12-01-2012, 01:10 PM
That is not completely true...
My personal experience while making patterned Blades is that some combinations (wrought iron with a content of phosphorum and steel with ca. 0,6-0,8% of carbon for example) begin to show the pattern when ground on a band-grinder with P 80-P120!
Effects of the heat-treating also become visible in the grinding process (darker colour of the hardened edge of a mono-C 60 blade when hand-ground at P 240 for example)
There IS little difference visible between the two materials, that`s for sure, but there are sources for the migration period (Theoderich`s famous letter) that tell us that the blades were polished "like mirrors" and the pattern visible when "playing with light effects" on the blade.
An etching of any kind cannot produce this effect because of the relief which is caused by the different reaction of the materials.
A very good work about the polishing and forging techniques from the late antique onwards is: "Stähle, Steine und Schlangen; zur Technikgeschichte von Schwertklingen des frühen Mittelalters" by Stefan Mäder, Schriftenreihe des kantonalen Museums Altes Zeughaus Solothurn Heft 24 2009
My personal experience while making patterned Blades is that some combinations (wrought iron with a content of phosphorum and steel with ca. 0,6-0,8% of carbon for example) begin to show the pattern when ground on a band-grinder with P 80-P120!
Effects of the heat-treating also become visible in the grinding process (darker colour of the hardened edge of a mono-C 60 blade when hand-ground at P 240 for example)
There IS little difference visible between the two materials, that`s for sure, but there are sources for the migration period (Theoderich`s famous letter) that tell us that the blades were polished "like mirrors" and the pattern visible when "playing with light effects" on the blade.
An etching of any kind cannot produce this effect because of the relief which is caused by the different reaction of the materials.
A very good work about the polishing and forging techniques from the late antique onwards is: "Stähle, Steine und Schlangen; zur Technikgeschichte von Schwertklingen des frühen Mittelalters" by Stefan Mäder, Schriftenreihe des kantonalen Museums Altes Zeughaus Solothurn Heft 24 2009
Als Mensch zu dumm, als Schwein zu kleine Ohren...
Jürgen Graßler
www.schorsch-der-schmied.de
www.facebook.com/pages/AG-Historisches-Handwerk/203702642993872
Jürgen Graßler
www.schorsch-der-schmied.de
www.facebook.com/pages/AG-Historisches-Handwerk/203702642993872
