Copper wire and mild steel

[coldironkilz]

I've been trying to figure out how to add copper elements to some of my work lately. In this case copper wire wrapped around the handle of a bottle opener. Is anyone else doing this?

[Ridgewayforge]

I like the idea, I have not done this. Did you forge braze the wire on to the handle? 

And, how does it feel in your hand? Copper is a great accent to many works, and creates a great decorative element to that bottle opener. I look forward to seeing how else you figure out where to use it. 

[newbieforge]

I like the bottle opener!

 

Copper looks great, but I don't think it's very suitable for handling. It can leave marks on your hands, and it makes your hands smell "coppery" or "metallic". Both are caused by the natural acidity of your skin. If you've ever handled pennies (the old ones, before we had copper plated zinc alloy) you'll know what I mean.

 

Some people's body chemistry is more neutral and doesn't have such a reaction with metals.

[coldironkilz]

Thanks for the info newbieforge, here's more detail for other viewers.


Why does metal smell? Chemists have found a surprising answer: it doesn't.

After you've grasped an iron railing, a door handle or a piece of steel cutlery, your hand often gives off what seems to be a metallic odour
Copper has a similar effect, accounting for the metallic smell created by handling coins made of copper alloys. The smelly reactions induced by these metals create "the sensory illusion that it is the 'metal in itself' that we smell right after touching it.
Chemists have found that acids naturally present in sweat induce reactions between carbon and phosphorus impurities typically present in iron, generating smelly, volatile molecules called organophosphines.
Researchers captured the vapours emitted from the skin of people who had handled iron objects, and studied their chemical composition. The gases contained several compounds called aldehydes and ketones, which often have strong and distinctive smells. The odour of preserving fluid, or formaldehyde, makes for the characteristic reek of old anatomy labs, for example, while the ketone acetone makes the distinctive solvent whiff of nail-varnish remover.
These compounds are produced by rapid reactions between iron or copper and oils on our skin.
Glindemann, Dietrich

[coldironkilz]

Ridgewayforge, the bottle opener is forged from five inches of 3/8 sq. The butt was upset to 1/2 sq. The copper is; three strands of 14 gauge electrical wire twisted then wrapped on the opener while in a dull red heat, then I waved a torch flame over each flat melting the strands somewhat, cool and finish with wire brush. The opener feels very nice in the hand though my wife said it felt more like a man tool than a lady tool (well).

[Chinobi]

neat twisted handle there, kinda makes it look like a natural cord wrap.  I have attempted a couple of times to inlay (hot and cold) copper and brass into iron with varying degrees of success and failure.  you could carve, mill, file, or otherwise groove the handle and hammer the copper wire directly into the handle (cold) and then sand it all flush to add the pop of color without changing the surface texture.  you can do the same by drilling shallow holes into the handle and basically riveting little chunks of copper wire into it to create a studded/speckled look depending if you file them flush or leave them standing proud.  you could also punch clean through the handle and then rivet larger diameter copper into it to make a knobby type handle from two metals.

 

this would be a very good project to apply out of the box thinking and attempt something unusual.

 

while the concerns about copper handling are generally true, I don't think they will become an issue unless you are using that bottle opener for an extended period of time (at least that's how my hands would respond, YMMV) iv never had copper leave any marks on my hands while working with it (sanding/polishing operations excluded) except for the one copper ring I made and wore for about a day, that one left a green band on my finger.  you may end up with some of that 'metallic' smell from use, but again if you are just using it to open one or two bottles and not working it for an extended period of time you shouldn't smell like you have been sorting change :) a wax finish should provide some protection from the contact, and a clearcoat finish will be a little better still.

[coldironkilz]

Chinobi, I couldn't agree more about the copper handling issues. The piece will be clear coated when finished. OBTW, I did want something rugged in the finished piece because it is intended for a man who enjoys a good beer. Oh and Chinobi thanks for those other tips.

[Chinobi]

no problem, hope they will at the very least provide some inspiration :)

 

if you want to get really woodsy with it you could try to locate a long narrow river rock, maybe 5" long by 3/4 or 1" diameter and include that as part of the handle.  forge the spine of the opener to sit flat on the underside of the stone, maybe wrap around it at the base with kind of a fishtail or some other detail if you want just iron and stone.  you could also wire wrap it with the copper to secure it and give it a very tribal feel.  rinse and repeat with driftwood or some other natural found object as well.  just make sure that you don't use a very porous or otherwise weak object that might crumble or break when subjected to bending in use.

 

I gotta add that to my own to do list :)