Matt Smith Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Hello this is my first post here, nice to meet you all. I am intrested in making some medevil style daggars and I was wondering what to use or the pomel and guards.. I know some people use steel round bar for pomels and steel square bar for gaurds but I am intrested in finding something in which I can shape a little more easily (similar to brass) but not bass. Any advise or ino on what you have used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Welcome to the form. What tools do you wish to shape it with, ie do you wish to work the material hot, or are you saying that you want something soft because you are doing all the work on the knife cold? Also, why not brass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Smith Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 I will probbly forge the blades, but would perffer to hand work the pomel and guards because I would like to make the ornate...I do not want to use brass because I do not really wwant a brass look Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Pewter for pommels. Solid copper Originally they were seldom brass for swords and larger daggers but were often wrought iron covered with various metals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Smith Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 Thanks I have also thought about casting them but I do not know much about what meteal would best be used Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I have used silver for knife fittings, easy to cast, easy to work; but too expensive these days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackravenforge Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 casting in aluminum works. it's light, easy to melt, and stronger than people think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 And looks so period for medieval work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Smith Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 Ok im getting closer to finishing my first dagger and Im getting down to casting the pommel and cross gaurd. I Have been thinking about using Zinc alloy wheel weights for the casting since I can easily come across them and I have heard that zinc is easy to cast. I know the fumes from zinc isn't good for you but I herd that is only at the boiling temp.....Any ideas or advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Smith Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 I Have been thinking about using Zinc alloy wheel weights for the casting since I can easily come across them and I have heard that zinc is easy to cast. I know the fumes from zinc isn't good for you but I herd that is only at the boiling temp.....Any ideas or advice. You really want to risk your life on what you heard? I suggest you research zinc, fume fever, heavy metal poisoning, and read all you can about zinc that is listed on this site. You can work with zinc and other metals safely but you MUST know and understand what safely means. You may want to research the properties of the metal(s) you use for casting and find your the yield strength of the cross sectional area. No use investing hours of your time into some that looks pretty but deforms with the first impact. They sometimes mix magnesium in with aluminum. When you see the bright white light from the magnesium burning, it is too late to formulate a plan "B". How do you safely dispose of several ounces of VERY HOT liquid metal? Shorts and bare feet ARE NOT personal protection equipment. Anytime you start working with new materials, research and understand the dangers involved. Personal safety is just that, you personally taking responsibility for your own safety. Just a word of caution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Smith Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 thank you for the word of caution... and trust me I have read all that is listed on zinc and I have done research on casting zinc... Maybe I did not state it clearly in my original post and that is my fault, but when i stated that I had heard I meant I have read... Im not one to take risks especially when it comes to my health. With that said, I know that breathing the fumes from zinc can be harmful, but I have read where people have successfully and with no side effects have casted zinc at home. I have also read that the zinc fumes are basically harmless when at the melting temp, but when the metal is boiling then the zinc is evaporating at a high enough rate that the fumes are more hazardous. My plan was to smelt the zinc wheel weights with my forge and crucible, while wearing personal protective equipment, i.e my heat resistant leather apron, gloves, protective eye glasses, as well as using my respiration mask witch is rated for high fume rates which is found in and around the auto body and paint industry. My intention in posting my original question is that in my research i have not noticed anyone mentioning using Zinc Wheel weights to make knife fittings, I have read that some people have experimented with using it for casting bullets, but not for knife making. So is there anyone out there who has experimented with zinc casting, for this reason. I know that knife pommels and cross guards are sold that contain zinc but I do not know how well the material will hold up to this purpose, any help is appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 I've cast zinc as part of a casting class I took once. Don't like the look of it for fittings---perhaps an aluminium bronze? (dissolve copper wire into molten aluminum...) And for large blades it's not so much the cross sectional area yield strength you worry about as charpy test as impacts will often be sharp edged Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Smith Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 ok thanks is there a specific ratio off copper to aluminum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Yes whichever ratio *YOU* like for looks and properties Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oof Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 5-10% or so, much more than that and it becomes brittle. too much and it will shatter like glass when dropped. use aluminum wire, it's the easiest/cheapest/scrap pure form of aluminum. melt the copper first with a charcoal cover then add the aluminum. mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Smith Posted August 22, 2012 Author Share Posted August 22, 2012 Thanks for the tip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 Much easier to melt the Al and then dissolve the copper into it---Al melts much lower than copper and copper is a gas absorbing monster when molten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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