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Good evening,
Forgive my ignorance. Would an Iron-Age Xiphos/Kopis have a dark to black complexion to it's iron? I acknowledge that some smiths of the time had discovered the "hardening" of iron through adding carbon but I am concerned about historical accuracy for re-enacting. I know that most replica swords on the market have a pure steel sheen to them.
Thank you all!
Harrison M. Fletcher
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04-02-2020, 06:37 AM
(This post was last modified: 04-04-2020, 06:02 AM by Crispianus.)
(04-02-2020, 01:33 AM)Harrisonfletch Wrote: Good evening,
Forgive my ignorance. Would an Iron-Age Xiphos/Kopis have a dark to black complexion to it's iron? I acknowledge that some smiths of the time had discovered the "hardening" of iron through adding carbon but I am concerned about historical accuracy for re-enacting. I know that most replica swords on the market have a pure steel sheen to them.
Thank you all!
Iron doesn't have a dark or black complexion and can be mirror polished too, in my opinion mostly its down to polishing on a machine, there are other ways to harden iron other then carburisation, substantial amounts of phosphorus, manganese and even nickel can be present in quantities large enough to effect the strength, toughness and hardness of the iron, the process of making bloomery iron can also result in a high carbon content...
Ivor
"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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Thank you very much,
Again forgive my ignorance on the subject. This really helps me out.
Harrison M. Fletcher
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You cant tell the difference between low carbon and high carbon steel by looking at it. Some can do it by breaking it into pieces and looking at the crystalline structure. The easiest way is a simple spark test.
