Joe Piela Montefortino Helmets

[Doc]

On the lonely mountain forge website, there are some montefortino helmets that Mr. Joe Piela makes out of Bronze. However, the bronze he uses is a golden yellow color. It appears as if it is brass but on the website it mentions bronze.

Does anyone know what type of bronze it is (as you all know all copper alloys have some code).

I would like to get some of this yellow bronze to use for some armor parts.

Thanks

Paolo

[Matthew Amt]

It's probably either silicon bronze or phosphor bronze. Phosphor bronze has about 5 percent tin, and it's about the only modern bronze in sheet form which is similar in content to ancient bronze. But it does not seem to be available in sheets wider than 12 inches! So you can make a helmet in several pieces and braze or weld them together.

But if you want to hammer a helmet out in one piece, you are stuck with silicon bronze, which has no tin in it, but it does come in wider sheets. It's not really as accurate, but considering how much the tin content of ancient bronze could vary (up to 15 percent or more), I don't think the color is that much of an issue. It's going to be different from modern yellow brass in any case. Remember that colors are always going to be distorted in photos or online!

Best way to find out for sure, though, is ask Joe!

Vale,

Matthew