Shotley Bridge swordmakers

[Hotspur]

Originally Posted by urbanspaceman

I have come up with a design for a machine that can roll hollows into a tapering length of red-hot steel; even one wide and two narrow hollows if required. If I had the right software I could draw it, but alas...
I keep going on about the waste of grinding, but this machine could first roll the majority of the hollow, then grind true, then polish, just by changing the wheels and the speed. Including the Colichemarde!

Rolling mills come in during the industrial revolution. Why it took steam to develop it before water wheels, I am not sure but it also goes hand in hand with increases of the production of all metals. Ordinary tableware also becoming more regular items.

Cheers

GC

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

The point is that the Solingen swordmakers had a device for turning out what some recognise as Biscayayne or Colichemarde blades for which there was an enormous demand in the rest of Europe. They talked of little wheels... which people thought meant grinding wheels but which like the rest of the story may have been misunderstood and what were thought to be grinders were perhaps small rolling wheels on the Rolling Mill.

Until I looked I didnt know that Leonardo da Vinci may well be credited with the first rolling mill device..seen below. The power for rolling mills was first the horse then water...then steam...etc

This may mean that hammers were not involved at least not initially. See https://www.innovaltec.com/history-metal-rolling-blog/

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

In a further note at http://www.metalworkingworldmagazine...metal-history/

Quote"The first industrial plant of which we have certain news was used in 1615, to obtain lead and tin plates. Others followed, driven by animal or hydraulic force. Due to the increased possibility of obtaining ferrous material, the cold rolling of steel is simultaneously started. In 1682 a cold rolling mill of notable sizes was present in Newcastle in England. The first detailed description dates back to few years later; it is a plant in Galles (presumeably Wales)that processed 700 mm-long bars with 100 mm width, which could obtain sheets with 1500×700 mm sizes, it is the first certain witness of the steel rolling process to produce sheet metal, the driving force was provided by water wheels . Galles will remain the main European producer of thin sheets until the end of 1700. In the eighteenth century they also started rolling more complex shapes: rounds, squares, rails, double-T beams etc. It is essential to observe how the rolling complies with the demands of that age producing the requested materials: in 1600 lead sheets for the roof covers were highly requested and this possibility is then developed, at the end of 1700, in the middle of the industrial revolution, they needed rails and semi-finished steel products that therefore the rolling promptly satisfies."Unquote.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

An interesting vignette exists although on knife making at Solingen at http://www.worldknives.com/info/knif...knives-68.html

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

We are dealing with hollow ground swords which by cross section are triangular. For a general description please see Matt Easton on

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMd3G5x6CIc

Whilst this is not exactly Colichemarde it gives a good basis for comparison and on the development of the style.

[Hotspur]

I still await the dashboard Matt Easton led bobble head Matt will offer a video for just about anything he happens to read. I suppose he is not a bad starting point but I find far too many are depending upon video and Wikipedia for their informational needs instead of looking at primary sources (upon which Matt is more than willing to promote). The slippery slope is the interested stopping there, after their drive through experience in learning.

Cheers

GC

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Hotspur

I still await the dashboard Matt Easton led bobble head Matt will offer a video for just about anything he happens to read. I suppose he is not a bad starting point but I find far too many are depending upon video and Wikipedia for their informational needs instead of looking at primary sources (upon which Matt is more than willing to promote). The slippery slope is the interested stopping there, after their drive through experience in learning.

Cheers

GC

Salaams Hotspur, Great post thanks ~ As a university teacher I can assure you of the value of a broad cross section of referencing as you will deduce by looking at any of my threads... It is important to include Forum Library references as well as Web references and of course book quotes, photographs, professional papers, maps and artwork. Tap dancing on the table is allowed if it gets the students attention!!

I have many items of Arabian antiquity including weapons placed by friends at Durham University UK (Antiquities Department) and you should see their student tear into their course work ...They are like scientific detectives using every chemical and testing gizmo invented and then they get down to the books ...They probe, question, analyze and consider every aspect of an artifact and their report ...a sort of structured mega thread are stunningly well done. The most recent test is currently running and the student has to produce a video presentation on an ancient Afgan Ewer !!

Some of the webs historical battles are fantastic, well thought out and accurate productions ~ and although Matt comes in for a fair bit of leg pulling his lectures are often quite well done for an amateur and anyway no one is saying you have to watch it !

The video is a picture worth a thousand words on steroids!

Modern technology in the classroom is world apart from chalk boards (though these too have their place) and the modern lecturer has a broad base of high tech to support lessons.

Wiki is an incredible resource which is captivating material faster than ever and for example within a few years every book on this earth will be on tap on the web and free!...Ignoring that would be slightly odd.

Having said that I respect those who stick by more conventional structures but it should be noted that we are in fact the same sort of data base gathering machine as Wiki... That is how our excellent Library gathers details. We are an information gathering system in precisely the same way as Wiki.

Of course being a new thing Wiki gets blasted from all sides as did the motor car and aeroplane ! It seems all right to be somewhat scornful of the Web as fair game but who looks to our own system for improved ideas...?

Apple has a group of scientists in their new inventions division and are experimenting with new tech all the time...When did Forum bring on a new concept or structure like automatic Library referencing on every new thread? Its only an tiny algorithm...

Finally I refer to my mobile device memo on which I wrote the other day.."The quickened pace of technology requires a brighter more fluid response from a tech savvy audience using innovative, nimble, bright and clever research tools at their instant finger tips".