Hi all,
This is a bit of a random one. I'm writing a novel. In one scene, Character A places a knife of sentimental value on top of a body on a funeral pyre.
Hours later, Character B retrieves the knife from the smouldering pyre.
The hilt of the knife is comprised of sapphire gemstone, and the blade itself is likely carbon steel (It's a medieval setting, they have access to steel).
Google tells me pyres burn at around 700-1000C. It also tells me sapphires don't melt until 2000+C. But steel can depend on its composition etc, and it also starts weakening at around 300C.
I really need the knife to still be in a useable condition once it's taken from the pyre. So my question is:
Would a few hours on a pyre melt the blade, or weaken it to a point where it is unuseable? If yes, is there a way this could be mitigated? The metal used for the blade isn't important, as long as it could be retrieved in the dark ages, so if a change of metal would make this more realisitic I'd be open to suggestions. I'm basically looking to avoid a plot hole with a major part of my story!
Thanks
This is a bit of a random one. I'm writing a novel. In one scene, Character A places a knife of sentimental value on top of a body on a funeral pyre.
Hours later, Character B retrieves the knife from the smouldering pyre.
The hilt of the knife is comprised of sapphire gemstone, and the blade itself is likely carbon steel (It's a medieval setting, they have access to steel).
Google tells me pyres burn at around 700-1000C. It also tells me sapphires don't melt until 2000+C. But steel can depend on its composition etc, and it also starts weakening at around 300C.
I really need the knife to still be in a useable condition once it's taken from the pyre. So my question is:
Would a few hours on a pyre melt the blade, or weaken it to a point where it is unuseable? If yes, is there a way this could be mitigated? The metal used for the blade isn't important, as long as it could be retrieved in the dark ages, so if a change of metal would make this more realisitic I'd be open to suggestions. I'm basically looking to avoid a plot hole with a major part of my story!
Thanks