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Chad Arnow
myArmoury Team
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 Posted: Fri 08 Aug, 2008 8:56 pm Post subject: Inlay on antique swords |
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Some antique swords had wire inlays on gold, copper, silver, bronze or some combination on the hilt and/or blade. I've seen some for sale by antiques dealer, and I'm often struck by how shiny the wire is compared to the iron/steel of the sword. I know gold doesn't tarnish/oxidize much, but silver and copper do. I'm sure the conservation process applied would remove active oxidization (like verdigris), but would it shine up the wire like in these pics? Or is that something collectors/sellers do to enhance the visual impact?
Either way, it's cool stuff, right? 
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ChadA
http://chadarnow.com/
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Nathan Keysor
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| Posted: Fri 08 Aug, 2008 9:06 pm Post subject: |
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Funny you should post that since I've just been looking into getting the tools so that I could try my hand at inlay. It's nice to see as many examples as possible.
I would think they must have cleaned it off with something. I noticed in "Swords of the Viking Age" that the author mentions some swords being subjected to harsh cleaning methods. I would assume this was by early archaeologists who were a little less careful than they are nowadays.
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!"
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
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| Posted: Fri 08 Aug, 2008 9:54 pm Post subject: |
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Later piece, but interesting for its copper inlay and what looks to be gold gilding.
| Hessink's Veilingen wrote: | An Extremely Rare German Sword of Justice from the Town of Celle, dated 1643.
Cross shaped hilt and large pear shaped facetted pommel. The superb double-edged blade etched with foliage and strapwork and copper inlaid wheel and rope. The wide single fuller is engraved with an inscription related to the function of the sword: 'When I Raise This Sword - I Wish The Sinner The Eternal Life'. On the back engraved in the fuller 'CLEMENS HORN ME FECIT SOLINGEN' and stamped with a unicorn mark surrounded by a text reading 'CLEMENS HORN FIDE SED CVI VIDE', and copper inlaid city arms of Celle. Leather covered hilt. Length 118.5 cm.
Note: Swords of this type, known as executioner's swords, always are of very high quality, made by the best of blademakers. |
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Auctionhouse: Hessink's Veilingen
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Auctionhouse: Hessink's Veilingen
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Auctionhouse: Hessink's Veilingen
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
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Tim Lison
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| Posted: Fri 08 Aug, 2008 10:36 pm Post subject: |
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I know these have been posted a ton, but they are so cool.....
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Jonathan Atkin
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| Posted: Fri 08 Aug, 2008 11:55 pm Post subject: |
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guess abit off topic but how would one go about getting inlay done on your pride and joy of your collection?
"If I must choose between righteousness and peace, I choose righteousness''. - Theodore Roosevelt
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G Ezell
Industry Professional
Location: North Alabama Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Posts: 235
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| Posted: Sat 09 Aug, 2008 11:07 am Post subject: |
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Thank you everyone for posting those images, inspiring work, beautiful weapons.
| Jonathan Atkin wrote: | | guess abit off topic but how would one go about getting inlay done on your pride and joy of your collection? |
From my understanding of the process, recesses are cut into the blade to hold the inlay, usually with a slight overhang so that the softer inlay can be gently hammered so to swell slightly, filling the cavity and forming a good strong mechanical bond with the blade. Because of the processes involved, this would be very difficult to do to a blade that was already heat-treated, because the steel will be almost as hard as the chisels that cut the recess. However, a blade that has a softer back, for instance a blade treated in the Japanese manner, or a blade with a cutting edge of hard steel but a back of softer iron, might be good candidates for blade inlay.
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=12318
The link shows a inlayed blade, along with a shot of the recesses in the blade and the tools used to form them. Note that the body of the blade is wrought iron, much softer than the edge...
As far as inlaying fittings, I see no reason it couldn't be done on guards, pommels, and other non-cutting parts, as long as they are not hardened.
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Kjell Magnusson
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| Posted: Sat 09 Aug, 2008 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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I've seen pieces in the local Historical Museum (Stockholm) with the non-ferrous decoration in a similar "clean" state, so it shouldn't just be something done by dealers to increase the value. I would hope that they didn't need to use anything too aggressive to restore the decoration to this state either. I'd also guess that the more aggressive cleaning methods wouldn't have left the ferrous parts quite as patinated as they were.
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Close-up of a viking sword.
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Jeremy V. Krause
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| Posted: Sat 09 Aug, 2008 7:20 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Chad and Nathan,
These examples are just breathtaking. I have not seen some of these and it only inspires my desire to move my collection to the next level. The contrast between copper and brass/gold on the XIIIa piece is really striking.
So impressive,
Jeremy
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Tim Lison
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| Posted: Sat 09 Aug, 2008 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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Kjell-
Great pic! Do you have any more like it? If yes, please post them!!!!
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James H.
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| Posted: Sat 09 Aug, 2008 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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Interesting, if it would be difficult process if the blade is already heat treated but what if the blade already has the groves of the design cut into it. At one time I was wondering if it would be possible to scrap out the coloring used on CAS Iberia / Hanwei's Mammen Axe and inlay it with silver wire myself. Like using silver solder or regular silver wire. Or would it actually need to bond with the hot metal itself? Just an idea.
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Chris Fields
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| Posted: Sat 09 Aug, 2008 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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Wow, that executioner sword is quite amazing.
I have done some inlay before, but it was with bronze in steel. You can tig weld bronze and it will flow right into the grooves cut into the steel and stick like it's one piece. I haven't done that in a long while though since the only tig welder I had access to was the university of south florida, and I graduated back in 05. I believe you can braze copper and brass about the same way though.
Historically I believe alot of it was chiseled and cold worked in.
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Sat 09 Aug, 2008 8:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Chris Fields wrote: | Wow, that executioner sword is quite amazing.
I have done some inlay before, but it was with bronze in steel. You can tig weld bronze and it will flow right into the grooves cut into the steel and stick like it's one piece. I haven't done that in a long while though since the only tig welder I had access to was the university of south florida, and I graduated back in 05. I believe you can braze copper and brass about the same way though.
Historically I believe alot of it was chiseled and cold worked in. |
Well if I remember correctly one can braze brass to steel and get a very strong weld: Did this centuries ( i mean decades  ) ago at University art courses where I was welding stuff for a sculpture class.
This was on mild steel and ruin the heat treat of a sword wasn't a concern even if i was using an acetylene torch as the heat source. I got pretty good at general welding and grinding thing out with angle grinders.
Anyway, the acetylene method wouldn't work for a sword blade and i guess the TIG welding method only heats the steel locally and could be used to fill in cuts in the steel.
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Kjell Magnusson
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| Posted: Sun 10 Aug, 2008 11:31 am Post subject: |
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| Tim Lison wrote: | Kjell-
Great pic! Do you have any more like it? If yes, please post them!!!! |
Sure, here's a few more pictures (basically those which turned out somewhat decently) from that museum trip, of relevance to this thread. All of it viking stuff.
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
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Jeremy V. Krause
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| Posted: Mon 11 Aug, 2008 8:18 am Post subject: |
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Hi everyone,
Here is a link to a discussion of a modern seax made for me by Tod of Toddstuff. I features some inlay applied to a modern piece. I cannot say how this would look on an aged example but here it is new
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=12318
Hope this is informative,
Jeremy
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Jeff Pringle
Industry Professional
Location: Oakland, CA Joined: 19 Nov 2005
Posts: 145
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This is a standard topic
