Unusual metals, techniques and other ideas for book

[Some Matthew]

Hello,

First of all, I hold in high respect all those who have dedication in DIY, Metallurgy and Smithing.

Im currently working on some short stories, and its getting hard to find non-standard info on this craft thru Google. "Unusual metals" shows "best metals" results etc.

I would be very grateful for any info on to say "non-mainstream" smithing. From techniques like watering your anvil (to remove scales (saw it on show Forged in Fire) to unusual metals and their properties in blades, armour, crossbows and other medieval-themed weaponry.

Anything that could make non-educated person think "wow, never heard of this" or "magical"  even such stupid things as blood-forged weapon (drawing iron from blood) or more real things such as Vikings adding bones to make primitive steel. Or materials like bog-steel (deposits created by bacteria)

My deep thanks for any idea in advice

[pnut]

This is real but seems like magic to me. Look up decalescance and try to find a video that demonstrates it.  It looks like a shadow passing through the steel when it reaches the temperature that the steel is changing phases and is ready to be quenched.

Pnut

[ThomasPowers]

May I comment to your attention the list or renaissance quench mediums in "Sources for the History of the Science of Steel".

Also the trick of filing down the metal and feeding it to geese and refining the output,  Should put phosphorous into it which is another hardening element.

Also the correct water temp to harden a Japanese blade in.

And of course the old urban myth about Richard the lionhearted and Saladin and their swords...

(Also I believe the Mughal anecdote of how much good steel you had to add to a meteorite to get a good blade using it...and the Agaria and their beliefs about eclipses and forging.)

[Some Matthew]

Thank you, all of it are wonderful inputs. Definitely using few of them.

Thank you again, I appreciate it a lot.

[rockstar.esq]

I've long since lost track of where I read about it, but basically all materials glow the same color when they're at the same high temperature.

Spark testing to semi-scientifically define metal alloy contents is another cool thing.  There's more to it than just looking for bursting sparks.

Higher carbon steels will ring at a higher pitch than lower carbon steels of the same cross section.  

Plain high carbon steel will harden using the same process that would anneal (soften) non-ferrous metals like Copper or brass.

Most Coal is slightly radioactive.

I've been told that charcoal doesn't decompose which is one way that archaeologists can locate forges.

Coal gas is very flammable, and it's heavier than air.  On bottom blast forges with a blower attached it's possible for the gas from an idle coal fire to build up and work it's way out the inlet of the stationary blower, where it can drift over the fire and detonate.  I have a cast-iron forge that split in two this way!  

[pnut]

Bellows can inhale flammable gasses and detonate also.  

Pnut

[Some Matthew]

I'm deffinetly using difference in ring pitch and the same color at same temperature.

Very nice to differ super-experienced blacksmith while staying simple and descriptive.

Also the coaldust explosion, maybe incorporate in some smithing process as desired reaction?

Anyway, thank you, again wonderful ideas that will surely help.

Thank you.

[George N. M.]

Not all coals are susceptible to dust explosions, some are "dustier" than others.  However, many coals, particularly if wet, are subject to spontaneous combustion.  This was a significant issue with coal fired steamships and is still a problem anywhere with large piles of coal stored.

Also, quenching hot steel hardens it but doing the same to copper and copper alloys, e.g. bronze, softens the metal.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Frosty]

The detonations referred to above are NOT from coal dust, they are caused by an accumulation of volatile gasses given off as coal burns, the general term is "smoke" though that's a serious generality. 

Sure, coal dust CAN be made to explode deliberately but it's not so reliable performance wise. Sometimes a smoky pfft, another it spreads a factory around a district. The power plant near Fairbanks fires it's boilers with powdered coal by burning it like a gas. Big blowers and metered flow of coal powder makes for an impressively clean and efficient furnace/boiler.

A LOT of the suggestions made above weren't really intended to use as stand alone factoids, most are things YOU should read about so you can use them intelligently and maybe not spread more silliness for us to have to try and debug. Hmmmm?

Read up on archaeological finds that were plated. Gold leaf is amazing stuff, almost as amazing as how it's made. Gold foil you can see through. Hmmm? You can go crazy with stories if you read up on how gold has been mined, recovered and refined.

You could spend 18 hrs a day for the rest of your life reading about metals and not cover a small fraction. Metal is cool stuff when it's not HOT. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Some Matthew]

Yes I do understand I have to read up on topics, after all most tips were only names of techniques or short explanations. 

Still I appreciate your concern.

[Frosty]

It's not so much concern I'm trying to help. Short stories are harder to do well than novels. You have to develop a number of things, hold continuity and make it work in a really short space. It is NOT easy and it's harder when you're trying to wing details. A mcGuffin is more necessary in a short story but you have to be able to flesh it out and fit it in without blowing the word count.

Editing will kill you, you tend to delete most of what you've written and rewrite the rest, it's brutal if you want a good story. It actually hurts to have to toss what you think of as good ideas because they don't fit or aren't helping the story. 

Don't throw them away though, keep it all, just because they don't work in this story doesn't mean they aren't the heart and soul of another one.

I've been writing my whole life, I have universes in 3 ring notebooks and binders that were very cool but didn't make the story. I'm a sci fi guy.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Some Matthew]

Well, luckily I'm not so limited as you might think.

While I'm writing, its different from what you expect

This stuff is actually for my world-building for Dungeons and Dragons stories, that me and several others will use. They indeed will be part of short stories; however those will be communicated directly by a person to audience. Word limit or flashing out is done at spot, in something akin to improv scene.

And I'm working on a novel that will use things I learn here (and few short stories) they are not my primary concern right now.

Still thank you for your help. Also are your stories published? I'm big sci-fi fan and love reading. However good sci-fi (and fantasy) is slow to publish :/