelope' type deals, where I got it to red-hot in my wood stove and quenched it. Both before and after I whacked it against another piece of steel to see how much it would deform, and there was definitely a difference after heat treating, but I don't have the best idea of what I'm doing. If I remember correctly from grinding a piece a while back it was pretty sparky, and they're getting fairly rusty from having sat outside.

Thanks for the response!

If there's a hardening effect after such a low temp quench, it definitely has a decent carbon content. Are you planning any further experiments? :)

How did you leave? By horse??

On foot actually. Caught a bus on the way.

Hi there! I'm not really a smooth, but I like to cast metal jewelry as a hobby (or at least I'm a beginner in it).

I've always wondered what the difference is between casting and forging something was. Is it really just as simple as forging it is stronger?

Also, do you have any advise for casting jewelry? I've been attempting investment casting with plaster molds, but no luck so far.

Oh, forging is much different: it is capable of creating shapes that are hard to achieve with casting... et vice versa. Also, in swordmaking casting a blade isn't really an option.

As for casting advice? Well, investment casting is how they did it in the past, mostly. But if I had to cast anything nowadays I'd use modern molds and a spinning casting machine. :)

Have you ever made famous movie sword replicas. Or more importantly, have you ever made Drizzt's scimitars?

Oh, I even sketched the designs for Drizzt's scimitars but haven't had the time to work on them yet.

As for movie replicas? No, but I make Ciri's swords from The Witcher 3. :)

What is your opinion on spears, halberd, and other various pole arms? In my mind, they seem like the optimal weapon (that doesn't shoot something). Unless it's close quarters, like if you were fighting in the pantry it would be trash.

Polearms ruled the battlefields. Swords were a secondary weapon (unless they were two-handed swords).

What's your favorite sword you have ever made, and why is it your favorite?

Well, the one I'm using in my videos. It's a XVa weighing 1660 grams. It's 8 years old now, been with me through many fights and is still good as new. I also got used to the balance so much that most other blades feel alien in my hands. :)

I've managed to improve the design only recently, with the "New Generation" prototype made for one of Europe's finest fencers. :)

Swords will fucking cut you WIIDE open!

What do you think of this series?

https://youtu.be/Q_RpbaUU7NI

Absolutely awesome. :D

How can I get the steel to form into martensite?

Quench it.

What is the best way to get into hema if their are no clubs near you?

Train hard. Get some friends interested and start sparring. Go to HEMA events if possible. :)

Hey there! I really like your videos and they've been very instructive for me when dabbling in swordfighting techniques. I've picked up a couple synthetic longswords like the Cold Steel one and a bastard sword from medieval collectables. I find that they're either unbalanced or too light, respectively.

Is there a good training bastard sword that you recommend purely for practice?

Pavel Moc's 'Lichtenauer' line is excellent in terms of balance: www.swords.cz

Hanwei/Tinker Pierce Longswords aren't that bad either if you're on a budget.

I've been watching your channel for long time and I think you are living in same city as you! Is there any way of us meeting and maybe you could teach me some moves? How much would it cost?

Just call me. :D

What is your favourite time period and why?

The current one! The future is here! So many opportunities! So much knowledge freely available!

Of all the swords you have made throughout your career, what is your favourite?

The one I use in my videos. :) A blunt XVa with perfect weight distribution.

This one: :) https://youtu.be/c32rihBSWjA?t=243

What is your favorite hat to wear?

Would you say that you've mastered the blade?

I have certainly studied the blade... but alas, didn't manage to keep myself away from partying and, cough, spending time at the gym for the sake of vanity.

What do you think of the blacksmithing and craft of swords on video games such as Witcher 3 Wild Hunt and Skyrim?

The swords and armour in the Witcher are remarkably realistic. Beautified, sure, but most of them would be perfectly usable as a weapon. Skyrim's are, eh, pure fantasy. I wouldn't take them into combat.

Have you ever experimented with sword swallowing, if you know what I mean.
Why or Why not?

Uhh, no. Never leaned that way. I am fascinated with feminine assets.

Have you ever forged a Buster Sword type blade? If so, how difficult/different is it from a normal sword? If not, would you consider forging one in the future?

Would I consider it? Of course! ...for a price. :)

The blade would be challenging due to its bulk, but I believe I could make it wieldable for a human being.

Composite swords the future as opposed to metals and alloys?

Possibly! If we can replicate the durability of steel while retaining a good hardness.

After you ran away, where did you live and who taught you how to be a swordsmith?

I managed to get a bed at a dorm, with other students. I found job as a blacksmith's helper... and then proceeded to work at several different workshops, learning to make swords and armour.

Which tools would you say are absolutely necessary for making NOT swords, but knives? (dunno how much you know about knives but I'm thinking as making some as a hobby, I have an industrial design background and am familiar with materials and properties, just haven't worked them with my own hands)

A grinder.

(end of answer)

hi im watched all your videos its great your struggle too im wanderer city and wild forest and lands sometimes wander wild almost month i need sword which is best for me ? advice me pls ps: steel core silver coated blade possible it will not broke ?

I always recommend a longsword!

As for steel core, silver plating on the edges? Sure, there's no reason why it would break if it's properly made.

Will you make more lightsaber videos? The one you made was super cool and I'd definitely like to see more.

Sure!

Hi, I come from r/smite and I was wondering would you ever consider building a weapon from one of their many weapons. The coolest one I can think of sword wise would be the. nemesis sword
?

Would you be considering making weapons from games. If you did I'm sure you would get lots of views from that community would you consider it?

Sure, I could make it - if I only had enough free time between my regular orders. Of course someone ordering such a replica would make things much easier. :)

Honestly, you could consider doing it for an auction on the item and it could get pretty high. Several players in that game have dropped thousands on simple cosmetics for the digital skin. I'm sure there would be a market for a physical badass sword.

Possibly, yes! This sounds like a great suggestion. :)

If you could enchant any of your swords in real life, which sword and what enchantment?

My "main" longsword, make it vorpal. :)

Can a really share sword made of X metal cut through a block of a chunk of X metal with enough strength? If not, can it cut through a block of metal that is less dense than X?

P.s. I know it's not related to sword smithing, but just curious.

Many factors come into play, density being one of them. It is entirely possible to cut through, say, a bar of copper with a 58 HRC steel sword. :)

What was so terrible about your home life at 15?

Well, it was an extremely backwater place and... eh... parents never understood me. :D

(EDIT: Not gay, I was just too world-hungry to fit in a small agrarian society)

r/whowouldwin?

Taskmaster or Ronin?

I'd bet on Taskmaster, but would love to see Ronin win

Is it racist if you don't think that swords will kill asians ?

Awesome, didn't know that one.

Do you think that one day you might finally have sex?

Don't go down that road, friend

Is there any sword sharper than a katana?

Any sword with a sharper blade geometry and better material. That includes most of medieval european blades.