silver / copper alloy

[Bubbasan]

I recently read an article from Smithsonian , The article says the Japanese visited South america and learned from the indigenous people to make alloy of silver/ copper  a type of bronze (shibuichi)

and later adapted it for sword fitting s. Can anyone shed any light on this .I do know they visited them at

monte Verde in ancient times . any info would be helpfull    thank you .......James

[Chinobi]

You looking for info on shibuichi or on the visitation?

Shibuichi is one of the traditional alloys used in Mokume Gane, and as such is incorporated in guards and other furniture on japanese blades.

Can't help you with the international relations though =

Edit: I suspect though with abundance of chops you have displayed with your own work that you are already aware of this :)

[Bubbasan]

I have been doing research on the alloy . It has been used in coins during early roman days . I believe it was discovered accidently ?

 

 Because I think silver and copper are sometimes found together naturally , as does gold and copper . I imagine some old miner in days of old, found or dug some and decide to hammer it . walla shibuichi . Although probably not in the 40/ 60% formula ? that the japanese use today. The mines in  taxco, Mexico some of their silver has quite a bit of copper in it .Has to be refined  to remove copper .

           James

[Chinobi]

well, those uses sound more accidental and unavoidable than intentional, hard to say though.  only thing I can add to the history of it is from one of Jay Burnham Kidwell's research papers that states: "The first recorded use of this alloy [shibuichi] was in the sword furniture of the Ashikaga Period (1338-1572). 17"

 

unfortunately he didn't reproduce his footnotes/bibliograpgy for the class so I cant say what the source of that is :(