how much do bronze swords weigh?

[richsc]

I am deciding between the 1 pound and 3 pound tilt-pour furnaces. While I see doing mostly small parts in bronze and brass, I was wondering if, when I have the skill, casting larger parts might justify the larger furnace. How much do the larger items like bronze swords and spear tips actually weigh? And, if you have any experience with this I'd be glad to hear it.

[Feinman]

Master bronze sword smith Neil Burridge lists the weights of his swords here:
http://www.bronze-age-swords.com/

[Dan D'Silva]

Do you feel that the price difference is great enough that if you got the three-pounder and rarely found the extra capacity necessary, you'd sorely regret having paid for it?

If not, I'd get the three-pounder, 'cause why limit yourself?

[richsc]

The difference in cost is $200, so not significant. The weights are 13 and 15 pounds, so not significant for handlng either. The wattage is 900 vs 1800 though, so will have to upgrade a circuit for the larger one.

These are all found in the Rio Grande catalog.

[A_Volpe]

Quick list of some of the cast bronze swords, spearheads and daggers in the Higgins Armory Museum/Worcester Art Mus.
(http://www.higgins-collection.org)

swords:
HAM#220 - BCE 600-500 - 2lb6oz/1.08kg
238.10 - BCE 1200-900 - 1lb4oz/555.8g
238.101 - BCE 1300-900 - 2lb .907kg
238.33 (cast bronze) - BCE 1400-1200, 24" long, 1lb 14oz
238.34 (cast) BCE 1000-800 .68x.054m/1lb13oz

Spearheads
238.103 (iron) 1000-700 - 11oz/311.8g
238.15 cast brz BCE 700/villanovan - 11.38oz/325g
238.39 greek 1050-600 .118 x .023 w x .019 socket dia. 1.77 oz/50.7 g
238.40 cast greece 1050-600 .137 x .031m socket .022 - 2.8oz /80g

Dagger
238.16 (one of my favorite pieces) villanovan/etrusc 9oz 258.6 .344 x.042 m
238.37 cyprus 2300-1600 30.6 x 4.6 x .7 (thick) cm 8.68oz/247.9g
238.38 cast Minoan/crete 2000-1400 11.5" 1lb

To compare to a Chinese bronze sword:
HAM2327, Chinese "Jian", 500 BCE, 22" long, 1lb 15 oz


I've had the pleasure and privilege to handle a couple of the Greek swords. They are wild. They have "weight" to them, sort of tip-heavy, but sort of balanced at the same time. It doesn't feel like a lot of weight is there / not very dense.

A good friend of mine went to a Burridge workshop earlier this year and cast 2 swords. They are pretty much dead-nuts on with the weight and feel as the artifacts. The ones that Matt Amt has made are damn close, too, but I'm sure you knew that already.

[richsc]

Sounds like the 3 pound furnace will accomodate all those eventualities.