Magnus - Iron is incredibly difficult to harden. To start we simply needed the all-important piece of steel. I went to meet him at his forge and he showed me the traditional method of making a blade. Now safe to say, it’s pretty hard to find a local blacksmith these days, but Magnus Sigurdsson is one of only a few people in the UK who can make traditional swords, daggers, armour - you name it. And though we may not use swords any longer modern armour and blades are still very relevant and they were all made with steel, a metal that can be shaped into almost anything. Jack - Swords and armour were our best friend for thousands of years, both weapons of war and means to protect families and possessions. Jack Tavener went to speak with Magnus Sigurdsson, who still makes swords and other historic implements the way that traditional metal workers have been doing for centuries. And although the blacksmiths didn’t realise it, when they were beating a piece of metal, they were driving atoms of carbon from their forges into the crystal structure of the iron, turning it into a hard steel. One of blacksmiths' roles in days gone by was making weapons and armour from steel.
