Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > Ethnographic Weapons

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 4th November 2006, 04:48 PM   #1
Tim Simmons
Member
 
Tim Simmons's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,734
Default Aluminium

I have turned my nose up at many good kaskaras with aluminium furnishing's on the scabbard. I shall think again in future. I like the term "silver from clay" Silver in some parts of the Islamic would being a symbol of purity, using the new metal makes good sense. Hope this link works, gives the price relevant to silver in the early years of the metal.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...58/ai_68214858
Tim Simmons is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 5th November 2006, 04:54 PM   #2
katana
Member
 
katana's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Kent
Posts: 2,653
Default

Hi Tim,
interesting point about aluminium....especially with regards African weapons. I seem to remember you mentioning in a previous thread that you had rejected a few weapons before, believing that aluminium had been used to decorate them...and therefore more recent. However you had since concluded that they may of been zinc, and possibly of greater age. Is there an easy test to determine zinc to aluminium...especially if the 'aluminium' is heavily oxidised and you don't want to remove this 'patina' ????
katana is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 5th November 2006, 10:16 PM   #3
Justin
Member
 
Justin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 175
Default

Katana: zinc is a lot harder than aluminum,and corrodes much more easily.At first glance they may appear similar,especially if they are covered in oxidation but if you were to compare a piece of each side by side I think you could tell fairly easily.Hope that helps-
Justin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 5th November 2006, 11:13 PM   #4
katana
Member
 
katana's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Kent
Posts: 2,653
Default

Thanks Justin ....I'll have to find some examples of oxidised zinc and aluminium. There are a couple of pieces that have metal adornment..... hoping they are zinc
katana is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 6th November 2006, 08:36 PM   #5
Battara
EAAF Staff
 
Battara's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,135
Default

Many white metals are mixes of copper and nickel that also oxidize. These "German silver" mounts are of course not silver at all but look like it at a distance.
Battara is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 7th November 2006, 07:10 AM   #6
Tim Simmons
Member
 
Tim Simmons's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,734
Default

For early pieces I think the watch word is "quality" in use of the metal and mixed with other quality materials, as the link mentions. I read from another site about the properties of aluminium that it is the highest metal to take a polish I cannot remember what the word is for this property.
Tim Simmons is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16th November 2006, 06:18 PM   #7
kronckew
Member
 
kronckew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,145
Default

let us not forget that aluminum (or aluminium here in the UK) was considered a precious metal, and cost more than gold up until the invention of and the start of commercial production from the hall process invented in 1886. aluminum is so cheap now we forget that it once was the height of extravagance and ostentation, and it's use on weapons in the mid 1800's might be the sign of a high status item, as long as the craftsmanship supports it. the original link above is echoed in the following:

ref: http://www.world-aluminium.org/history/index.html

this one is particularly interesting: http://www.world-aluminium.org/history/antiquity.html
kronckew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16th November 2006, 06:46 PM   #8
Tim Simmons
Member
 
Tim Simmons's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,734
Default

If it looks good, high status and old with some aluminium, then it probably is. Which is nice to know.
Tim Simmons is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:14 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.