Sword Break or Bend? Quenching Aftermath

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Join us on an epic journey as we embark on the creation of our most ambitious project yet - the "Griffin" sword! This legendary blade, inspired by the mythical creature, will take approximately 7 months to craft and will be the most intricate and advanced sword I've ever forged. Follow our progress as we meticulously design, forge, and perfect this awe-inspiring sword, and witness the birth of a true masterpiece. Don't miss a single update on this incredible adventure - subscribe now and be a part of the "Griffin" sword's story!
Watch pt. 1 • Forging A 20-Pound Min...
Watch pt. 2 • Shocking Reveal: My Fo...
Watch pt. 3 • Unveiling My 53k Layer...
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KZbin ~ / kyleroyerknives​
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Website ~ www.kyleroyerknives.com/​

[@jerrysanchez5453]

I swear I am emotionally invested in this sword at this point with how much work has gone into this

[@mrscoob3450]

Like if something happened to it and he didn't upload the video. We need closure damnit. 😅

[@KyleRoyerKnives]

If I had to start all over again on the Griffin Sword, would you guys want to see it from start to finish again even though you just saw it?

[@plectrumura]

@@KyleRoyerKnives Speaking for myself, absolutely. Watching you process the lessons learned and seeing how you make changes would be fascinating. Also, I really hope that’s not foreshadowing. 😂

[@jerrysanchez5453]

@@KyleRoyerKnives absolutely

[@C0Y0TE3]

​@KyleRoyerKnives I would be curious. Starting over can be painstaking, but it leads to perfecting your craft. How you been friend?

[@plectrumura]

I really can’t tell you how much I learn from these as a newer maker (about 3 years of experience now). Can’t compliment your craftsmanship or your generosity in sharing this enough.

[@bfg1637]

You guys should build a concrete tall shed with a dehumidifier in it. For heat treating. Build in a ledge for you to stand on while doing that stuff. We'd all hate to see your shop burn down. Sword is looking epic. 👌

[@samdahlandsonsforge]

The Royer family said in their new year video that they were moving towards a new shop, so maybe a "easy to stand in" quenching area will be part of it?

[@markpereira1975]

I say that all the time. Bye bye house and everything. But if they're moving to a new shop I'll bet I'll be hooked up and look amazin! He's been making knives for almost 20 years now and his father also makes knives. He makes money because of how great his work is. He works hard and it shows. I'm always impressed. Amazing work!

[@bfg1637]

@@markpereira1975 agreed. Some of the best work out there.

[@karlpeters3703]

39:35 I thought for a second that the blade somehow giga warped over night, but it was just a practice piece. If there ever was a jump scare in a Kyle Royer video, for me that was it.

[@RiversideForge]

Yes that was really scary 😂 this video was like a thriller

[@achalai6199]

Same, what the hell dude, was trying to figure out how the hell that happened.

[@stellanlundgren3600]

Some times I thought he was holding a Damascus leaf spring 😂

[@BolFelix]

It's so thin I was like "wth is that?"

[@tomnorris9209]

I'm only 9 minutes into this video and I have to say that I really appreciate the forethought and planning prior to the quench. As someone who is definitely not a smith, but is intrigued by the craft; this sort of thought and care towards safety is something that I think is grossly glossed over in videos of this nature on KZbin. Way-to-go on making this a true human experience and one worth remembering!

[@astrovation3281]

21:18 "I had a thought" "uh oh"

[@_o_]

There's a certain semi-manic wisdom in every step, and a constant re-assessment and pivot in strategy in response to challenges that show us how it's done. The subtle LoTR quotes and anecdotes take it home. Word salad and stream of consciousness is the signature of the master, and the death-knell for those who just paint by numbers.

[@paullmight42]

Kyle is such a nerd, in the best possible and most wholesome way hahaha...and the attention to detail is 2nd to none...

[@Efreeti]

Very much so! I have a sense he's on the spectrum as well. He's incredibly detailed and particular in his work.

[@td05291]

My thoughts exactly

[@bikerfirefarter7280]

Functional Aspergers for sure. I wonder if he's ever been tested/diagnosed.

[@nicholaskoenig3106]

SUPER nerd...! I wish I had HALF of this skills and tools to have the patience to do what he does. ❤

[@vinamerosa1923]

Kyle, your an artist. Yeah, an expert Bladesmith , but much more. Your attention to detail and never settling for " good enough " is amazing. Anyone who watches your channel knows you're a little obsessive with things and not exactly cookie cutter personality. I enjoy watching you figure things out and work through the challenges and man, you forge some amazing beautiful work. This Sword is gonna be awesome ... the Damascus pattern is so far hidden while you form the sword blade, but we all know what's coming. You be you Kyle and we are all with you brother ! 👍🎸

[@daniellundy510]

You could rent a core drill and put your quench tank in it so you don’t have to climb up on a ladder.

[@mordredthehero]

I plan on doing something similar. I'm going to dig down about 2 feet and have a 4ft long quench tank. That way, I can make claymore's and such.

[@Charlie-dx6bv]

Seems like a good idea to me

[@matthewbeesley1588]

The accuracy you achieve freehand is incredible!

[@bikerfirefarter7280]

And unnecessary, to do it unsteadied/freehand.

[@Messihippi]

I can’t believe how invested I was is seeing how you used your quick-grip as a slow-grip. 😂😂 Comedy genius as well as forging maven. Love it!

[@TheGt5ive]

Watching you grind in that fuller at the end looked absolutely terrifying, I can understand why you was so nervous. I don't even think I'd want to start it

[@Endemoniada]

Imagine making such a huge effort and taking such care to make sure your super-duper fancy sword can withstand the heaviest of swordfighting... when with 100% certainty that sword will never be swung at anything ever, and most likely only ever sit on top of a fireplace mantle or shelf for the rest of its lifetime. That's craftsmanship!

[@DJ.B930]

58:58 you look headless! 😅 can’t wait to see how this all turns out, everything you touch is perfection

[@SamChaneyProductions]

Hi Kyle, I love your videos and I want you to be healthy and able to make swords for a long time to come so I would urge you to spend some time setting up a mirror system at your grinding setup so you don't have to be so hunched over. You can put the mirror right at eye level and aim it right to where you need to be looking. It might require 2 mirrors. It takes a little bit to get used to but your neck and back will thank you!

[@erniemathews5085]

That fuller is SO tricky. I don't envy your stress level- talk about skilled handwork!

[@PB8man]

Ya know, it seems like a simple little thing... I learned something new from you today Kyle. Your anxiety about grinding the fuller is something i deal with daily, in all kinds of mundane ways. I frequently push things off or avoid things that scare me like grinding in a fuller that could ruin weeks of work. Without the fuller, the project isn't done, but the act of doing it could ruin the whole thing entirely. But, you nutted up and did it. Nut up and do it. My new motto.

[@bikerfirefarter7280]

How about, 'First Engage Brain' ?

[@IanZainea1990]

I'm assuming your clients know you have a youtube channel, if any are interested in appearing in a video when they receive the sword or during design or something, I'd be happy to see their reaction! I'm sure other viewers would be interested too (again, only if the client is cool/willing/wants to)

[@fernandocaracciolo]

Think about what kind of a douchbag has the spare money to comission a sword lile that. Im only interested in the build process At the end of the day its going to be a useless piece of excelently crafted steel

[@skoitch]

Not sure if your bandsaw is fast enough for friction cutting, but you should look into it. Mine cuts through metal like wood and the blades last and last

[@AlphaMachina]

Might be time for a bigger shop!

[@stillraven9415]

Idea. If you clamp a straight edge parallel to the center scribe line and make a track for that to run in, that should make it easier to do the fuller. You are an amazing craftsman I am so looking forward to seeing this sword when your done!😊

[@dmosher1986]

I really like how all of the LOTR movie references are from the Extended material. So good.

[@NineteenEighty8]

My grandpa said him and his coworkers used to argue over blue or red dykem.. so they mixed it up and made purple dykem instead, and it worked the best because its so dark. He was in the Navy then electrical engineer for coal mines for 45 years. 90 years old now and still going strong, rides a bike 15-20 miles several times a week.

[@stompingpeak2043]

Imagine if you could go back in time and smith with all the knowledge and skills we now have. You would literally change the tide of war

[@thni1703]

For warped blades, a Simple little life showed a a Hammer with a carbide ball bearing brased in. Have you though about trying that? Seemes less dangerous and easier that way.

[@ajhearn4535]

Also the blades you were talking about, double straight swords (shuangjian), double sabers (shuangdao), and butterfly swords.

[@philochristos]

58:56 A headless sword-maker!

[@XBullitt16X]

I'm surprised Kyle hasn't created his own straightening jigs, to help save time and stress.

[@jeanladoire4141]

Or used a straightening hammer with a hardened peen

[@millie-mayprice891]

I'm going to assume he has the same issue every maker of things has... if you're making a rig or a tool to make your chosen discipline easier... you're cutting into time you'd rather spend doing your chosen discipline! the number of things I COULD make to streamline my process is huge, but I'd prefer to spend my time doing the fun stuff 😅 Also, if you're actually *working* in your field the problem is exacerbated by the fact that if you're upgrading your work space or doing maintenance you are NOT working on a commission, and therefore you're not making money. Sure, in the long run it's a great idea, but it isn't always fun, practical or financially viable.

[@jeanladoire4141]

@@millie-mayprice891 except he's a professional and he even says he doesnt want to change his bandsaw because it's expensive. When you're a full time maker, having fun is less important than making money

[@millie-mayprice891]

@@jeanladoire4141... I mean, I mentioned that financial reasons are a factor why you might not do a thing that would make your job easier, so I'm not really sure where you're coming from with your response? And the comment I was responding to was about making a straightening jig, not replacing the bandsaw blade... Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you mean, But I'm not sure how "if you're upgrading your work space or doing maintenance you are NOT working on a commission, and therefore you're not making money" doesn't cover what you said.

[@sudo_nym]

My neck is aching from watching Kyle grind that fuller! 😱

[@blazoboxforge]

You really hold the line. You stick to your standards. Very inspirational.

[@samdahlandsonsforge]

Ah, Kyle I just started watching but my prayer is that this comes out well without a restart!

[@nickotten1358]

Wow! Thanks for showing the straightening process! That worked out great! I’m going to try it next time! You guys are so talented! The kleeeeeenest out there! Thanks Kyle

[@mariuskraft3155]

Just a thought here: For the fuller grind, could you do a small wheel first for the railroad track you mentioned and then finish with the larger wheel?

[@cosminvladconstantin]

I was thinking the same, but then I realized that if you use a smaller radius wheel, it would create a deeper fuller from the getgo. Kyle said he wanted to avoid getting a deeper fuller, at least that's what I understood😅

[@bas17h4]

A smaller radius makes it harder to keep it centered within a wide layout. If you grind your "railroad" off center, the larger wheels will want to follow that track, and you will have to force them into alignment off-center of the small track. That forcing motion is inaccurate and easy to make mistakes doing it. I'm sure there's more to it, but this could be one reason

[@MarsStrider]

You are the most technical and meticulous Smith I have ever seen. Love watching your content.

[@KyleRoyerKnives]

Hey thanks

[@OGfrenchy1986]

Nice cash impression! I poked myself today ..::. Lmao! You rock brother! 👊

[@danielcarter7657]

I vote you make a sturdy platform to stand on for quenching long blades

[@Jeffrose_]

Your attention to detail is amazing. Anyone would be proud to own one of your blades big or small. Thank you for sharing.

[@jimbo7482]

Hey Kyle, love the channel. Been watching for a long time. I like the new accent wall behind your bench, but I miss the Star Wars and Lord of the Rings posters. While the mastery of your craft is what ultimately keeps me coming back, it's your personality that cemented that following. Your personality certainly hasn't changed, but I loved seeing those posters. They reminded me that a LOTR nerd like myself can be an amazing maker, artist, and craftsman. I'd love to see the posters come back, maybe upgraded, like your wall. Same posters, just a nice frame, maybe some LED backlighting. Would be awesome. Regardless, you keep making the videos, and I'll keep watching. - Love and respect.

[@KyleRoyerKnives]

Hey thanks jimbo 👍🏻☕️🔥⚔️

[@TreebeardTheWise]

This sword project has me totally captivated! I check for new videos on it every day! Keep up the amazing work, Kyle!

[@WayOfHaQodesh]

Beautiful craftsmanship

[@tim64872]

Wonderful to see near perfect creations.

[@davidleonel5033]

Amazing talent, its a pleasure to see you go through your process and create beautiful pieces

[@Didymus20X6]

Have you considered using a milling machine to put in a starter for your fuller? Another idea is maybe making some kind of table or platform so you can prop the sword up as you grind, keeping it even, with maybe some clamps or jigs to hold it even?

[@michaelgutierrez4845]

Love this channel SO MUCH!!!!!

[@BASE5NYC]

Stoked to see a new upload… The matching sword Tshirts are always great bonus.

[@leontheferocious]

These videos are such a gift. Thank you so much for documenting and sharing all of this with us. You always seem like a wholesome rad dude, too. Keep up the awesome work!

[@thomasgarrison3949]

Keep up the great work.

[@ulrichmachtle4864]

I love your solutions, very thoughtful. patience and time to think is essential everywhere..

[@Viktor_Johansson]

I love how you made the tang-blade transition stronger by moving up the fuller a little. In many period long swords that transition was very thick, maybe 10-13 mm but quickly tapering of and getting thinner.

[@brantradcliffe3478]

If you hold your blade with the face your grinding more toward the ceiling you can fix you lighting problem or a wide lamp also you could get a rounded grinding wheel and grind your fullers vertically would make it easier to handle the mass of the long sword and add bonus is you don't get as much kick mesing with your line

[@VinceW187]

Not having to buy slow grips is gonna save me a lot of money, thank you!

[@user-iy8gj4lg7z]

59:00 that's an impressive amount of neck bending relative to spine, looking headless

[@Richard--33817]

That fuller is stressful. I was worried that the tape might be too soft to hold the shape. Then I wondered why you didn't profile after doing the fuller so you can run it along the rest as a rectangle. Anyway, can't wait for the next installment!

[@joeajuwa1985]

Love this guy sooo much!! Dream is to order one of you!! Working on it!!

[@milkom666]

love these. tnx

[@dirtyp.132]

That Johnny cash remix/impression was incredible

[@Cortalpsychmajor]

I've had warps like that in long knives (I've only made one sword, technically sword like object, just a wall hanger, no heat treatment) I'm not sure if a straightening hammer would work for that sword, but they work pretty well for straightening knives.

[@bryanphillips6088]

Thought about making a fixture for grinding a fuller? Something to clamp the blade to so it rolls along the wheel at it's centerline. Shouldn't be that big a job to weld up one and have it run on some linear bearings. Could even get fancy and add some depth stops.

[@marcusmello69]

Man! I love this channel!

[@brysonalden5414]

I'm sure glad I didn't have to try to grind those fullers in! Nice beginning track.

[@bikerfirefarter7280]

Just fix a brass 'steady' to one side of your wheel and you can grind a perfect fuller without worrying about it drifting. You can even fit a cam-plate to the opposite side, with a cam-follower clamped to the tang if you are worried about accidentally dipping/lifting the tang. The depth of cut is adjusted by your thumb pressure/position. Simples. You seem to have some degree of aphasia. (not a criticism, just an observation)

[@user-ut4vl8bw2k]

Love your works, they amazing. Stone griding machine or Milling Machine would be handy to cut form without much bending before final griding.

[@DjDolHaus86]

If you are having trouble with temperature stability in the quenching oil might it be an idea to circulate the oil with a transfer pump? Suck it out the bottom of the tank and pump it back into the top

[@Crossway-]

Love it!!!

[@nilsdasberg7916]

I am realy thankfull for you sharing your awesome work with us in this beautyfull and realy good Made Videos. 😊

[@454Casull]

You could get a custom end mill made for a milling machine to do the fuller... or just get the fuller CNC machined :)

[@F_L_U_X]

21:46 Dr. Zoidberg!

[@spencerlambson8579]

For grinding the fuller in the blade, I’m curious if there is a way to rotate the sander 90 degrees and have the blade below it on a type of linear track that you could line up down the center of the fuller with the curve of the sanding belt. Then you could pull the blade in a fixed line to avoid potential angling issues. Kinda like when people have the electromagnetic jig they use to sand down a billet to be perfectly flat. Not sure if this is an already established method that has been shown to not work.

[@jerrywiessner]

Hello from Kalamazoo Michigan. Been watching your channel for years and love almost all of your videos.

[@drewdoesart9277]

Im really happy you got that blade straight.

[@Teleman01]

You guys really do have the dream job. You work for yourself. You never have to leave home for the most part. And you get paid very well for what you do. That's the dream job ))). And being able to be extremely creative for your living, that's huge.

[@johnfoulk3448]

You need coolant on the blade while surface grinding. Will help a lot on the warpage issue. 42 year tool and die maker.

[@Hydracat404]

Hey Kyle, great work as always. 🥰 But about grinding, ... Matt from the channel "That Works" is a masterful grinder and has a lot of knowledge on that matter. Did you, or would you consider, getting in touch with him? Even masters can learn from other masters. 😅 And man, when it comes to Matts grinding skills, I've never saw a better one so far.

[@BrumbleBush]

Watching Kyle straighten the blade makes my hairs stand on end. I’m vicariously anxious for him! Lol! 😂🍻

[@samdahlandsonsforge]

Kyle, Is there anything differently you would have done in the normalizing stage to change the possible warpage if you would make this pattern again? Or maybe try a horizontal quench tank (Concept being that all the areas of the oil would quench at more even rate). I know you have probably considered more than I could think of, but I am always trying to learn from your expertise as I move forward in the craft.

[@pluggedingaming8169]

Grinding that perfectly by hand like that, damn nice job dude!

[@johnferris6635]

What if you made a guide track with a shallow grind with a smaller wheel dimeter and then increased the wheel diameter for the rest of the depth & width of the fuller? You would probably have better control with the smaller wheel because there would be less grab due to the smaller surface area of the wheel-blade interface. Also, why don't you make a little support table for the grinding wheel with a 2x4 and some adjustable stands.

[@nicksmacro]

The quick grip, slow grip bit is certanly the height of comedy for the channel thus far. Zero cringe, actually funny.

[@sctb00]

"If you don't have a slow grip on hand and you want to cheat your way there with a quick grip" I'm dead.

[@bikerfirefarter7280]

Pre-school BS substituting for 'comedy'.

[@nicksmacro]

@@bikerfirefarter7280 No, usualy Kyle is hella cringy, like he's a bit special needs and what not. This time it was a straight faced delivery, the joke was ours to take or leave. I think it was a monumental improvement, I hope there's more like this.

[@bikerfirefarter7280]

@@nicksmacro Nope. He is 'special needs and what not' (I'm not criticising or being prejudice, or arrogant, it is what it is) his attempt at a joke backfires and is just confirmation that he is 'special'. Hence too his obsession with damascus etc. Its similar to when a lion escaped in a zoo, it broke into the monkey compound, started chasing the monkeys, they were frightened and screeching and running about in a panic, eventually the lion cornered one monkey, it screamed in terror, the lion stalked closer, the monkey was so petrified it started yelling, 'help,help!'. The lion came closer, and whispered, 'Paddy, shut the hell up, or we'll both lose our jobs'.

[@Nordle69]

for fuller work, is there a way you could lay the blade on a flat surface, clamped down, have the grinder vertical above the blade running on some kind of track so you could just push and pull the grinder along instead of having to hold the blade horizontal yourself. i know it would entail making a small custom grinder of some kind so prob not worth it if your only making a sword every so often, but im sure it would make life a lot easier for you if you were making many blades with fullers. am pretty sure someone could build such a contraption for you. hope that make sense.

[@Fabrice1970]

For those long sword, you could burry the oil tank (half of it) vertically in your backyard… it will make your quenching way easier and less dangerous

[@plainsman867]

A new Griffin sword video. It’s a good Friday afternoon

[@eaglecurtis]

i find it wierd that he didnt straighten the blade as soon as he pulled it from the quench like most of the other smith tubers i watch do... either by sandwiching between 2 2x4s as the blade cools or just use a vise as a lever while the blade is still warm

[@obtuseangler768]

8:09 not safe Kyle...taking chances like that is how you slowly lose control of a situation and a big accident happens.

[@menlikegods363]

58:57 THE HEADLESS SWORDSMITH!!!!

[@rvsbladesnthangs]

23:57 great song, I'd buy it😂

[@thescourgeofathousan]

Hey Kyle, I remember you mentioning that there was an inch or so of tang sticking out of, I think it was, the cooling oil? Would that have had anything to do with the difficulty in straightening the tang? Also I was wondering what would happen if you ground the fuller before profiling the blade? It would allow you to use a platform to rest the blade on and ensure it is level while grinding the fuller without using your arm strength to keep it level. I just don’t know what impact a fuller would have on the blade during hardening and tempering…

[@StuartB_]

You should have a camera on the blade when you're doing the fuller and just looking straight at a screen. Take a bit of getting used to but would make it so much easier to see the whole thing.

[@kellon.o.g3281]

@12:00 lmao i was closing one eye to focus to se the warp better haha

[@AlphaMachina]

We've had a warp before, stood it on end in the vice and it straightened a bit on its own while it cooled, but then we fought it for a while using your same technique with water and finally got it straight. But then when we ground it, the warp came back with a vengeance.

[@IanZainea1990]

31:54 I'm having flashbacks to forged in fire at this moment in the video haha

[@skigdividerx4991]

Going to be great.

[@mikegregory5620]

Looks like it is definitely time to build an extension onto the workshop.

[@claytondennis8034]

Could you not grind the fuller in 2 stages? Use a 1" wheel to establish a track at roughly 1/3rd final depth, then use your final radius wheel in your track to final width and depth?

[@trevorbishop3897]

I'm no expert, but wouldn't you want that material you cut out of the tang with the band saw at 2:16? Cutting those sections not only severs the matrix, but it adds sharp corners which are stress raisers.

[@SinkToTheBeat89]

So I noticed you were careful in heating the blade while straightening. I thought that any reheating would mess with the temper on the blade, but is there really a certain amount of reheating that allows the bend but doesn't affect the temper? I notice in shows like Forged In Fire a lot just opt to retemper altogether. I'm just interested in the strategy you went with for straightening, and was there another round of hardness measurement after the straighten?

[@otter1959]

A fascinating build. I have a question about the mosaic damascus. Most of the pieces I've seen you build are either knife length or in a sword, fairly stout blades. How would that steel do if you made a more flexible type sword such as a rapier? I swear a matched rapier and main gauche would be absolutely stunning!

[@claytonwoodcock6942]

LOL OSHA looking at that ladder setup.

[@anglerseawolf9919]

The two swords in one scabbard sounds like a butterfly sword. The long dao version of it perhaps?

[@LukeSeed]

When you talk about "Rockwell Hardness" generally you need to mention the scale. I'm sure you're speaking about RHC but there are ~15 of these scales used for different materials/hardnesses