Andrew Golabek Posted May 7, 2018 Share Posted May 7, 2018 Today I successfully cast a bronze sword, this was my second attempt. 1.86kg of 12%tin bronze was used in the casting Not a perfect finish, but I’m pretty happy! will update as it is finished Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted May 7, 2018 Share Posted May 7, 2018 Cool beans! keep us updated with pictures as you get her looking shiny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoggy Posted May 8, 2018 Share Posted May 8, 2018 You can't just post a few pics of a mold and a lump of bronze! As much as we like pictures we need detials! What was the mold made from? is that a solid fuel furnace? How are you intending finishing the blade, just a grind or will you be hammering the edge to work harden it? And last but not least......Will it kill! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Golabek Posted May 8, 2018 Author Share Posted May 8, 2018 The mold is made from greensand, in an oak flask I made, with the particle board faces so the sand doesn’t crack outwards. Greensand mix was 75grit silica, 10% western bentonite, I’m guessing it was about 70-80lbs to fill the flask!! The foundry is propane fired, I used a graphite crucible, and the only flux was charcoal, both powdered and in chunk form (charcoal was made in the foundry prior in a heavily reducing atmosphere) i used a wooden pattern that I ground out on a bench belt grinder. this is my sixth bronze blade, although it’s about 4 times larger than anything I’ve cast before haha, I’m planning on grinding it smooth, and then annealing the spine with the propane torch (undecided whether or not to anneal yet), and then I have a little jig I use to harden the edges whether or not it will kill remains to be seen haha, definitely planning on testing it once it’s done, perhaps a chicken is on the order Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 8, 2018 Share Posted May 8, 2018 Annealing the spine of something that has been cast and then NOT workhardened---why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Golabek Posted May 8, 2018 Author Share Posted May 8, 2018 It will be work hardened, and I’m still not sure if it will be annealed or not before, it is quite stiff already, and some pieces I cast beforehand were slightly brittle, although perhaps brittle is an exaggeration as they were beat on with a sledgehammer haha the bronze knives I’ve made so far we’re cast, and then the edges were work hardened, no annealing was done at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 8, 2018 Share Posted May 8, 2018 Nice job Andrew! Keep us in the loop please. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoggy Posted May 8, 2018 Share Posted May 8, 2018 Thanks for the additional information psrticularly the Flask and Green Sand details. We need to see more of your work if only by way of a change from the forge work. Looking forward to seeing the completed sword. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Golabek Posted May 9, 2018 Author Share Posted May 9, 2018 Did some grinding today; break down of the casting -sprue weighed 523g -tip thing I made weighed 36g -sword weighed approx 1250g once cleaned off as of this picture it weighs 1151g (2.53lbs) balance point is about 5.75 inches forward of the guard going to lighten it up at the front some more, handle is planned to be made of bubinga wood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 Oooooh PRETTY! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoggy Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 Ah yes that sprue. or should that be gate? A heafty ingot. What do you do with that Andrew, does it just feed the next pour or do you set it aside for machine fodder? As a machinist I can see it becoming parts for other projects, guards, pommels, etc. Don't be too long getting back to us with that fished handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Golabek Posted May 9, 2018 Author Share Posted May 9, 2018 I suppose for this casting it served as double duty, as both sprue and gate at the end of it i don’t have any methods currently to turn it into other parts so it will probably just be used in the next melt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Golabek Posted May 11, 2018 Author Share Posted May 11, 2018 Done most of the grinding, putting the handle on now, also work hardened the edges and annealed it prior to work hardening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Golabek Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 The blade has been final work hardened, ground, and polished. The handle has been rough shaped, almost ready for final shaping and sanding, then oiling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Golabek Posted May 19, 2018 Author Share Posted May 19, 2018 Nearly done, only final polish for the handle and oiling is left. brought it to the forest to test chop some bushes and stuff, works pretty well, I’m going to make a video in a little while showing what it can do. -the weight is 1.23kg or 2.71 lbs -the point of balance is 5.25 inches from the guard now or 13.3cm. -maximum width of the blade is 43mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 19, 2018 Share Posted May 19, 2018 Looks pretty nice from what we can see in the pics. This is a nice enough piece you might consider having someone who knows photography take proper photos. Your backgrounds are very distracting and your lighting is obscuring the blade with reflections. This piece is worth good photos rather than snapshots. I'd really like a good look. Please? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Golabek Posted May 19, 2018 Author Share Posted May 19, 2018 Not home right now but I did take a picture with a less distracting background before; when I get home I’ll take some proper pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted May 19, 2018 Share Posted May 19, 2018 that is not less distracting with that blonde banding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 19, 2018 Share Posted May 19, 2018 That's better thank you. Try a blue or dark green blanket for a back ground. Grass will work but you want it far enough back it's out of focus. Try oblique lighting next, it will reduce the reflections a direct flash makes. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Golabek Posted May 20, 2018 Author Share Posted May 20, 2018 We have some proper cameras and equipment at home, these pictures were simply casual ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 You still want good pictures even if they are just snap shots. Photography's a craft of many skill sets and knowing a few can make a big difference. Remember, a camera only documents your mistakes and it doesn't matter if you have a studio full of equipment or an old Kodak pocket instamatic, it's the person shooting not the camera. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted June 3, 2018 Share Posted June 3, 2018 I have forged several bronze blades but this thread and a recent video I saw on You Tube show that bronze swords can be made by casting. Is there any evidence that historic bronze blades were cast or forged from a billet? Broken or intact knife or sword molds in the archeological record would indicate casting. However, a forged blade might have tougher edges. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted June 3, 2018 Share Posted June 3, 2018 Mr. G.N.M. I remember seeing photos of stone molds used for casting bronze spear heads, dating to circa 1,200 B.C.E., in the extensive Egyptian Timna copper mine workings, in the Sinai desert. But where I saw them I have forgotten. (Hey that sighting was about 60 years ago, be nice). SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted June 3, 2018 Share Posted June 3, 2018 9 hours ago, George N. M. said: However, a forged blade might have tougher edges. it should not matter as the edges need peened to work harden in either case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Golabek Posted June 3, 2018 Author Share Posted June 3, 2018 Search up Neil Burridge, I believe he does the closest work to ancient methods, for European bronze replicas. Swords are cast, cleaned up, annealed, edges are cold forged, and the spine is hardened by hammering, and some bending. One problem with many of the ancient bronze alloys is the lead that was commonly added makes it hot-short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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