How to sharpen a sword?

Question

i got a new sword from an on-line site. the thing is, the sword isn't sharp in the least and that takes away some of the...awesomeness. anyway i was wondering if there was a way to sharpen the blade without shortening it (thinning it). if you have any suggestions that would be great, by the way if you know a way without buying something (homemade sharpener) that would be much more appreciated.

thanks for the help,

katrena

Answer 1

You sharpen a sword the same way you sharpen an axe or a kitchen knife...

you use a sharpening stone, and a lubricant, move the stone along one side and then the other until it is sharp

If you Google "sharpen a knife " I'm sure you can find a video to show you how....

One other thing to consider is that what you have is an ornamental sword , not the two-handed broadsword that Sheena the Conqueror would swing whistling over her head.. the steel won't be as good and you may not get a really sharp edge.....

Answer 2

I hope that you are not planning to attack somebody. Mercy lady and chill. Jokes apart the best idea without waisting money is to sharpen the same after rubbing it against the back of ceramic tile. Will take least and yet delivers the best result.

Answer 3

Here's a couple of sites to check out.  Note: Swords bought on-line or from shopping shows are usually not made with tempered steel.  While you can put an edge on the blade, the steel might be to soft to hold that edge.  Soft steel will make it very hard to get the same bevel on each edge, so be extremely careful during the process.

Answer 4

Without buying anything?

Borrow a file, if you haven't got one.  Fine teeth.

Hopefully you have a vise (other than a desire for sharp swords).  Something to clamp the blade firmly in place.

Do not sharpen a sword like a knife.

Sharpen it like a fine chisel or ax - at a much broader angle than a knife.  A cross-section of the blade edge should be shaped like a tall pitched roof.  So you are only dealing with the edge of the sword, not thinning the blade.  Work the file down each edge at a constant angle, correcting the center with each stroke.  Go slow.

Do this for two reasons: chances are your sword is not well hardened and tempered (tempered means softened after hardening), and sword edges are fragile and break easily if they are honed like a knife.

Now that you know how to sharpen a sword on a severe budget,  DON"T DO IT!

First, you will mess the sword up.  It is possible to do it this way, but not likely.

Second, sharp swords are dangerous.  I sold swords for many years, and I have driven more than one 'expert' to the hospital for stitches.  In some areas, sharpening changes them from a collectors art piece into an illegal weapon.