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The Art of Making a Sword Written by Lars Bo Christensen, Translated by Knud Erik Andersen © 1998 |
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Peter Bjoerklund from Dals-Laanged in Sweden has breath new life into the ancient art of forging a sword. Bjoerklund's Grandfather and Great-grandfather was both blacksmiths in Malmoe, Sweden, their old smith are still there, although it today is a antique shop. It is Peter's big dream one day to be able to move in there again and make weapons - and to make art works again in the old smithy. But it's not replicas of the old Viking swords, which most of the smiths occupied with, that Peter wants to make. Peter began to practise Tai Chi in 1981 and have been practising it since. His great interest in Tai Chi got him to make his own swords and knifes. The swords you can buy to Your tai Chi practise are not of good quality, they rattling, they are chromium-plated and the balance is not always good, because the factory are making them in certain sizes, which do not fit everyone. If You are buying a sword from e.g. USA a mediocre Sword can easy cost $300. In 1998 Peter began participated in some forge-classes and he began to invest in some tools. He has studied all kind of literature on how different cultures has manufactures swords and which material and the manufacturing methods used. Today Peter is a skilled blacksmith, and have produced 8 Tai Chi Dao (saber, knife) and 3 Tai Chi swords and 4 stocks, which people have ordered to fit on blades they have bought on there own. This may not sound of much, but You have to take into consideration, that it can take up to several hundred working hours, to make a sword. Peter have made tailormade sword for al kind of people. You have to decide how You want the point of balance, if You want it to be a bit out on the blade or closer to the stock. It has a great importance whether the sword fits You or not. A sword with the point of balance a bit out on the blade, gives You a "heavy" sword, it will not be very mobile, but in return it will have a great striking power. A sword with the point of balance close to the stock, gives a "lighter" sword, which do not have to great striking power, but in return it will be fast. A good rule for a average balance point could be six fingers out on the blade from the stock. |
The biggest work is the blade. It have to be made of good steel and have to be straight and in balance in all directions. For every blow from the hammer, the blade twist and turns like an eel and this is the point where the skill of the smith is shown. Mostly of the blades Peter have made, has been made of "ordinary" forged spring steel, which gives an exceptional good blade. But he have made to blades - one sword and one Dao - which have been 'unmasked', this means it's made of stratified steel and iron, which first have been twisted and afterwards folded together lengthwise several times before hammering. Even though You use a power hammer, it's a tremendous work. If You wanted to buy such a sword and pay the smith by the hour the price huge. But luckily Art can not be measured in money. Peter has made a Dao in this manner, which he gave to Master Tung Kai-Ying and he have made a sword for him-self, which by the way was his test piece of his apprenticeship, it have been on many exhibitions since. The stock and the sheath on these two weapons, are incredible beautiful, but it's still the blade that's impresses the most. The demasking shows the most fabulous pattern in the steel, when it's polished. Peter means You have to have practised Tai Chi for a long time, before You can make a good Tai Chi sword. You have to have the feeling of how a sword has to be, before You can do it right. Simultaneously You have to the learn the old techniques e.g. the old Vikings hardened their swords at full moon, but Peter means regarding the Tai Chi sword, the best time for the hardening rather will be at new moon. ©1998 Knud Erik Andersen
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