Sword Making (1965)

Wilkinson Sword factory, Acton, London.
Man checks ceremonial swords in a display. He holds the swords up and looks at them carefully. Various shots of swords being made in the foundry. Good shots of men at work and the processes involved. Metal is heated and thinned out. The blades are sharpened then dipped into whale oil and molten lead. The sword is bounced off a steel block to test it.
C/U of patterns being stencilled onto a sword. Narrator explains that there is a new craze for businesses to have a special sword designed for their company. Man carefully hand paints the sword. Final coating is painted on to the sword. C/U of box of handles and scabbards. Man fits these pieces together and then attaches them to a sword.
Display case of swords - various swords are seen including the famous "Sword of Stalingrad".
Cuts exist - see separate records.
FILM ID:315.06
A VIDEO FROM BRITISH PATHÉ. EXPLORE OUR ONLINE CHANNEL, BRITISH PATHÉ TV. IT'S FULL OF GREAT DOCUMENTARIES, FASCINATING INTERVIEWS, AND CLASSIC MOVIES. www.britishpathe.tv/
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British Pathé also represents the Reuters historical collection, which includes more than 136,000 items from the news agencies Gaumont Graphic (1910-1932), Empire News Bulletin (1926-1930), British Paramount (1931-1957), and Gaumont British (1934-1959), as well as Visnews content from 1957 to the end of 1984. All footage can be viewed on the British Pathé website. www.britishpathe.com/

[@TheLittleGuy1]

Whale oil and molten lead. got to love the 60's

[@saltysponge9965]

The original 'how it's made'

[@erichusayn]

Cool video. Thanks for uploading!

[@charlieross-BRM]

I've seen a few of the commemorative editions up close. I used to be on the mailing list for importers of Wilkinson collectibles. I couldn't rationalize the expense of a cavalry sword but my parents gave me a commemorative poignard for Christmas. They get all the attention to materials and details of the full size variety. The nicest one I got to inspect was for the 40th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain - Douglas Bader flown to Toronto as guest of honour to destroy the etching screen, marking a limited edition's finale. I have no idea how much the collectibles appreciate in value.

[@ENIGMAXII2112]

Very, very nice...!
Thank you kindly for this wonderful vintage footage..

[@bigsloppy3267]

Did they say whale oil?

[@arthurchadwell9267]

I would love to have one of their swords!

[@michaelharrison8036]

Gives me goose-bumps just watching it!

[@BobbyIronsights]

Thanks for the upload

[@stevelewis7263]

It would be interesting if they still make swords there in 2022

[@EpicMLKGamers]

Quite sure they don't. Most British companies who made things went bankrupt and/or had manufacturing moved elsewhere in the 1970s and 1980s. Even if these swordmakers survived, they probably retired not too long after 1965 and there was no one to pass down the craft to

[@MrRisingg]

@@EpicMLKGamers they do indeed, that factory was bought from Wilkins sword and still makes & maintains them.

[@kristoffermangila]

That old Wilkins Sword factory is now known as Pooley Sword, and operate out of the area of Brighton Airport.

[@IronBridge1781]

@@kristoffermangila To be specific, Wilkinson shut down their sword making facility and Pooley bought the designs and machines from them to keep making and maintaining them.

[@kristoffermangila]

@@IronBridge1781 that's true. There's a recent video by Forces TV which shows their operations.

[@888ssss]

they do the job for tips.....