All language subtitles for Incredible.Inventions.Series.1.07of10.The.Drum

Narrator: AROUND THE WORLD,
THE RACE TO WIN WARS

AND EXPLORE THE UNIVERSE

HAS CREATED SOME OF THE MOST

INCREDIBLE PRODUCTS
EVER DESIGNED,

AND WE USE THEM EVERY DAY,

UNAWARE OF THEIR
AMAZING ORIGINS.

ON "INCREDIBLE INVENTIONS,"
THE DRUM,

ITS USE IN KEEPING TIME

BOTH MUSICALLY
AND ON THE BATTLEFIELD,

THE SLINKY,

HOW A SIMPLE METAL
SPRING DEFIES

THE LAWS OF PHYSICS,

AND THE FENCING SWORD,

THE DEADLY PAST
OF AN OLYMPIC SPORT.

WE REVEAL THE AMAZING HISTORY

AND ENGINEERING OF THESE

INCREDIBLE INVENTIONS.

-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

♪♪

FROM THE NEOLITHIC ERA
TO THE 21ST CENTURY,

THE DRUM HAS LIVED UP
TO ITS NOISY REPUTATION.

IT'S BEEN USED BY THE ANCIENT
CHINESE AND MONGOLIAN TRIBES,

THE AZTECS OF MEXICO,

AND NATIVE AMERICANS
IN THE PLAINS

OF THE UNITED STATES.

Hicks: WHEN IT COMES TO DRUMS,
YOU'VE GOT TO GO BACK IN TIME,

REALLY ANCIENT TIMES, AFRICA,

THE HOLLOWED-OUT LOG,

YOU KNOW, INTIMIDATING
THE NEXT TRIBE,

THE ENEMY OR THE NEXT VILLAGE
YOU'RE COMING.

THE NATIVE AMERICANS,
WITH THEIR DRUMS,

IT'S TELLING YOU, WE'RE COMING.

Narrator: AS ONE OF THE OLDEST
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS,

A DRUM'S BASIC DESIGN
HAS REMAINED

ALMOST THE SAME
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

CLASSIFIED AS A MEMBRANOPHONE

BECAUSE IT CONSISTS
OF AT LEAST ONE ANIMAL HIDE

THAT HAS BEEN STRETCHED AND,

WHEN STRUCK BY THE HAND
OR DRUMSTICK,

PRODUCES A DEEP AND LOUD SOUND.

WHILE THE DRUM
IS COMMONLY REGARDED

AS THE ROOT OF ALL MUSIC,

IT CAN'T ESCAPE ITS BLOODY PAST
ON THE BATTLEFIELDS OF HISTORY.

MANY KINGDOMS, TRIBES

AND NATIONS
HAVE RISEN AND FALLEN

TO THE SOUND
OF A BEATING DRUM.

WELL, THE MOST SIMPLE USE
FOR THE DRUM

IS MARKING TIME
FOR THE REGIMENT

AND BEATING THE TIME
OF THEIR DIFFERENT MOVEMENTS

WHEN THEY'RE DOING THEIR DRILL.

BOTH IN THE ENGLISH
AND THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR,

THE DRUM BEAT WAS PARAMOUNT.

IT WAS THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING.

WITHOUT IT, YOU COULDN'T
GET ALL OF YOUR MEN

TO PRESENT AT THE RIGHT TIME,

FIRE AT THE RIGHT TIME.

OTHERWISE, IT WOULD BE CHAOS
ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

LIBERTY HAS BEEN MAKING DRUMS

IN COUNTY DURHAM,
ENGLAND SINCE 2006,

AND ALL THEIR DRUMS
ARE ENTIRELY HANDMADE,

MAKING THEM UNIQUE.

Street: WE BUILD THE DRUMS
FROM THE RAW TIMBER,

SO WE SOURCE IN THE BIRCHES,

THE MAPLES, MAHOGANIES,

AND WE BUILD OUR KITS
PLY BY PLY.

ESSENTIALLY, EVERY ELEMENT
IS HANDMADE.

ALL THE TIMBERS ARE
ALWAYS HANDLED BY HAND,

RIGHT TO THE FINISHING PROCESS.

IT'S A, YOU KNOW,
A REALLY FINE INSTRUMENT.

Narrator: THE PROCESS BEGINS
WITH THE SELECTION OF THE TIMBER

TO MAKE THE SHELL
OF THE SNARE DRUM.

STRIPS OF PLYWOOD
ARE MEASURED OUT

AND PRECISELY CUT TO SIZE.

THESE WILL BE
LAMINATED TOGETHER

TO FORM THE DRUM SHELL.

FOR THE OUTER LAYER OF THE DRUM,

TWO STRIPS OF THE PLYWOOD

ARE LAYERED UP ON EITHER SIDE

OF A DECORATIVE BEADING STRIP

AND HELD IN PLACE
USING MASKING TAPE.

EACH PLYWOOD LAYER IS COATED
WITH A SPECIAL GLUE

AND CAREFULLY
MANIPULATED INTO PLACE

WITHIN A SOLID-WALLED MOLD.

EACH FRAME GETS A COAT
OF GLUE BY HAND

AND THEN PLACED IN THE MOLD.

EACH PLY, WE USE
A SPECIFIC COMPOUND OF GLUE,

AND THEN EACH LEAF OR VENEER,

WE'VE PLACED IN THE MOLD
TO MAKE THAT SPECIFIC DRUM.

SO IT DEPENDS THE TYPE,
THE DESIGN OF THE DRUM,

HOW THICK, HOW MANY VENEERS.

THE MOLD'S PURPOSE IS
TO APPLY EXTERNAL PRESSURE

TO THE PLYWOOD LAYERS.

THE SHELL IS LEFT TO DRY
NATURALLY IN THE MOLD

FOR 24 HOURS
TO ENSURE A GOOD BOND.

ONCE DRY, THE DRUM IS EXTRACTED
FROM THE MOLD AND CHECKED

FOR ANY IMPERFECTIONS
ON THE LAMINATE.

THE EDGES OF THE DRUM

ARE THEN PRECISELY TRIMMED
USING A CIRCULAR SAW.

THE DRUM'S SURFACE IS THEN
CAREFULLY SANDED BY HAND

TO ENSURE A GOOD, SMOOTH FINISH.

NEXT, THE DECORATIVE BEAD
IS MASKED WITH TAPE,

AND ONE HALF OF THE DRUM

IS STAINED
WITH A COLORED LACQUER.

ONCE THE LACQUER IS DRY,
THE WHOLE DRUM IS COATED

WITH A LAYER OF WAX
FOR PROTECTION

AND TO GIVE A SMOOTH FINISH.

WHEN THE FINISH IS COMPLETE,

THE EDGES OF THE DRUM ARE
BEVELED USING A ROUTING TOOL.

THIS WILL FORM A BEARING EDGE

FOR ATTACHING THE DRUM
SKINS LATER ON.

NEXT, MASKING TAPE
IS APPLIED AROUND

THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE DRUM

SO THAT IT CAN BE
MARKED UP FOR DRILLING.

A TEMPLATE IS USED
TO MARK THE POSITIONS

WHERE THE DRUM WILL BE DRILLED.

MORE MASKING TAPE
IS APPLIED

AT EACH POSITION
AROUND THE DRUM,

AND A TEMPLATE IS USED TO MARK
THE CORRECT POSITIONS

FOR DRILLING THE HOLES.

HOLES ARE DRILLED
THROUGH THE DRUM

SHELL AT ALL
THE MARKED LOCATIONS,

AND THEN ALL THE EXTERNAL
METALWORK IS SCREWED ON AROUND

THE EDGES OF THE DRUM.

THESE ARE USED FOR
ATTACHING THE DRUM HEADS

AS WELL AS THE SNARE WIRES.

NEXT, THE BOTTOM DRUM HEAD
IS ATTACHED TO THE DRUM

USING A METAL HOOP,

WHICH IS SCREWED ONTO THE DRUM
THROUGH THE METAL LUGS.

THE DRUMHEAD IS THEN TIGHTENED

AND TUNED TO ENSURE
EVEN TENSION AROUND

THE HEAD USING A DRUM KEY.

THE WIRE SNARES ATTACH DOWN
TO THE BOTTOM HEAD OF THE DRUM.

THE SNARE WIRES STAY
IN CONTACT WITH THE DRUMHEAD

AND VIBRATE
WHEN THE DRUM IS HIT.

IT IS THIS THAT
GIVES A SNARE DRUM

ITS UNIQUE, SNAPPY SOUND.

THE FINAL STEP IS TO ATTACH
THE TOP DRUMHEAD AND TUNE IT.

NOW, IT IS READY FOR A
THOROUGH TEST IN A DRUM ROOM.

[ DRUM ROLL TO BACKBEAT ]

SO THERE IT IS, THE SNARE DRUM.

FROM MARCHING BAND
TO ROCKSTAR,

IT REALLY IS
AN INCREDIBLE INVENTION.

AFTER THE BREAK, WE EXPLORE,

HOW DID A HAPPY ACCIDENT
DURING WORLD WAR II

CREATE ONE OF AMERICA'S
MOST POPULAR TOYS?

Narrator:
THE SLINKY, A METAL MARVEL

THAT STILL CONTINUES
TO AMAZE YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE.

BUT HOW IS THIS INNOCENT TOY
CONNECTED TO WORLD WAR II,

AND WHAT IS THE AMAZING SCIENCE
BEHIND ITS STRANGE ABILITY

TO WALK DOWN STAIRS?

THE SIMPLE PRECOMPRESSED
HELICAL SPRING,

THAT'S A COIL TO YOU AND ME,

IS FIRST INVENTED
BY RICHARD JAMES WAY

BACK IN THE EARLY 1940S

WHILE HE'S WORKING
WITH THE US NAVY.

AS PART OF THE WAR EFFORT,

JAMES AND HIS TEAM ARE BUSY
BUILDING SPRING SHOCK ABSORBERS

TO KEEP DELICATE NAVIGATION
INSTRUMENTS ON BOARD WARSHIPS

SAFE AND FREE FROM DAMAGE,
EVEN IN THE HEAVIEST OF STORMS.

THE SLINKY WAS AN ACCIDENTAL
INVENTION, IF YOU WILL.

IT WAS DISCOVERED
BY RICHARD JAMES

WHEN HE KNOCKED
OVER SOME SPRINGS.

HE REALIZED THE WAY THAT
THEY WALKED ACROSS THE FLOOR

COULD BE POSSIBLY
BECOMING A PRODUCT,

AND THIS PRODUCT
BASICALLY WAS DESIGNED

SUCH THAT YOU
COULD PLAY WITH IT.

HE SHOWED IT TO A LOT
OF LITTLE KIDS.

THE CHILDREN THERE LOVED IT,

AND HE REALIZED
HE WAS ONTO A WINNER.

Narrator: WITH THE EXCITEMENT
OF HIS INVENTION

STILL FRESH IN HIS MIND,

JAMES AND HIS WIFE BORROW $500

AND SPEND THE NEXT YEAR
RESEARCHING

AND DEVELOPING THE IDEA

SO IT'S READY
FOR THE 1945 CHRISTMAS RUSH.

AT FIRST, THE BIG
DEPARTMENT STORES ARE SKEPTICAL,

SO JAMES TAKES INITIATIVE
BY DEMONSTRATING

HIS CREATION TO SHOPPERS,

AND BY THE END OF THE YEAR,
THE SLINKY IS THE MUST-HAVE

TOY ALL ACROSS THE USA.

THE SLINKY'S FORM MAY BE SIMPLE,
BUT DON'T UNDERESTIMATE

THE COMPLICATED SCIENTIFIC
PRINCIPLES AT PLAY.

NUDGE THE COILED SPRING
DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS

AND BE PREPARED
FOR A MAJOR PHYSICS LESSON.

WITH A LIFE OF ITS OWN,

THE TOY BEGINS TO MOVE BY

INDEPENDENTLY
FALLING OVER ITSELF

FROM ONE STEP TO THE NEXT
IN A FLUID MOVEMENT.

THE SLINKY IS DEMONSTRATING
A NUMBER OF FORCES

AS IT MOVES DOWN THE STEPS.

FRICTION, INERTIA,

MOMENTUM AND POTENTIAL
AND KINETIC ENERGY

ARE ALL ACTING
ON THAT COILED SPRING.

AT REST, THE SLINKY IS
STILL AND DOES NOT MOVE.

THIS IS CALLED INERTIA,

AND IS THE RESISTANCE
OF ANY PHYSICAL OBJECT

TO CHANGE ITS STAGE
OF MOTION OR REST.

INERTIA IS AIDED BY
THE EFFECTS OF FRICTION,

A FORCE THAT RESISTS
THE MOVEMENT OF OBJECTS

AS THEY SLIDE
AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.

IN THE SLINKY'S CASE,
THE AIR THAT PASSES THROUGH IT

AND THE CARPET
THAT COVERS THE STEPS.

THE FACT THAT THE SLINKY
IS AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS

MEANS THE EFFECTS OF GRAVITY

ARE STORED AS POTENTIAL ENERGY

AS SPRING TENSION.

IF THIS ENERGY IS RELEASED,
THE POTENTIAL ENERGY

IS CONVERTED
TO KINETIC ENERGY,

THE FORM OF ENERGY
GOVERNED BY MOTION,

WHICH MEANS THE SLINKY
IS NOW MOVING.

SO WHY DOES THE SLINKY
KEEP GOING?

WELL, AS THE SLINKY
TAKES ITS DIVE DOWN

THE FIRST STEP, IT STRETCHES,
THEREBY STORING ENERGY.

THAT ENERGY REACHES A POINT

WHERE IT MUST
PULL THE TAIL ALONG,

FLIPPING IT OVER
TO THE NEXT STEP.

NOW, MOMENTUM
COMES INTO PLAY.

THIS FLIPPING ACTION CONTINUES
AS THE SLINKY'S MOMENTUM

CANNOT BE STOPPED BY THE FORCES
ACTING AGAINST IT,

FOR EXAMPLE THE FRICTION.

OBJECTS WITH A LARGER MOMENTUM

REQUIRE MORE ENERGY
TO MOVE AND TO STOP,

WHILE THOSE WITH LOW MASS

AND VELOCITY
HAVE LESS MOMENTUM,

THUS THE GREATER
THE WEIGHT OF THE SLINKY

AND THE DOWNWARD ANGLE
IN WHICH IT IS TRAVELING,

THE GREATER THE MOMENTUM,

WHICH IS WHY A METAL SLINKY

IS BETTER AT TRAVELING
DOWN STAIRS

THAN A PLASTIC ONE.

THIS COMPLICATED BUT PLAYFUL
ACTION HAS CAPTIVATED CHILDREN

EVER SINCE IT WAS FIRST
INTRODUCED OVER 70 YEARS AGO,

AND ITS POPULARITY SHOWS
NO SIGNS OF DECLINING.

ENOUGH SLINKYS HAVE BEEN SOLD

TO GO AROUND THE EARTH
A STAGGERING 121 TIMES.

THAT'S OVER 300 MILLION
INDIVIDUAL ITEMS.

THEY'VE GONE TO SPACE
ON THE SHUTTLE

AND BEEN USED BY US
TROOPS IN VIETNAM

AS PORTABLE RADIO ANTENNAE.

IT SEEMS THERE'S NO STOPPING

THE EXCITEMENT OF THE OLD TOY.

THE SLINKY, TRULY AN
INCREDIBLE INVENTION.

COMING UP, A SPECIAL SLOW-MOTION

EXPERIMENT THAT REVEALS

JUST HOW THE SLINKY
ACTUALLY WORKS.

♪♪

Narrator: THE SLINKY MIGHT
HAVE BEEN FLYING --

SHOULD THAT BE FLOATING? --

OFF THE SHELVES
SINCE THE 1940S,

BUT CAN IT ACTUALLY FLY --
OR MORE CORRECTLY, FLOAT?

LET'S TRY AND FIND OUT.

THE EXPERIMENT -- WE WILL DROP A
LARGE SLINKY FROM A GREAT HEIGHT

AND FILM IT USING
A SPECIAL SLOW-MOTION CAMERA

TO CAPTURE THE RESULTS.

TO START, A LARGE BUILDING

WITH EASY WINDOW ACCESS
TO ALLOW FOR VERY SCIENTIFIC

DROPPING OF CLASSIC
CHILDREN'S TOY, CHECK.

LARGE SLINKY, CHECK.

SPECIAL SLOW-MOTION CAMERA

FOCUSED AND EXPOSED

AT THE ABSOLUTE PERFECT
SETTINGS TO CAPTURE

OUR SPECTACULAR
SLINKY FALL, CHECK.

OUR FEARLESS TESTER
ASCENDS THE STAIRS,

TAKES POSITION AND IS ALL SET
FOR THE EXPERIMENT TO BEGIN.

WITH HIS ARM STRETCHED OUT
AT A PERFECT 90 DEGREES

TO HIS BODY,
HE LETS THE SLINKY UNRAVEL

TO ITS FULLEST EXTENT

WHILE EXPERTLY
HOLDING ONTO ONE END.

HE SIGNALS THAT HE IS READY,

AND A DISEMBODIED HAND
PRESSES RECORD ON THE CAMERA.

THE TEST CAN BEGIN.

OUR MAN LETS GO
OF THE SLINKY AND,

LESS THAN 2 SECONDS LATER,
IT HITS THE GROUND.

DID YOU SEE
THE SLINKY FLOAT?

NO?

NEITHER DID WE.
LET'S REVIEW THE TAPE.

NOW, SEEN AT 150
FRAMES PER SECOND,

WE CAN SEE SOMETHING
AMAZING HAPPEN.

AS THE SLINKY IS RELEASED,

THE TOP OF THE TOY
FALLS VERTICALLY,

AS YOU WOULD EXPECT,
BUT LOOK AT THE BOTTOM.

IT'S NOT MOVING.

ASTONISHED?
WELL, WE ARE.

BUT HOW IS THIS STEEL
SPRING CHEATING GRAVITY?

AGAIN, SCIENCE
COMES TO OUR AID.

BEFORE IT IS DROPPED,

THE BOTTOM OF THE SLINKY
IS SUSPENDED,

WITH GRAVITY PULLING IT DOWN
IN ONE DIRECTION

AND THE SPRING'S TENSION
PULLING IT UP ON THE OTHER,

SO EQUAL AND OPPOSITE FORCES

ACT ON THE BOTTOM,
LEAVING IT MOTIONLESS.

WHEN THE TOP IS RELEASED,
THE INFORMATION THAT THE TENSION

HAS CHANGED TAKES A MOMENT

TO REACH THE BOTTOM
OF THE SPRING.

ONCE THE WEIGHT HITS
THE BOTTOM OF THE SLINKY,

IT KNOWS TO FALL TO THE BOTTOM,
SO TO SPEAK.

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT.
POINT PROVED.

THE SLINKY CAN FLOAT,
WELL, SORT OF.

AS WE SAID BEFORE,

THE SLINKY REALLY IS
AN INCREDIBLE INVENTION.

FENCING IS A SPORT OF PRECISION,
STYLE AND GRACE.

WATCHING TWO WORLD-CLASS FENCERS
ON THE OLYMPIC STAGE

IS SOMETHING TO BEHOLD.

HOWEVER, IT IS A WORLD AWAY
FROM THE DARK HISTORY

OF DUELING THAT WAS
THE PREDECESSOR OF THE SPORT.

BEGINNING WITH PREHISTORIC CLUBS
AND SPEARS,

ARMED COMBAT HAS BEEN AROUND
ALMOST AS LONG AS MANKIND.

THROUGHOUT HISTORY, THERE ARE
PLENTY OF REFERENCES TO DUELS.

WE'VE ALL HEARD
ABOUT ROMAN GLADIATORS,

BUT IT IS PERHAPS
A LESSER-KNOWN FACT

THAT ROMANS FREQUENTING BATHS

OFTEN DUELED WITH STICKS,

AN EARLY SIGN
OF WHAT WAS TO EVOLVE

IN TO MODERN FENCING.

DUELING IS THE ENGAGEMENT
IN COMBAT

BETWEEN TWO INDIVIDUALS,

BOTH WITH MATCHING WEAPONS

AND OFTEN WITH
A SET OF PRE-AGREED RULES.

DUELS ARE FOUGHT
AS A WAY OF REGAINING

OR RETAINING A SENSE OF HONOR,

AS OPPOSED TO NECESSARILY
KILLING THE OPPONENT.

ROMAN SOLDIERS ARE TRAINED
TO THRUST INSTEAD OF CUT,

AS A RAISED-ARM
CUTTING MOTION

WOULD EXPOSE VITAL ORGANS
TO THE ENEMY.

THIS THRUST IS THE BASIS
OF MODERN FENCING TECHNIQUE.

BY THE 14TH CENTURY,

SWORD-FIGHTING SCHOOLS
ARE COMMON

IN MANY EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.

THESE ESTABLISHED A CORRECT WAY
TO FIGHT WITH A SWORD,

AND THE INABILITY TO DO
SO IS SEEN AS UNGENTLEMANLY.

IT WAS A FENCING INSTRUCTOR
CALLED GEORGE DE SILVA

WHO ACTUALLY SAID THAT,
IF A MAN CARRIES A SWORD

BUT CANNOT USE IT,

IT'S AS FULL RIDICULOUS
AS A MAN

WHO CARRIES BOOKS
BUT CANNOT READ.

Narrator: BY THE 19TH CENTURY,

AS DUELS BECOME LESS COMMON
AND ACTIVELY DISCOURAGED,

FENCING IS INCREASINGLY
RECOGNIZED AS A SPORT.

SLOWLY, THE COMBATIVE
ASPECT OF FENCING FADES

UNTIL WE ARE LEFT WITH
THE PURE SPORT OF TODAY.

IT BECOMES AN OLYMPIC
SPORT IN 1896.

AFTER THE BREAK,
WE GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT

AND SEE HOW A MODERN
FENCING SWORD IS CRAFTED.

Narrator:
MODERN OLYMPIC-STANDARD FENCING

IS BROKEN INTO THREE CATEGORIES,

EACH REFERRING
TO THE WEAPON USED,

AND EACH WITH THEIR OWN
DIFFERING SET OF RULES.

FOIL FENCING USES
A LIGHT AND FLEXIBLE SWORD.

ARMS AND LEGS AREN'T
ALLOWED TO BE TARGETED,

SO ALL OF THE ACTION TAKES PLACE

WITH ACCURATE THRUSTS
TO THE TORSO, NECK AND GROIN.

EPEE IS SIMILAR,
BUT THE SWORD IS HEAVIER

AND THE WHOLE BODY
CAN BE TARGETED.

SABRE FENCING
ONLY ALLOWS ATHLETES

TO TARGET ABOVE THE WAIST

AND USES A LIGHT,
CUTTING SABER SWORD.

TODAY, BECAUSE OF THE HIGH-SPEED
NATURE OF THE SPORT,

AND TO ENSURE ACCURACY,

ALL JUDGING IS DONE
ELECTRONICALLY.

ONE OF THE LEADING PRODUCERS

OF MODERN
OLYMPIC FENCING EQUIPMENT

IS LONDON-BASED LEON PAUL.

SO WE'VE BEEN PRODUCING
FENCING EQUIPMENT FOR 96 YEARS,

BUT WE'VE BEEN CREATING SWORDS

AND FORGING THE BLADES
FOR ABOUT 60 YEARS NOW.

Narrator:
SO HOW ARE THESE INCREDIBLE
INVENTIONS ACTUALLY MADE?

THERE ARE MANY INDIVIDUAL
PROCESSES INVOLVED IN PRODUCING

AN OLYMPIC-STANDARD
FENCING SWORD.

IT BEGINS WITH
MARAGING STEEL,

A METAL OF SUPERIOR STRENGTH
AND TOUGHNESS,

YET THAT HAS A HIGH LEVEL
OF MALLEABILITY.

WE USE MARAGING STEEL
FOR THE OLYMPIC BLADES,

AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT HAS
VERY LITTLE CARBON IN,

AND THAT MEANS LESS FLAWS
ARE LIKELY TO PROPAGATE,

AND THAT MEANS THAT
IT'S GOING TO LAST

A VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

Narrator:
THE STEEL IS FIRST CUT

TO THE CORRECT LENGTH
USING A SAW.

THIS PARTICULAR AUTOMATED SAW
CAN CUT MANY BLADES AT A TIME

TO PRECISELY THE RIGHT
MEASUREMENTS NEEDED.

ONCE CUT, THE AREA OF THE BLADE
THAT WILL FORM THE HANDLE

IS THEN HEATED TO FORM
WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE TANG.

THESE TANGS ARE ROUNDED
AND ALLOW FOR COMFORTABLE GRIP

OR THE ADDITION OF A MOLDED
OR WOODEN HANDLE.

THE BLADE IS THEN TAKEN
TO THE MAIN FORGE,

WHERE IT IS HEATED
TO APPROXIMATELY

1,500 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,

USING RADIOFREQUENCY COILS,

MUCH LIKE THE HEATING PROCESS
IN A MICROWAVE.

ONCE THE METAL IS RED-HOT,

ROWS AND ROWS OF VERY STRONG
HAMMERS THIN THE BLADE OUT

TO THE CORRECT PROPORTIONS

TO PRODUCE
THE PERFECT FOIL SHAPE.

NOW FORMED,
THE BLADE IS BEGINNING

TO RESEMBLE A RECOGNIZABLE FOIL.

THE METAL IS THEN HEAT TREATED.

THIS IS VITAL TO PRODUCING
A GREAT-QUALITY BLADE.

BECAUSE THE STEEL CAN BECOME
BRITTLE IN THE FORGING PROCESS,

HEAT TREATING RESTRENGTHENS
THE METAL AND ALSO INCREASES

ITS FLEXIBILITY AND LONGEVITY.

THE WORLD RECORD
FOR THE LONGEST LIFESPAN

OF A BLADE
IS ABOUT 37,000 CYCLES,

SO THAT'S 37,000 HITS,

AND THAT RECORD IS ACTUALLY HELD
BY A LEON PAUL BLADE.

Narrator: THE SURFACE OF THE
BLADE IS THEN FINISHED,

FIRST IN A GRINDING MACHINE

WHICH GIVES IT A SMOOTH FINISH.

NOW THE BLADE CONTINUES

THROUGH THE SHOT
PEENING PROCESS.

THIS FIRES SMALL BEADS OF GLASS
AT THE STEEL

THAT CREATE A COMPOSITE RESIDUAL
STRESS LAYER IN ADDITION

TO INCREASING ITS SHEEN.

THE BLADE IS TAKEN
TO BE LASER ENGRAVED

WITH THE LEON PAUL STAMP,

SHOWING WHEN AND WHERE
IT WAS MADE

AS WELL AS THE GRADE OF STEEL.

A WIRE THAT CONNECTS
THE ELECTRONIC

TIP OF THE BLADE TO THE SENSOR
IS FITTED WITH GLUE,

COMPLETING THE
BLADE-MAKING PROCESS.

IT IS NOW TIME TO CREATE
THE GUARD OF THE SWORD.

THIS IS MADE FROM
AN ALUMINUM SHEET,

WHICH IS BENT TO SHAPE
USING A HYDRAULIC PRESS,

WHICH FORMS THE PERFECT
ROUNDED SHAPE

FOR PROTECTING
THE HAND OF THE USER.

IT IS THEN RIVETED IN ORDER
TO REINFORCE THE BASE

BEFORE BEING STAMPED
WITH THE LEON PAUL LOGO.

THE BASE IS THEN POLISHED

BY RUNNING WATER
OVER THE METAL,

SCRUBBING IT WITH CHINA

AND FINISHING IT OFF
UNDER THE POLISHING WHEEL.

NOW THAT WE HAVE A FINISHED
BLADE AND GUARD TO MATCH,

IT ALL NEEDS TO BE ASSEMBLED
INTO A FULL SWORD.

THE ELECTRONIC WIRES ATTACH
TO THE ELECTRONIC SOCKET,

MEANING THE SWORD
IS NOW EQUIPPED

TO SCORE ELECTRONICALLY.

THIS IS FITTED ALONG WITH
A CUSHION PAD AND HANDLE.

THE HANDLE CAN BE CUSTOM-MADE
USING A 3-D PRINTER OR BE FITTED

WITH A MORE TRADITIONAL
WOODEN HANDLE

THAT HAS BEEN
HAND-WRAPPED IN LEATHER.

THE SWORD IS THEN TESTED
TO ENSURE IT CONFORMS

WITH ALL THE OFFICIAL
REGULATIONS.

THE FENCING SWORD,

CERTAINLY AN
INCREDIBLE INVENTION.

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT,

A GLANCE THROUGH
THE HIDDEN HISTORY

AND SUPER SCIENCE
OF SOME AMAZING PRODUCTS

WE USE EVERY DAY,

THE DRUM, THE SLINKY,
AND THE FENCING SWORD.

THEY MAY SEEM COMMON
AND ORDINARY,

HOWEVER, THESE PRODUCES
HELPED CHANGE THE WORLD

ONE INCREDIBLE INVENTION
AT A TIME.