Forging a bronze sword with modern equipment

[Sam Cade]

Originally Posted by DanHoward

It is possible that this kind of alloy could produce a fine or maybe a very fine quality bronze blade.

Peter Johnsson has made some ALBronze swords. http://www.peterjohnsson.com/


I've had some ALBronze knives (intended for use where ferro magnetism and/or sparking would be bad juju) and they were pretty crappy by any reasonable metric.

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by Sam Cade

Peter Johnsson has made some ALBronze swords. http://www.peterjohnsson.com/


I've had some ALBronze knives (intended for use where ferro magnetism and/or sparking would be bad juju) and they were pretty crappy by any reasonable metric.

I read some of Johnsson's posts on various discussion boards about this topic. He seemed to indicate the ALBronze blades were durable enough, but couldn't hold an edge comparable to modern steel -- which seems hardly surprising.

He also noted that modern steel can be treated to minimize the effects of salt water, so that even basic care keeps them from deteriorating.

I was interested in this because, in my Facets campaign, ferrous metals interfere with magic in all sorts of problematic ways (and attempts to use them on faeries usually makes the attacker wish he or she could die...), so I wondered about ways to create bronze tools, parts and other utensils of strength and durability comparable to at least 19th Century steel.

It looks like ALBronze is "okay," for that -- but it doesn't make for weapons that hold an edge comparable to a good steel sword or knife.

You could probably make a decent revolver out of it, though, and I know they used cast bronze (although, NOT AlBronze) for cannons (French culverins) for awhile.

The tsiants (American Indian ogres) encountered by the party in the first session had big blunderbusses made out of bronze, for that reason.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by tshiggins

I was interested in this because, in my Facets campaign, ferrous metals interfere with magic in all sorts of problematic ways (and attempts to use them on faeries usually makes the attacker wish he or she could die...), so I wondered about ways to create bronze tools, parts and other utensils of strength and durability comparable to at least 19th Century steel.

Why exactly use bronze? People mostly don't use other transition metals for structural purposes because, well, why use something more expensive than steel unless it's actually better, but you can probably get steel-level performance out of some alloys of nickel, chromium, manganese, titanium, and vanadium.

[DanHoward]

Those involved in demolition/explosives like them because they can't create sparks.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by DanHoward

Those involved in demolition/explosives like them because they can't create sparks.

In that case, they are much better than iron items. Better can be quite context dependent even for single purpose tools.

[DanHoward]

Magnets can be a problem too. Either copper or titanium alloys are preferred.

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by DanHoward

Those involved in demolition/explosives like them because they can't create sparks.

QFT - also flammable atmosphere work. For example our production teams use phosphor-bronze keys to open solvent containers and spanners made of the same stuff for ... well, bolts and things.
Metallurgically speaking the tools stink - I don't think we've got a single drum key that isn't badly beaten up and at least slightly out of true - but they don't strike a spark, and that's the important thing.

[Sam Cade]

Y'know, now that I think about it, I've actually got some bronze stock that would be suitable for making a knife somewhere in the shop if I can find it.




(I'm a semi-pro knifemaker.)

[Sam Cade]

...and here is a wee high-tin bronze knife I just knocked out. :-)

Big storm rolling in and it is beer-thirty so I'll edge it on the morrow.

http://imgur.com/6nEiWg3

[ErhnamDJ]

Originally Posted by Sam Cade

...and here is a wee high-tin bronze knife I just knocked out. :-)

What effect does the tin content have?