Either way, awesome post. These improvised weapons are awesome because anyone can “make” them!

To answer your question: because liquid metal looks cool and in a movie cool equals $.

Good to know that my gut reaction of “what the …. that is not how you forge a blade” was right, must be your influence.

I will look up those denditic steel blades. Thanks for the information.

There’s a maker named David Boye who makes cast “dendritic steel” knives, but they aren’t really steel, they’re a cobalt / chromium alloy.

There are cast steel anvils, but I know nothing about anvil making.

It’s really not practical, because heating the steel to molten changes the composition too much, including burning off carbon. It would really have to be done during the smelt to be practicle, because the conditions and ingredients are tightly controlled. Melt it again and you change everything.

To answer the question with a question: Being that’s it’s practicle to change the shape of steel bt forging and grinding, why melt and cast it (which isn’t practicle)?

I am sorry to drag attention away from the manrikigusari, but you are the only bladesmith I know and the question must be answered (maybe in a separate Real Steel?).

Thank you, Todd, for your enlightening post.