Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2010 16:54:16 GMT
Well, most ancient swords were made of bronze correct?? Ive seen several people say that bronze can hold up to a lot more than you think and that it can even hold its own with iron. Ive been trying to find a tempered blank that I can put a grip to and I was wondering; can bronze even be tempered the same as steel?? I wouldnt think it would flex as much, but would tempered bronze flex or would it just get harder when you temper it??
Thanks
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2010 22:11:17 GMT
Bronze is work hardened, not tempered. I don't realy know how much flex could you have in a bronze blade... But it's true that early iron swords were not much better than bronze ones.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2010 22:51:26 GMT
What is "work hardened"?? Does it do the same thing??
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2010 2:30:57 GMT
LGarretto, work hardening is to beat on the metal until it gets hard. A bronze sword will not flex like a steel one will but an Iron sword will not flex either (isn't it amazing what tiny amounts of carbon added to iron will do). Cast a bronze sword with the correct mix of copper and tin and when it cools take a small hammer and hit the edges many times (but not too hard) and the edge will be hard and the spine softer. The edge will be more than sharp enough and hold up fairly well. Even some early steel swords will not be much better. Bishop and Coulston in Roman Military Equipment mention that some Roman swords were not hardened or tempered and that some were made of very low carbon steel (and others were made with high carbon alloy edges and had proper heat treatment).
|
|
|
Post by Kilted Cossack on Apr 6, 2010 2:47:52 GMT
A bronze sword will not flex like a steel one will but an Iron sword will not flex either (isn't it amazing what tiny amounts of carbon added to iron will do). There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. * Hamlet, scene v
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2010 14:46:01 GMT
Oh, ok. thanks so when you "beat" on the edge it sharpens the blade by compressing the bronze?? Im assuming so. I made a knife that way once and it has really good edge retention so I guess it would be the same with bronze. One more question; I dont think bronze swords can be made as long as steel blades but (seeing as im wanting to make one) do you think I could make one about 38 inches overall?? I want a kind of bastard sword if you will. I was thinking of a 30 inch long blade married to an 8 inch long hilt. Do you think thats too long?? Thanks in advance
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2010 15:33:44 GMT
of course, I might shorten those measurements down about 2-3 inches too
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2010 16:54:04 GMT
A bronze sword will not flex like a steel one will but an Iron sword will not flex either (isn't it amazing what tiny amounts of carbon added to iron will do). There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. * Hamlet, scene v KC, it's an excellent quote but do you have a specific complaint?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2010 16:59:23 GMT
Oh, ok. thanks so when you "beat" on the edge it sharpens the blade by compressing the bronze?? Im assuming so. I made a knife that way once and it has really good edge retention so I guess it would be the same with bronze. One more question; I dont think bronze swords can be made as long as steel blades but (seeing as im wanting to make one) do you think I could make one about 38 inches overall?? I want a kind of bastard sword if you will. I was thinking of a 30 inch long blade married to an 8 inch long hilt. Do you think thats too long?? Thanks in advance Yeah, I think that would be too long and heavy. Any given volume of bronze weighs more than the same volume of steel. Think single handed. You can sharpen by beating or harden the edge and then sharpen. Check this out www.bronze-age-craft.com/Bronze-Sword-Festival.htmand www.bronze-age-swords.com/use the menu on the left hand side.
|
|
|
Post by Kilted Cossack on Apr 6, 2010 17:29:32 GMT
Unc:
Just reacting to the difference a small amount of carbon makes! This world is stranger and more bizarre than we suspect. I wasn't complaining, I was just wide-eyed acknowledging the bizarrities of our world.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2010 17:42:50 GMT
ok thanks guys
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2010 0:41:24 GMT
Unc: Just reacting to the difference a small amount of carbon makes! This world is stranger and more bizarre than we suspect. I wasn't complaining, I was just wide-eyed acknowledging the bizarrities of our world. That is so very true.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2010 0:36:23 GMT
Copper alloys such as bronze actually soften when heated and quenched quickly; I believe it's called annealing. Work-hardening is indeed the best way to harden bronze.
|
|