Forging and hardening

Maple always use a new material for the blades of replicas (swords, paratschwerts, rapiers, sabers, tusks…), because there is higher danger of hidden inner defects in the old material.

In some cases (swords, paratschwerts, tusks), the blades are forged in the smithy.

The grooves are not milled, they are forged by hand or hand-grounded. The purpose of the grooves is to firm the blade, similar to an I profile in the construction industry.

Hardening

The blades are industrially hardened in the hardening specialized in 54SiCr6 (spring steel) material. Thus, the best results are achieved and the quality remains under our control. The blades are hardened to the values of 51 +/- 1 HRc. Reaching these values, the steel combines an ideal ratio of hardness, elasticity and toughness, which ensure long-life of the product.

Testing

Each blade undergoes a test of hardness after the hardening. Then we subject the blade to the test of flexibility and strength.

We do these tests to minimize the risk of damage.Forging

Forging is a nondestructive technological process of material processing, in which the shape and mechanical properties of this material change. While forging metals, it is necessary to exceed the elasticity limit but not to exceed the strength limit. Therefore, ductile materials are suitable for forging, i.e., materials that have those two limits sufficiently far apart. Forging methods includes rolling (sheet metal), forging, drawing, extrusion.

During the forging, the grains are stretched and subsequently softened, giving the steel a homogeneous structure and better mechanical properties. From the above mentioned is clear that the forge materials have better mechanical properties and inner structure than cast materials. Forging is divided into cold and hot forging, which is carried out at temperature up to 1 200 °C.