An old plamingko

kronckew · 18th September 2022, 02:51 PM

Don't forget, up till 1886, when, with the availability of cheap electric power, they invented the electrical processing of alumina into aluminium, it was a rare and precious metal and only used for decorative embellishments like this Knife & scabbard.

Aluminium did exist and was used much earlier than y'all think. I hear a cutler made a dinner setting for a King about 1825 with aluminium handles.

Aluminium was certainly available and used in the late 19c., and readily available pre WW1 for structural military use - when they used it to build airships - Zeppelins - to bomb London. Duralumin alloy used in airships was invented in Germany in 1909 and was a state secret for a while. But that's another story.

Use of easily salvaged aluminium from WW2 aircraft wrecks, of course, expanded greatly during/after WW2 in the far east.

18th September 2022, 02:51 PM	#9
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,216	Don't forget, up till 1886, when, with the availability of cheap electric power, they invented the electrical processing of alumina into aluminium, it was a rare and precious metal and only used for decorative embellishments like this Knife & scabbard. Aluminium did exist and was used much earlier than y'all think. I hear a cutler made a dinner setting for a King about 1825 with aluminium handles. Aluminium was certainly available and used in the late 19c., and readily available pre WW1 for structural military use - when they used it to build airships - Zeppelins - to bomb London. Duralumin alloy used in airships was invented in Germany in 1909 and was a state secret for a while. But that's another story. Use of easily salvaged aluminium from WW2 aircraft wrecks, of course, expanded greatly during/after WW2 in the far east.