Bronze Bladed Knives

I know it's an entirely different kind of cutting than one would expect with a small EDC, but here's a video I came across a while back showing a Neil Burridge bronze sword being put through some chopping/cutting tests. I found it very interesting how the edge fared in usage, as compared to the amount of bending it took during use versus the steel blades we're used to.

[video=youtube;ngjMtzJ6xgQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngjMtzJ6xgQ[/video]
 
Storm Crow said:
I know it's an entirely different kind of cutting than one would expect with a small EDC, but here's a video I came across a while back showing a Neil Burridge bronze sword being put through some chopping/cutting tests.
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Very nice. I can see how a sword like that, in the hands of an experienced swordsman, would be a serious weapon.
 
That video is partially responsible for my newly found interest in bronze.:thumbup:

Before seeing that, I never would have thought bronze could hold an edge after so much chopping.:eek::D
 
P. McKinley said:
Mecha, et al,

How easy/hard is it to forge bronze? Does it forge similar to brass?

-Peter
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Bronze is very easy to forge hot or cold. If you hammer it cold it begins to steadily work-harden, and it must be annealed before it gets brittle and breaks, by heating it just until it begins to glow and quenching it in water. I'm sure there's more to it but that's how I've been doing it for good results.

As Mete alluded to, the other main thing is that some of the copper alloys are poisonous and can give off poisonous gasses when hot.
 
More photos!

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Well, it slices up a business card cleanly.
 
nice!
 
I think that is just so freaking cool. What an awesome knife idea. Sure maybe not the most high performance knife ever, but who else is going to have a bronze knife?
 
We can thank The Government for this bronze knife exposé!

Just got more info back on the bronze stock. It was original equipment from a wooden fishing vessel made in Seattle in 1941, one of the very last before WWII put the USA in war-mode and wooden fishing vessel production was sidelined for a time. This probably has something to do with the large steel fishing vessels that appeared after the war.

The edge of the blade was work-hardened by rap-tap-tapping up and down the edge cold with a small hammer, right before the final grind. The knife is a bit flexible.
 
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Mecha, I really enjoyed seeing your stuff at the OKCA show here in Eugene and getting to chat with you a little. It is just really neat getting to see the stuff you get up to with your mad science.
 
Thanks for posting that Mecha. It looks perfect!

I'm still interested to see any other bronze/ copper knives if anyone is able to share. I'll probably start a review type thread somewhere down the line after the knife gets some usage.:thumbup::thumbup:
 
Thanks abbydaddy, and it's my pleasure, The Government. :)

Looking forward to hearing how the knife works for normal everyday uses.
 
Sam, I think you might be the only guy who's ever responded to a thread asking about a certain metal for the blade, by going and making a blade- within days- from said material.

You sir, are a mad scientist indeed. And I mean that in the most best of ways :)
 
Lorien - It helps that bronze is such an easy metal to love. My favorite sword of history is one that shows how nice a bronze blade can be, worth a look if you haven't seen it: sword of Goujian, king of Yue.

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This link begins a three-part 15-minute documentary about the sword, including the metallurgy aspect.

[video=youtube;c-qJ4JYNZ3g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-qJ4JYNZ3g [/video]
 
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Sam, thanks for the education, lookin forward to finding out the answers in 2 and 3
 
Shaped two more little "edc" type knives from the fishing vessel bronze, one convex and one more contemporary blade.

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I didn't want to clutter up your sales thread, but I think those knives are just ridiculously cool. I sadly cannot afford to buy any knives right now, or I would snag one myself. I just really get a kick out of the idea of a bronze knife.
 
Thanks abbydaddy. Don't worry I plan to try some tungsten-copper alloy blades in the future. It isn't a true alloy: the hard tungsten micro-bits are distributed throughout the copper almost like carbides. Combined with the work-hardenability of the copper, it could make a really neat and effective little blade.
 
This is really cool. Mecha, thanks for sharing them with us. :thumbup: I really like that you're working with Beta Ti, Bronze and other metals. Keep up the good work.
 
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