| Author |
Message |
|
Joel Chesser
|
 Posted: Mon 01 Dec, 2003 1:28 pm Post subject: anodizing |
 |
|
Was anodizing used by medieval swordsmiths?
..." The person who dosen't have a sword should sell his coat and buy one."
- Luke 22:36
|
|
  |
 |
Patrick Hastings
Industry Professional
Location: West coast USA Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Posts: 52
|
| Posted: Tue 02 Dec, 2003 1:18 pm Post subject: Re: anodizing |
|
|
| Joel Chesser wrote: | | Was anodizing used by medieval swordsmiths? |
I'd have to say no. Anodizing is an electro chemical process of forming a transparent oxide and its use is pretty much a modern technique. It is most widely used for Aluminum since the oxide is signifigantly more durable than the alluminum itself. The Colors for aluminum Anodizing come from pigments that fill in the porous nature of the transparent oxide. a variation of Anodizing is used on Titanium. The Use on Titanium develops colors in a different way. Precise controlled thickness of the oxide acts like a prism and refracts certain colors. The same effect can be done with heat alone to grow the oxides on titanium and steel. It is called heat coloring. It's not the most durable finish,but is produces some of the most beautiful blues and purples. There are examples of heat coloring that date back decently far, but I cannot recall how far back.
Patrick Hastings 
|
|
 |
|
|
Joel Chesser
|
| Posted: Tue 02 Dec, 2003 1:27 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Okay.
The reason i ask is, a friend and I were debating about the blued and the blackened hilt compontants, (this is the same one i was arguing with about the Irish ring pummels) and i was was curious as to if they really did have that done.
The the Scottish single hand pics posted by Thomas McDonald in his review, show the replica having blackened furniture, and the pics of the original looked like they were the same.
I think that i had heard from someone that the way they do that is to use some sort of salts or something and then heat it in extreme temps. It this true.
Nathan, at one point mentioned two types of blueing, one with heat, and the other had something to do with a cold method, what are the differences, and was one used back then?
..." The person who dosen't have a sword should sell his coat and buy one."
- Luke 22:36
|
|
|
|
|
Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
|
|
 |
|
|
Joel Chesser
|
| Posted: Tue 02 Dec, 2003 2:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
thanks Nathnan, so did they use the oxidation method in the middle ages?
..." The person who dosen't have a sword should sell his coat and buy one."
- Luke 22:36
|
|
|
|
|
Patrick Hastings
Industry Professional
Location: West coast USA Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Posts: 52
|
| Posted: Tue 02 Dec, 2003 2:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Joel Chesser wrote: | Okay.
The reason i ask is, a friend and I were debating about the blued and the blackened hilt compontants, (this is the same one i was arguing with about the Irish ring pummels) and i was was curious as to if they really did have that done.
The the Scottish single hand pics posted by Thomas McDonald in his review, show the replica having blackened furniture, and the pics of the original looked like they were the same.
I think that i had heard from someone that the way they do that is to use some sort of salts or something and then heat it in extreme temps. It this true.
Nathan, at one point mentioned two types of blueing, one with heat, and the other had something to do with a cold method, what are the differences, and was one used back then? |
What is done today with off the shelf products and what was done way back are usually far removed chemically, but the visual results are often similar. Cold blueing and hot salts are modern finishing processes designed for use in the firearms industry. There are a variety of oxidizing salts baths that run in tempurature ranges from a few hundred degrees to around 700F. Some produce pure oxides, but most produce more complex compounds that can be achieved faster and more consistently not too mention thinner which is important when dealing with mechanisms in firearms.. Cold blueing formulas generally do not make oxides at all but rather selenious compounds. How do they differ from what was used historically?The host of modern chemical cocktails simply were not available to them. They used more common chemicals available to them. They burned oil and wax on the surfaces to achieve much the same thing as Modern blueing though chemically different. They combined that with many different applications of Urine fats and oils mixed with practically everything you can think of hehe. Mostly for their acetic and ammonia contents I should think and the frame work that the organic residue would leave behind when baked or burned. The more complex compound they would form with the iron versus simple oxidation would have provided a more convienient and durable rust resisting conversion of the metal surface.
I know more about modern aspects rather than the historical ones mostly since specific information is scant and often vague. I think that some baskets hilts were simply lacquered, but the Basketphiles here could tell you more about that.
Patrick Hastings
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is a standard topic