copper on swords?

O

oolong dao

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Jan 21, 2014
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I had a question, I like copper, especially when it has a vivid deep red patina. How well would copper do as a crossguard or baskethilt for a sword? also what about plating the faces of the (steel) blade in copper then giving it a patina? how long would something like that last if possible?
 
there have been alot of tsuba on katanas that are copper and patina nicely, the statue of liberty is copper and still here , it is pretty dang old, so i would say a while if well taken care of
 
yeah but how well would that do with a copper that had a red borax patina? is work hardening possible with a patina without damaging it?
 
Copper can make all sort of blade furniture or coatings.
A wiped on copper/acid paste on steel or outright copper plating some of of my favourites.

Dont understand, "is work hardening possible with a patina without damaging it?"
I expect one would be finished fabricating the piece, then patina applied.

Copper oxide colors will survive fairly well if kept dry and keep from touching it, or clearcoated.
Otherwise, it just becomes an old penny...
 
As far as i've read to apply a red patina to copper via borax you have to heat it up red hot, which would undo the crystallization and thus the hardening created by work hardening. also wouldn't the re heating undo the temper of any steel blade i put it on?
 
I would go for copper alloys (i.e., bronze). However, copper is used a lot. It will mar badly if actually hit by a blade, but otherwise will be fine. The red patina would be hard to maintain in combination with work hardening for reason give above. It may (may) be possible to hammer the piece after the patina is applied with a polished hammer and not remove the patina, but some would be lost.

You can get the red color with copper alloys, I think. If it is possible to get the same color with bronze, I would go for that. However, copper, and also shibuichi (which is copper and silver, I believe. There is one alloy that is copper, silver, and gold, and another that is copper and silver. I forget which is which). Still, those alloys were used often on high-end Japanese swords, and they worked just fine. I don't think they are much harder than copper (but sadly, I have never been able to afford any to test). I don't do my own casting, so I can't make them.

JJ Simon is considering making some shibuichi (I believe that is the right name) to sell. I can put you in touch if you want. JJ is one of the most down-to-earth, honest, and deepest people you will ever meet.

I feel like I should apologize for the fact that I am only guessing in part of this post. I usually don't do that, and it is frustrating to me when people do. So, now I am guilty of it. I won't make a habit of this, but I was trying to help.
 
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oolong dao said:
I had a question, I like copper, especially when it has a vivid deep red patina. How well would copper do as a crossguard or baskethilt for a sword? also what about plating the faces of the (steel) blade in copper then giving it a patina? how long would something like that last if possible?
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Even when work hardened, copper is quite a bit softer than mild steel. It works fine for Japanese tsuba because they're thick and relatively small diameter. But if you go making a western style crossguard out of it with long arms/quillons, they'd bend very easily. And possibly even be completely chopped off by a strong blow from an opponent. They'd have to much thicker to compensate for this, and then it would add too much weight. I think there's a good reason you don't see it used much on western hilts. Ornately cast bronze was used a fair amount, but bronze is basically as hard as mild steel.

If you just like the color, I think it would be better to use steel, and then add some accents in copper or even rose gold.
 
The red blotchy colors of the patina was the only reason i wanted copper, i have no intention to have any shiny reflective brass parts on my possible swords.

But now im wondering if it would be possible to color case harden non blade parts? would that be as bad?
 
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