I’ve cut out the shell guard and thumb ring sheet from some stainless steel I had lying around. I have a plan to form a tool to help with adding the flutes to the shell. I also have a piece of 100+ year old wrought iron for the quillions. #blacksmith #metalwork #cutless #sword
Am thinking I might reprofile that blade. The bend is too short and in the wrong spot. I need to heat it back up anyway to get some of the kinks out before grinding.
After some more research, I found my blade length was too long. I had a 30” blade, but typical cutlasses and hangars were only 30” total length including hilt. So I’ve trimmed the tip and re-profiled the shape. #blacksmith #metalwork #cutless #sword #BeMorePirate
More progress. Forged in the bevels on the tip, straightened and flattened the whole blade. Forged the quillions and dished the shell guard. Still need to slot the quillions and guard and clean everything up and do a LOT of grinding. #blacksmith #metalwork #cutlass #sword #BeMorePirate
Tang burnt through the handle material. A lot of naval cutlasses had cast iron or brass handles as they son’t swell on a ship like wood or bone but this one isn’t going to sea, and I don’t have casting facilities anyway. Since I also don’t have long thing drill bits, I used the more tradition method of heating the tang and pushing it through the wood. #sword #cutlass #blacksmith
I’m leaning towards the wire. I’ve twisted some two tone wire which I think looks ok. I could twist it on itself to make it thicker, or fill the groove with clear epoxy once the wire is in place.
At the moment, the wire is very much inset in the grooves. If I double the thickness, by twisting on itself, I don't think it'd protrude from the groove either, but would fill the groove better than the current thickness. So I *think* I should be ok either way.
Roughed out a pommel. Two piece construction, very experimental, hope it works. Can’t test fully until the rest of the piece is completely finished. Don’t worry about the poor fit, it’s just sitting there at the moment.
good question. He must have built it in either the 70s or 80s at a guess. Maybe earlier but I don’t think so. Dad might know. Will have to see if I can remember to ask.
More blade cleanup today. It’s down to 500g now so I can’t take any more off, except for some light sanding and the final sharpen. Still needs heat treating too.
I’m up to the shellac stage of the grip. It’s had one coat of red oil, three of Tung oil, and three of seedlac (veg based shellac). I’ll probably do a few more coats and let it properly harden before polishing. #cutlass #sword #blacksmith #woodwork
Actually fits together fairly well, weight distribution is such that the balance point is 5cm in front of the guard, making for a very lively sword. Total weight is 1.2kg or about the same as my rapier (which is considerably longer).
The blade still needs heat treating and then I have all the fiddly bits in the fit up to secure everything. #sword #cutlass #BeMorePirate #blacksmith
Not too bad a cut. Maybe could have been marginally closer to get the back of the cut a bit cleaner, although that was probably just bad technique on my part.
The whole thing was a series of learning processes, which is kinda why I did it (ok, so pirate cutlasses are pretty awesome in their own right, but I totally did it to learn stuff) 😉
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •#blacksmith #metalwork
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •#blacksmith #metalwork
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •#blacksmith #metalwork #sword #cutless #BeMorePirate
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •#blacksmith #metalwork #cutless #sword
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •#blacksmith #metalwork #cutless #sword #BeMorePirate
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •Still need to slot the quillions and guard and clean everything up and do a LOT of grinding.
#blacksmith #metalwork #cutlass #sword #BeMorePirate
minnix
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •Since I also don’t have long thing drill bits, I used the more tradition method of heating the tang and pushing it through the wood.
#sword #cutlass #blacksmith
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •#sword #cutlass
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •spiral is what I meant.
Mike, First of his Name
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to Mike, First of his Name • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •#sword #cutlass #blacksmith
Laura Ritchie 🌸
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to Laura Ritchie 🌸 • • •So I *think* I should be ok either way.
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •ajft
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to ajft • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •Don’t worry about the poor fit, it’s just sitting there at the moment.
#sword #cutlass
Matthew "Smiffy" Smith
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to Matthew "Smiffy" Smith • • •Matthew "Smiffy" Smith
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to Matthew "Smiffy" Smith • • •Lea de Groot
in reply to Matthew "Smiffy" Smith • • •Matthew "Smiffy" Smith
in reply to Lea de Groot • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to Matthew "Smiffy" Smith • • •Dad might know. Will have to see if I can remember to ask.
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •#cutlass #sword #blacksmith #metalwork #BeMorePirate
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •#cutlass #sword #blacksmith #woodwork
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •Actually fits together fairly well, weight distribution is such that the balance point is 5cm in front of the guard, making for a very lively sword. Total weight is 1.2kg or about the same as my rapier (which is considerably longer).
The blade still needs heat treating and then I have all the fiddly bits in the fit up to secure everything.
#sword #cutlass #BeMorePirate #blacksmith
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •Here is my very first #cutlass modelled on the Dutch style from around the 1680s.
It is, by no means perfect, but the fit-up is pretty tight, and it is functionally sharp.
(iphone photos, will do some better ones later)
#blacksmith #metalwork #sword
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •My edge alignment could have been a little better, but this is the first time I've tried swinging the blade at something.
#cutlass #sword #blacksmith #video
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •#blacksmith #cutlass #test
Trisha Lynn 🇵🇭 🇺🇸 🇨🇦
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to Trisha Lynn 🇵🇭 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 • • •Trisha Lynn 🇵🇭 🇺🇸 🇨🇦
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to Trisha Lynn 🇵🇭 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 • • •The whole thing was a series of learning processes, which is kinda why I did it (ok, so pirate cutlasses are pretty awesome in their own right, but I totally did it to learn stuff) 😉
Trisha Lynn 🇵🇭 🇺🇸 🇨🇦
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •#pirate #sword #hook #tricorn #hat
Trisha Lynn 🇵🇭 🇺🇸 🇨🇦
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to Trisha Lynn 🇵🇭 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 • • •rag. Gustavino Bevilacqua
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •A superb job, congrats!
David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to rag. Gustavino Bevilacqua • • •lazy cat ☮️
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •David de Groot 𓆉
in reply to lazy cat ☮️ • • •Sternzeichen Kleinhorn
in reply to David de Groot 𓆉 • • •David de Groot 𓆉
Unknown parent • • •