Metal help: Bronzes

Sando

Sando

Knife Maker
Joined
Jul 4, 2002
Messages
1,148
I'm looking for an alternative to brass for fittings. Something stronger, prettier, and more corrosion resistant.

I'm thinking about Aluminum Bronze - Alloy 954. It comes in a number of forms and sounds beautiful. However, some of the web pages say it's hard to machine.

Have any of you worked with it?

Is it harder to cut and polish than say 416?

Thanks,

Steve
 
What's wrong with 416 SS?:confused: I've always found it very easy to shape, either on a grinder, mill, or with a file. It's also pretty easy to solder.
 
I love 416 - it's my standard and don't plan on changing that. But some times you want a 'gold' color for a certain design.

Didn't mean to imply I'm looking for an alternative to 416, actually I'm looking for an alterative to brass. If aluminum bronze can be worked as easily as 416 I'll be happy.

Steve
 
That's a good question Mike, and I've been using 416 pretty much exclusively for a couple years. But if you want some color in the handle 416 isn't the choice.

Steve I have a chunk of alum bronze that's proven pretty agreeable. Maybe like a bumblebee not knowing it can't fly, I just charged in and went to work. I couldn't tell much difference from brass, frankly. It's hard to match pins to though... I ended up using copper pins once; they looked okay once they tarnished a bit. Since these knives are gone I can't say how well they're holding their appearance.
 
Thanks Dave,

That's what I was wondering. I couldn't find pin stock either. Will have to use hidden pins or maybe someone could turn some for me.

BTW was it pretty?

Steve
 
Sando said:
I love 416 - it's my standard and don't plan on changing that. But some times you want a 'gold' color for a certain design.

Didn't mean to imply I'm looking for an alternative to 416, actually I'm looking for an alterative to brass. If aluminum bronze can be worked as easily as 416 I'll be happy.

Steve
Click to expand...

I'm the wrong guy for brass, or 'gold' color. I hate brass:eek: ;) , and I don't like gold color on a knife at all. I don't know why, but it's always been that way. Never used brass even when I first started.:confused: :D
 
interesting.....how's it compare cost-wise?
 
Steve, I thought it was nice. A little lighter color than brass but if you didn't know otherwise I think you might have thought it was brass anyway. Now that I've seen it I would recognize it on another knife.

Mike I know what you mean; but I've found that knowing I'm going to use 416 tends to limit what I consider for handle material. For example, sometimes mammoth ivory just looks better against a little color than against the white 416. That's what I used the bronze with, and it looked pretty good. ;) I've made similar choices in the past. What would be nice would be to find patinas for 416 that would vary its color and be hardy enough to withstand some handling or work.
 
I found 1/4" by 1" by 1' bars at Mcmaster for $9.77.

Alloy 360 Brass was $9.44 from the same place.

Phosphor Bronze is $$$$$.

From what I can find the aluminum brass has a very gold color. But I can't find matching pins or tubes.

Steve
 
I'm using 303 Stainless instead of 416 right now. It mills a lot easier, and seems "creamier" when I finish it. It also sculpts really well. Sorry Steve I can't for the life of me thing of anything other than brass for that gold color. The only thing I woudl suggest is maybe aluminum and have it anodized to gold, or maybe try to find a gold shade in Ti.
 
Actually I'm making some more of these:

birdn2.jpg


That exposed liner just crys out for a gold color. But I want something harder and corrosion resistant than brass.

Steve
 
Just FYI - Silicon Bronze forges like butter while just at the point to where it gets a little red.
 
I have some alum bronze That I was going to use for guards till I found out that to solder it you needed to get a special silver/brazing rod and flux that cost a arm and leg. I still have it 1/4 X 1" and 1/4" X 1 1/2" both about 6' long that I have no use for and would sell best offer. email me at
gib01@direcway.com

Gib
 
Jim,

That's Mascur Birch. Cool stuff. The blade lines are actually where a worm got in the wood. But then the wood healed up. It's like scar tissure or something. Well that's how it was explained to me.

Steve
 
Steve... The knife is gorgeous. I love the exposed liner. It has got the creative juices running and now I have to track down some of that birch. I've been commissioned by my local Masonic District to make a knife for a fund-raising auction and I've been racking my brain to come up with a design. The exposed liner would be the perfect spot for a Masonic emblem.
Thanks for sharing the pics.

Jim
 
Steve- Just in case you have any interest in casting, aluminum bronze is very easy to make. I forget what ratio of copper to aluminum I used, but it melted and poured no problem. Like Dave said, it is lighter than brass, more
brilliant I would say. I like it better anyway. Apparently there are heat treatments for
the different Al bronzes that can give it steel-like strength- but I haven't found any yet. It might make a cool blade if one had right alloy and heat-treat.
 
Without looking things up the one copper alloy that would make a good blade is beryllium copper. BUT that's one you don't want to deal with because of beryllium's toxicity.
 
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