Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - keris made by empu(forged) and keris made from moulding

Timo Nieminen · 23rd December 2015, 09:18 PM

To cast, you need more/better/hotter technology, but potentially less time. If you're going to make many, then probably less time per blade.

Depending on what alloy they cast with, could be either a brittle decoration (cast iron, i.e., 2-4% carbon), or OK from a "user" perspective.

But for authenticity, not so good. Very little pre-modern iron-casting outside China (where the blast furnace was invented, and steel production by de-carburising cast iron became standard mid-Han dynasty, and casting became standard for cheap tool (and they still make traditionally made cast iron woks, which can be most excellent woks)).

23rd December 2015, 09:18 PM	#6
Timo Nieminen Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 422	To cast, you need more/better/hotter technology, but potentially less time. If you're going to make many, then probably less time per blade. Depending on what alloy they cast with, could be either a brittle decoration (cast iron, i.e., 2-4% carbon), or OK from a "user" perspective. But for authenticity, not so good. Very little pre-modern iron-casting outside China (where the blast furnace was invented, and steel production by de-carburising cast iron became standard mid-Han dynasty, and casting became standard for cheap tool (and they still make traditionally made cast iron woks, which can be most excellent woks)).