Wernher Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 I do a lot of historical weapon/armor smithing and I was thinking of getting into copper and bronze work. Wile I know a good bit about copper and how to work copper, I don't know much about bronze. after doing some looking I came across a bronze/iron alloy that can be hardened, alloy 954. Has anyone worked with alloy 954 bronze ? How well dose it forge? How well does it harden? To be honest I don't need to harden bronze, but it would be nice to have some well usable bronze weapons to add to my collection. Any info would be much appreciated. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 The manufacturer will have all the data you want. I don't even know what it is. Alloys are coming and going so fast it's more than a full time job just to keep track let alone develop a working knowledge of them. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wernher Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 The manufacturer will have all the data you want. I don't even know what it is. Alloys are coming and going so fast it's more than a full time job just to keep track let alone develop a working knowledge of them. Frosty The Lucky. I thought so. The compassion of the bronze has my interest peaked, so much that I might just buy some and try it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 I like bronze too but haven't forged but a tiny bit. I have a friend who used to be subbed here but don't know about now. Anyway he forges bronze as a mainstay and gets some really impressive results. Like any copper alloy it'll move as far as you can drive it the first couple blows but work hardens abruptly, 3rd. blow might probably be okay but do NOT count on another without annealing. Copper is more forgiving, down right fun it just tends to melt in the forge if you take your eye off it annealing. I'd have to ask what alloys my bronze forging buds use, I didn't make notes and they're going to razz me but what the hey, I'm used to it. Hopefully someone in the gang here will speak up and save me from my friends mirth. <grin> Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JME1149 Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 I played around with a bit of alloy 964 I got as a drop from work. To my very inexperienced eye, it appeared to have a very narrow window of forging capability. Slightly too cold and it cracked as I tried a twist, and just a little too hot it disappeared only to turn up as a gold nugget in the ash gate. Fun to play around with but until I get a few more months/years experience, I think I will wait before I try again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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