@@dylantaylor7416 wouldn't aluminium make it more brittle though? Just curious since tin is pretty soft and malleable in comparison. Though I'm not too familiar with phosphorous or magnesium.
As a metalworker, bronze is one of the sweetest metals to work with. It just sort of...wants to do whatever it is you are doing, like a big golden retriever. Humanity is the way it is today because of dogs, and bronze.
@@johnpeterson2987 why would i do that when i could just pull my copy off the shelf and read it myself instead? Homer did like to wax poetic about the glare of the sun gleaming on the bronze swords and armour, though--you are right about that.
@@michaelmccoy1794 Because it's hard to find a bard that has it memorized in English that can stand there and recite it to me while I feast ;) I vote listen to it.
I forgot all about the non-sparking aspect. That was a very important feature for a lot of our manual tools when I was in the Navy (USN). Fire control on a ship is a HUGE(!!) concern. Using bronze in this scenario makes perfect sense.
It’s not the same type of “bronze” the ancient used though. They used copper and tin bronze. Modern non sparking tools use, aluminum, beryllium, titanium, nickel, zinc, lead or any other metal other than iron.
Not to mention the non-rust properties of bronze. Fun fact, even when medieval china had steel furnaces, most metal worker preferred bronze as their favored metal over iron and steel.
@@misanthropichumanist4782 Basically, replace tin with aluminum. It's a bit stronger that traditional bronze, and noticeably lighter. Of course, aluminum is hard to get without modern methods- it's not something people back then could get in good quantities. Sometimes they'll also mix some other stuff in there- depending on what you are making precisely.
@LowModulation I've heard arguments for us living in the plastic age. It would be interesting to see what future generations will refer to this age as, given all the materials we're using currently.
"If you're not fascinated by [Bronze], perhaps that's simply because you don't know enough about it yet." Well perhaps, Mr Skall, it's because it's actually not very fascinating at all! 15 minutes later...nope Skall was right.
I like to claim the same about the color pink. Many people don't realize what an oddity it is, being a vibrant color that fits into the color wheel but does not exist within the rainbow spectrum but only as a mix of wavelengths. (I.e. it is weirder than violet which does exist as a single wavelength that triggers both blue and red cones.)
Sounds like a good material for mass producing spearheads. It doesn't matter much if it is weaker than steel and after a battle faulty ones can be just melted and poured into molds again and only the tip really needs to be sharp.
I think that’s basically how China operated for millennia, unlike most civilizations they had access to both copper and tin and didn’t need to trade long distance for it
480 BC... A Spartian: My Lord, the Persian are comming now, they are hundreds of thousands! By the gods, what should we do? Leonidas: *silence* - Stares enraptured at his bronzen sword for a long time, which is gleaming and shimmering in the rising sun... Then stands up with a bright big smile and shout: They should come, I feel GOOD !!
@@quantumratio4311 No doubt as they reportedly were beautifying themselves before battle at Thermopylae according to their custom, they made use of reflective polished-bronze surfaces for minute corrections.
@@Guanjyn I'd hope they'd appreciate their consumers being fairly informed about both the positives and negatives of their products so they can make a decision they don't regret.
Problem is, in the bronze age, only the rich fighters could afford metal weapons. The rest had to make due with wood, stone and bone. That's one reason the iron age took over. Suddenly you could cheaply equip a whole army with metal weapons (even if those weren't nearly as good as the best bronze weapons).
@Fidus Achates I think you got a few things wrong here. First: Written sources from the Bronze age describing materials and technology basically don't exist. All we have is the archeological record which shows bronze weapons were not mass produced. Second, iron weapons instantly became cheap and readily available once new technology brought coke furnaces hot enough to smelt iron. Why? Because iron ore is everywhere, while bronze is alloyed from two semi-precious metals that have to be separately sourced (in the late bronze age hundreds of miles apart). Third, the iron age started after the bronze age collapse when bronze had become rarer and more expensive than ever before. The early iron weapons were crude and brittle indeed since the smiths hadn't learned to control the carbon content yet, while bronze technology was mature at this time. A testimony to this is how nobles and officers of the early Roman republic often carried bronze swords, while the legionaries always had iron.
@Fidus Achates Bronze is both harder to obtain and functionally superior to iron. Have you ever actually used an iron blade? It's trash. Iron armor is similarly bad.
Fidus Achates Yes, that’s what we are suggesting. Because iron became extremely available and cheap very suddenly. I’m willing to concede defeat on all your other points, except the supposed superiority of early iron as a material. The idea that the iron age came to be because iron is a superior metal is widespread, and it’s this myth I’m trying to bust. Iron didn’t become materially superior until much later, when the blacksmiths and artisans had learned to control and exploit the carbon levels in the iron, creating steel. Also I apologize for my aggressive and dissmissive retoric last night. You clearly know your stuff.
I primarily work with raw minerals and the iron specimens I find seem to hold up to oxidation a bit more than copper. They're ores of course so not really like the alloys were talking about here. Another note about bronze: The amount of tin and copper are important in creating a strong alloy. This is why our Liberty Bell cracked. Too much tin made it brittle. Too much copper, and it'd be too soft and probably wouldn't resonate very well. Bronze is much prettier than steel, that's for sure! Just harder to acquire. Iron and carbon are just so darn abundant! Surprisingly how bronze isn't as prized as you would think.
Oh bugger! I'm so sick of hearing about bronze. BRONZE BRONZE BRONZE BRONZE. What's wrong with stone? Does stone not work all of a sudden? Stone was all my old dad needed to feed a family of as many hands as I have and then more than that.
Stone? Ha! You lucky filthy rich person! What's wrong with bone I ask, hmm? Not only you can you make ALL stone tools from bone, but you can create needles from bone, which is not possible with stone.
You disgusting bourgeoise pastoralist! What's wrong with wood may I ask, hmmmm. Seems all you care about is bone which cant do much compared to our glorious wood homes, you filthy caveman.
@@abramelinomago516 You repulsive hominid! How dare you waste away your life wallowing in riches and luxuries you have no earthly need for?! My great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandpappy swam around without consuming oxygen of any kind! What's the point of an opposable thumb I ask you? A jaw will catch your food, chew it up, and scare off competition at the same time! Nothin' better than a good ol' mandible, that's what I sssssssay.
@@jonskowitz Pretty much this, Aluminium, copper and Steel causes Galvanic corrosion and rots faster than unprotected steel. So much so that sacrificial plating, anodes are used to make the rust goes elsewhere first.
Dear Skall and V.K.N.G Jewelry. This partnership is a perfect example of how ads should be. I loath ads, yet I was actually interested in this. Seeing an ad that distracts from my content makes me avoid the person the ad is fore, yet this I was actually interested in. It added to the experience. If we all can learn a lesson from this, it's that strategic ads are a _MAJOR_ win for everyone.
Well, I am not so sure about that, they have some nazi symbolism in their inventory (and I am not talking about runes, I mean things like the Black Sun), so that sponsorship might turn sour fast.
@@SirBlackjack010 The black sun pre-dates Germany it'self. it's important to remember that the 3rd reich thrived on taking well established icons (Like the swazika) and corrupting/appropriating them.
@@Ranstone Does it though? Do you have sources for that? There are sources for sun wheels, but that specific design seems to be exclusive to nazi germany.
If you're genuinely interested, here's a revised, online version of a peer-reviewed paper. contern.org/cyberproceedings/papers-from-the-1st-international-conference-on-contemporary-esotericism/eva-kingsepp-the-power-of-the-black-sun-occultural-perspectives-on-naziss-esotericism/ _TLDR: Yes, you are correct, it's highly affiliated with Nazi Germany, but its previous use as a symbol of the occult was what drew Himler to use it in the first place._ In short, its a satanic symbol first, and a Nazi symbol secondly. After checking my sources for the above paper however, I think what you said makes more sense than I first thought. A lot of people affiliate the black sun with the SS, and it could be misconstrued. P.S. Never trust wiki. I had to use academic-search-complete because this topic has so many rumors along with it. P.P.S. Nazis suck. In case anyone thought I was supporting them in any way, I wasn't. Death to Nazis!
Hey, Skall, move your pop filter a few inches away from your microphone. They're made to diffuse plosives and hence are more effective at larger distances from your microphone.
I work with brass, bronze, copper, iron and steel, and I agree, bronze is my favourite! Not only in armour and weapons, it has really nice acoustic qualities; hit a bronze coupling with a piece of steel = really nice pure tone.
There is a legendary bronze blade found in a Chinese tomb that was still perfect despite a couple thousand years, still so sharp that you run it gently on your hand you would be cut
@@isectoid9454 The sword of Goujian, dated 8th to 5th century BC, perfectly preserved. The sharpness seems to owe to differential tin to copper ratio depending on what part of the blade is examined (notably, almost 30% tin right on the edge, fairly high for bronze). Also the sword was apparently found inside a very tight fitting lacquered wood scabbard, inside a casket, inside a tomb underground which likely contributed to fending off tarnish and preserving the intricate decorative patterns. Cheers.
@@vitriolicAmaranth its partially because China has a wide range of natural resources and partially because some of their tombs were equal parts well built, well preserved, and had good natural conditions that alot of their burial artifacts are in amazing condition compared to places like europe where most tombs were either raided or flooded and rusted everything to sludge.
You have boarded my horizon. I had no idea that bronze was such an interesting metal. I also never considered just how useful it could be as a material for crafting weapons. Thank you for this insight.
@@kasperbolding18 It seems that your issue is that you're trying to board your own horizon. MegaWizard79s horizon is the only horizon for you! Please board soon, as MegaWizard79s horizon will depart... eventually.
@@pewdiepieisking1454 They will think why did someone have a exceptionally made bronze weapon in the 21st century, then they will say "wow look at the great condition its in, bronze is fascinating..."
There will be no archeologist for our era. The thing is since internet appeared, there will be no loss of everything we do right now. (Except for a large scale disaster of course)
Well, to use internet, you need energy, to have energy, you need ressources... Who knows what will remains 1000 years later, maybe we will find solution, maybe not :p
André Dulac If there are no resources, there will not be archaeology. I felt this first hand in the last depression in Europe. Culture and social sciences were the first ones to lose funding... even the National Board of Antiquities lost heaps of employees... so yeah, culture is the first one to go, when it gets rough financially for a state... Edit: grammar.
bronze is also perfect for musical instruments - the most remarkable in modern age probably being the cymbals on drumkits. also, bells. it is a science in its own right, with variations of the copper-tin ratio defining different types of cymbals (B8, B20, and so forth). in cymbal-making, hammering is also one of the most important parts of the process. it literally defines the tone and pitch of the cymbal (together with the material itself, shape, size, etc). I think it's interesting to note how cymbals (and therefore bronze) are defining of modern pop music. when cymbals were introduced in blues and jazz during the 20's-30's, they were just one more piece in the drumkit. quickly afterwards they had already taken over as the driving rhythm force for most of pop music, and especially during the 60's-70's with rock and disco and whatnot, we sometimes don't give enough props to how much bronze is basically omnipresent in pop music. even with the advent of electro-pop and contemporary pop music, samples and recordings are still based off bronze cymbals, or imitate them in one way or another. great video! I also love bronze. such a beautiful, old and adaptive alloy. cheers!
Whenever people talk about bronze and the bronze age, it does something with my heart that I can’t explain. Feels oddly familiar, have been fascinated by this alloy ever since I was a child
I knew it! I smelled that you where educated in either anthropology, archeology, or history. I must admit that I am astounded by your gift for didactic content you provide us with. Thank you for your work, cheers from anthropologist from EU.
I think bronze/copper has a better color than gold. More red, more lively. imo. I hope someday i'll get a bronze sword. historial or not. (bronze broadsword °3°)
You know there is white gold (alloyed with silver, palladium or platin) and red gold (alloyed with copper)? Of course gold does not have the nice patina bronze develops, but the colour of those gold alloys is true metal. ;-) I wear a ring made of white gold (585), because it looks better than silver and does not get a black oxide layer like silver does. Did you also know that bronze is a lot heavier than steel? A broadsword may be impractical because of it's weight, but it will be pretty. :-)
I can see the headline before me right now... "Weapon youtuber posts video of him staring longingly at his sword while talking about 'bathing everything in red'. Potential threat to society or distasteful 'joke'?"
@@kjellringstrom6217 Nah, it's both, but he doesn't actually needs the plus in dexterity, because the vikings alrredy have that pluss from the racial trait.
@@lemmingscanfly5 definition of Jewelry-personal ornaments, such as necklaces, rings, or bracelets, that are typically made from or contain jewels and precious metal.Example: "she had silver hair and chunky gold jewelry" Any precious/ornamental metal. I would say twisted wire is ornamental and would fall under a broad category of jewelry.
Bronze is pretty unique in the family of combat applicative metallurgies, it's got a very subdued golden shine that's super appealing and it ages a lot better than almost any non alloy metals. In general there's just a lot to like
@@ДушанРадин-ы3ю You know, I've used the ravens in writing several times, and every time I do, someone feels the need to correct me on the spelling regardless of how I spell their names.
I once paid for a local guind. He turned out to be a fishman who tried to sacrifice me to his star gods. Bugger didn't even guind me to the temple I was looking for first.
The journey of getting into ancient weapons and tools starts with "oh hey that looks cool!" And ends with "okay lemme geek out about metallurgy for a bit."
I'm reading through the comments while listening to the video. I read your comment, wonder what you are talking about. Not even a second later those words come through my headset and I'm like "ah, neat". perfect timing
Copper is my favorite metal. Bronze is my second favorite metal. This is strictly because they’re beautiful metals. I love their color, and their sheen, and the way they make me feel. Thanks for the great video, man. Keep it up.
9:00 A bit of an elaboration here for those interested... The idea that a welded spot on a piece is a weak spot is something of a half truth. It depends on the type and quality of the weld. For the kind of welding Skallagrim is talking about this would absolutely be the case. During the bronze age there were really only two processes by which pieces were welded. One was a primitive form of resistance welding (whereby the sudden and forceful, mutual indenting of metals into each other causes them to fuse together at the point of impact). The other was more akin to a solder (whereby a molten metal is effectively used as a glue to join two metal pieces). Sometimes these would be used in conjunction. However as far as I'm aware this isn't something we see used on weapon grade artifacts from the bronze age. We see it on boxes, jewelry and other items which would not be placed under tremendous stress. But it wasn't really strong enough to make weapons serviceable again and they would have known this. Now by the middle ages in Europe we see forge welding come into full swing. When done well this can be strong enough to return a weapon to usable state and so was used sometimes. But in many cases it would still constitute a weak point. One would definitely have been taking a chance on such a repair. However it likely would have been good enough vs. the cost of a complete reforge or new weapon entirely to risk it in some cases. Once we get into modern welding (which starts up in experimentation at least around the early 1800's) and especially gas welding, as it is very much an additive process. The weld actually becomes the strongest spot on a piece if done correctly. The only problem here is that while there are plenty of people who technically know how to weld. There are not nearly as many who do it very well. So in theory at least, where it regards modern welding, welds no longer constitute a weak spot.
This is why Tolkien simply said the Elves used magic to reforge Narsil. There's reference to hammering the steel, but it's core explanation is magic. I was thankful for this, as nothing pulls me out of immersion like when an author gets something this esoteric wrong.
Even with a well done modern weld wouldn't it alter the flex of the blade? Could it make a blade more prone to further breakage either behind or in front of the welded spot?
@@acerbicinspirations5978 While metal around an area to be welded is typically preheated (depends on the exact process) and while this temperature varies based on the exact type of steel. The preheating never really exceeds 400°F. Annealing temperatures (the minimum temperature where if let to air cool or cooled in a controlled way, the result will be a softening of the metal from re-arrangement of it's crystalline structure) for a strait carbon steel are all well over 1000°F. Even if quenched, there is no weakening or loss of temper/hardening that can physically occur. However hardening temperatures (which would require quench cooling) can be around the 400°F range depending on the exact formulation of the steel. Thing is, it's not really a through heat. The concern is mainly with the surface being at temperature so that it can fuse well with the metal being added. So at worst what you get is something of a case hardening on either side of the weld. Which doesn't effect the toughness. So the metal on either side of the weld at worst might become a bit stiffer. However for a blade to function properly, the desire would be to have everything smooth and flush. Therefore grinding and polishing would take off any excessively hardened material as necessary for preserving performance. The end result should be no noticeable difference in flexibility. and no net change in strength of the material on either side of the weld. But this is all based on doing it properly. which includes using the right materials and process based on foreknowledge about the specific alloy in question. If not done well there will be a rather large heat affected zone with significantly deep penetration into the piece. However even these areas can be mitigated with appropriate cooling processes and even reheats and cools applied. So basically it's good to have someone who doesn't just know how to weld. But also knows how to spark test, acid test etc. and is something of at least an amateur metallurgist as well. The one thing that might be noticeable to the old arm at swinging a sword is a balance shift in the grams. At least with gas welding processes one is adding material and that material tends to be denser than the original material. But something to understand about a weld is that it is not soldering. This isn't a simple fill in of molten metal to act as a glue. the metal on either side of a weld fuses (like the interlacing of your fingers) with either side of the weld itself. for all intents and purposes it makes two or more pieces of metal one, with a gradation in exact composition and properties, radiating out from the weld site. The thing of it is, it's still a half truth modernly because unfortunately most people that learn to weld do so from a book or instruction by someone else who knows how to weld (like myself, lol). There are not nearly as many vocational school, certified welders as there are complete amateurs who think that they are better at it than they are. A large part of that is vocational school for welding and fabrication can cost $20,000-$40,000 out of pocket (there isn't really such a thing as financial aid for this sort of schooling in most cases). These schools are well worth it. But unfortunately not an option for a lot of people who need the skill. I have a friend who attended one. He said it was more book learning than anything else. And he brought home all of his test pieces to show off (the guy makes damn beautiful welds. Which I attribute to his decades of painting miniatures). Because formally educated welders are tested constantly. They have to not only be able to technically weld but do so from the most inconvenient of angles (including directly over head) and their pieces have to survive 90° and up bend tests. As well as make good judgment calls on process. These schools make sure that they know what they are doing. And if they don't to satisfaction they wash out or have to take courses over again. His class started with something like 20 individuals and ended with something like 6 or 7. of which I think (if memory serves) 2 had to retake some qualification or another and he graduated top of his class. So even out of those who went to school for it. There are not as many as one would hope that are naturals at it or were even among the best in their class. The problem with a failed weld is far more often the welder and not the process.
@@Ranstone Tolkien's universe is well acquainted with steel. I'd suspect they would have forge welding at least. Which is done (effectively) with hammering. An interesting thing is that in many cultures historically smithing and smelting was considered a type of magic. This is likely because of the elemental nature of the work and that smiths often worked in apparent secrecy. Though the reality is that they worked under necessary conditions. An ancient smiths shop would often be set up something like a dolems seen in Skyrim (though not necessarily made of stone). Which is is to say a corridor whose entrance is juxtapose to the entrance of the inner structure. The temperature of any metal can be discerned by its color. Whether it's a mild or high carbon steel, whether bronze or brass. All metals radiate consistently. That is to say that cherry red hot copper is the same temperature as cherry red hot iron. In order to see these colors accurately it's important that their light be the majority light being given off. So smiths often worked in dark or dimly lit conditions that blocked out natural light. It wouldn't due to have a costumer enter and let in the sunlight just as you were checking the color of a reheated piece. Layout of a shop is also very important to a smith. For time constraint concerns on heating and working they need to minimize unnecessary movement. So needed tools have to be within arms reach, the anvil height has to be right so as not to hurt the back during long hours. Where it sits and it's orientation in relation to the forge has to allow a smith to turn 70°-90° from one and be positioned with the piece over the other. So again it doesn't due to have people who don't know what their doing loitering in the work space. Natural air flow prior to things like forge blowers was important as well. so being on the upper end of a hillside is good for ventilation. So your ancient smith might retreat to an on high, ceremonial looking structure, that by nature of it's layout blocked out natural light, and where only him and his apprentices were permitted entry. Then after hours of the damned ringing of metal and bellows of smoke he would emerge with seemingly miraculous end products from having been brought only pieces of crudely refined earth. Furthering the mystery around it would have been the fact that smiths make a variety of job specific implements that only they understand the purpose of. In addition to this guarding one's secrets excepting those who might one day replace you when you're old and nearly deaf/blind was job security. All that taken together... One can easily imagine how to the uneducated mind that this appeared to be some manner of magic being worked. So I think a satisfying hand wave for the author's lack of knowledge regarding the subject. Is that the exact process was so obfuscated. That even the author cannot fully relate to the reader it's inner workings; That even the author imagines it to be some sort of magic for not understanding the process by necessity of the process being done well.
From a fantasy perspective, that bit about bronze standing up better to salt water is interesting. Might be a good option for merfolk. Now, aquatic races are always going to have a disadvantage when it comes to any sort of metalworking, for obvious reasons. It's why you'd more expect merfolk to wield equipment made from bone, coral, or wood salvaged from sunken ships. But if they had a way to work around the limitations imposed by water - building forges on islands, using volcanic vents, or even just magic - they'd get a lot more value out of bronze equipment than any kind of iron or steel. The salt water would even serve to give the weapons a coloration not unlike seafoam, which I think they'd get a kick out of.
@@mistakenotou7681 Granted. Though unless your fantasy setting is going all the way up to an industrial tech level - or you get really creative with alchemy - Bronze weapons are much more likely.
@@Bluecho4 why thech level in most fantasis is low? I mean there are like several thosound years old civilisations especially fire arms it wont take long for people to figere them out
@@mistakenotou7681 I think the typical reason for fantasy settings to have low technology is that they usually have magic. When a civilization has powerful wizards to both build cities and bolster armies, there's less of an impetus on developing new methods of doing those things that don't fall under the purview of magic. Why would you need a gun when you can throw a fireball?
If I recall correctly, I have watched an Alec Steele video where he basically heat treated Bronze in the same manner he would Steel. After he did that he tested the tensile strength and it ended up being insanely springy! They never did more with that information after that though and it drives me insane to this day.
Often true for a variety of non-ferrous metals like silver and gold too. Probably derives from historical beliefs that various undead and "evil" creatures feared rare metals.
What's more funny is how when we see how copper smithing from a layperson would look completely magical: I mean, bros go to the underworld, bring the blood of the earth with slight, magical tints of green, smelt them into liquid fire and pour it into moulds, making it into a material never seen before. Also, it's not like you can come unscathed in this journey, as arsenide from the pranks of our little old nick and those pesky kobolds will destroy your health. Old Nick and Kobolds even get honoured with the metal names Nickel and Cobalt. No wonder there were such things as shaman-smiths in places like Croatia in the Bronze Age.
I really liked this video. Super informative. I swear every video i watch i learn so much, and has helped me be more objective and realistic with not only my goals but with Historical analysis and of course HEMA ( which i will be looking into a local school for when i can get a moment) so just a big thanks to you Skall, and all you do.
One extreme example of how well bronze can be preserved is the so called sword of Goujian, an ancient chinese sword. Check it, it's a really beautiful piece
After being involved with bronze artifacts for years as an amateur archaeologist I saw my first high-quality and authentic reconstructions of bronze weapons at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. It was a revelation, and I suddenly realised what they were all about. Since then I have regarded the ragged remains of bronze weapons we find as only a tiny part of the real story. No Bronze Age person ever saw such a thing (except as scrap). The real sword is the one we can infer from the remains - an intellectual appreciation - not the remains themselves.
Just an FYI but lemon juice is perfect for cleaning jewelry of tarnish. I have a copper bracelet given to me by my uncle who is a Jeweler which I soak in lemon juice for 2 minutes and it shines it back up to its original pinkish shine. And if I wanted a tarnished rustic look to it I just wont clean it for a week or so.
@Benja Freeman 2 minutes at least. Put my bracelet in for too long at one point and it ended up too shiny for my taste. But the patina usually comes back after a few days of wearing it.
How about silver? Side point, juice was used in the Americas to make pre-columbian statues appearing to be of solid gold. They'd make an alloy of gold, silver, and copper. Then they'd use sulfur to dissolve the silver, and citric acid to dissolve the copper, then they'd burnish the resulting top layer to spread the gold and make an impressive finish. The Conquistadors thought they were surrounded by pure gold when it was merely gilded copper-electrum.
If you want a more effective acid, put the lemon juice in a sauce pan over low heat. The heat catalyzes the acid and it will eat away at tarnish more quickly.
I recently developed a fascination with bronze after getting an old machine with bronze bearings. I very much resonated with your opening. The way you describe the physics of work hardening steel was very helpful to me, thank you.
When I look at the word I can see the english Way and Vision. English being such an influenced language is so cool to me as it is both Germanic and Romantic especially When you look at the evolution of letters like G making the Y sound
@@cometthegreat8750 well if you pronounce vegvisir like an American or English speaking Canadian would it would sound a lot like a German pronouncing wegweiser. If a German pronounced vegvisir it likely wouldn't sound like wegweiser.
I've honestly wanted a bronze folding knife, or smallish EDC fixed blade. It'd be much less practical, but hella interesting and would be a hell of a conversation starter with other blade people.
However, I would like to point at what is most likely misinformation in chemistry. First: silver tends to tarnish as well and seemingly more often than bronze. Good thing is that you can easily clear silver tarnish with some toothpaste. Second: copper oxide (II) is black. Copper oxide (I) is dark red. Green discoloration usually seen on copper roofs is in fact copper (II) carbonate.
@@BaronVonQuiply It was Skallagrim's who called green discoloration "oxide". I accidentally posted comment in the wrong place and couldn't retrieve it. Also Skall mentioned bronze's safety in volatile environments because it doesn't create sparks. This property belongs to berillium bronze.
Gargoyle helm and shield are made of bronze, pretty sure it says it in the item description. All he needed to do was soak the helm and shield in an acid so they would be shiny again.
I'm currently trying to start up a foundry, and have been looking into bronze a lot due to the fact that this design can melt copper but not iron. This video couldn't have come at a better time
That sounds garbled. Not sure if he garbled it or you did. Hammering bronze without otherwise heating it makes it harder, not stronger or tougher. You don't want it too hard - it will shatter/crumble. Bronze swords were molded into shape but the final shaping of the edges was done with a hammer to make that part harder so it would take a sharper edge. This does NOT make it tougher - quite the opposite. But it does make it possible to get a very sharp edge. If you make it too hard you need to heat it back up to make it softer again, then give it another try. The first swords were made of bronze and they were really cutting edge technology of the time.
Man I love your videos, you often bring in just enough depth to a topic so as to get me to read more about it without keeping me here for an hour to hear every detail. This is probably the most difficult aspect of the vlog format to manage and you do it pretty masterfully in my opinion. Thanks for another great video.
Bronze age smiths were very skilled: they also made composite bimetallic swords by carting a central spine made of elastic 10% tin bronze and then casting over it the ridges of harded 20% tin bronze, and cold working the compiste blade in the correct shape. The resut were a composit sword elastic but with sharp ridges
They use also another very interesting technique: they cast a sword in a bronze alloy quote elastic with High tensile strength likes 10%tin bronze but non enough hard to have good edges, then they 0:17 immerged the blade in molten tin for a controlled time, in a way that tin can diffuse inside the bronze, then they polished the Blade from tin, living a tin enriched very hard superficial thin layer, good for sharp edges
aluminum bronze is tough as shit, I work as a tool and die maker and occasionally machine parts from aluminum bronze. I usually have to use feeds and speeds similar to that for A2 which is an air hardenable tool steel. it resists friction from other metals which is why it is often used for bushings etc. but makes it really hard to saw though. id say it would make a great sword but if I was going to do it, id make a short thick sword like a roman short sword or something. you'd have to cast it into the shape of your sword because it doesn't forge well. and since it work hardens id sharpen it with a peening hammer like they do with scythes.
There is a tapping like Method for a bronze edge that makes the edge more stronger.. but would it be good still with any other metal?. I have the same I idea that bronze mixed with another like a Damascus like sword. Bronze can be the soft core as it has the harden steal as the edge. I know a way that could be a good basis but I'm not well know how to forge welled correctly and I may be worng for my knowledge about bronze is fairly young and not that vast just yet.
That's very interesting, I really like this video, it pushes me to want to know more about it, and how the different metal used evolve within millenia, and how mixing metals impacted their value.
I have actually been looking a lot lately at the Bronze Age collapse. It was so catastrophic, the "globalized" Mediterranean world went illiterate. I have a suspicion that archaeologists may have miscalculated how long that the collapse lasted. It could have been as much as 300 years or more that are completely missing from all written human records. I think that it would be really cool to cast my own bronze AR-15 lower receiver.
I think that the collapse of the bronze age trade system might have helped a lot. The hittite empire fell to the sea people and to internal fightings, sea people almost brought even Egypt to his knees. Mycenean palatial society depended on trading with the previous two so it collapsed too due to internal struggles. New people came from north and east and filled the void left by myceneans but probably they weren't too much into writing things until a certain time. However, archeology is made by people that made and make supposition based on what they found, so it could be possible that everything may not be correct.
@@davidemoras5185 I am certain that the economic fallout from the invasions by the sea peoples was probably the heaviest factor in the collapse itself. With the trade arteries destroyed, there is no tin to make the bronze. Domestically produced commodities could not be exported, crashing their value. With imported commodities also no longer coming in, the material wealth used to create, support, and equip armies eventually dwindles. I suspect that the sudden mass migration invasion of the sea peoples was the direct result of a catastrophic famine in the western Mediterranean. Even in today's world, what's the best way to keep you and your family safe during a disaster? Not be there when it hits. With multiple whole peoples picking up and moving, it's very plausible that it caused a chain reaction, even more so if it was a famine and the cause of the famine also gradually moved eastward across southern Europe and into Asia Minor and Mesopotamia.
Writing on non-perishing materials disappeared and in some regions the writing disappeared with much of the elite structures who used it. The Bronze Age collapse comes with iron and seems to be in part a new elite structure that was independent from trade control. The hierarchies of the world became a lot flatter and metal tools became common instead of limited to a few who had plenty.
“The way the colour changes, when the sun sets,” he said lovingly to his bronze sword.
Get yourself someone that looks at you the way Skal looks at a bronze sword.
The most touching love story.boy meets blade
1:25
“You can harden bronze.”
I think bronze hardens him.
"This jewelry is something I can get behind."
TheFilthyLiam
Copper and tin produce bronze. Bronze produces wood.
@@scotsbillhicks Aluminum, manganese, and phosphorous all make much stronger bronzes than tin ;)
@@dylantaylor7416 wouldn't aluminium make it more brittle though? Just curious since tin is pretty soft and malleable in comparison. Though I'm not too familiar with phosphorous or magnesium.
@@noobpro9759 It does make it considerably harder, but not brittle. Aluminum bronze is one of the overall strongest bronze alloys.
This is 15 minutes of Skall fanboying about bronze. It's good content
Find yourself a man who looks at you the same way skall looks at bronze
I think he needed some lone time with the sword after this video...😅
Kind of like Shadiversity and Gambeson XD
More like 10 minutes of him talking about bronze and a 5 minute ad...
Was not kidding he likes bronze. I expect to see him at the market selling bronze after that presentation.
As a metalworker, bronze is one of the sweetest metals to work with. It just sort of...wants to do whatever it is you are doing, like a big golden retriever.
Humanity is the way it is today because of dogs, and bronze.
Gold and silver are better.
My goodness. That’s an amazing statement. So awesome
Great thought
are u bronze
@@desmondmurphy449 not for usability. it is too weak even if bronze is soft silver and especially gold are waaaaay softer
I remember as a kid thinking Bronze in the Olympics seemed aesthetically superior to Silver.
I want a girl who looks at me like Skall looks at that bronze sword
Have you considered having yourself bronzed?
@@BaronVonQuiply Why yes I considered pouring molten bronze on my body
@@gabebarber5813 I think they use salts instead of molten metal. It's done via elecroplating though, so I'm gonna need to you hold onto this wire..
I want a girl who looks at me.
A large chopper helps.
Knowledge is so *metal.*
LADS, LADS, LADS, LADS!
That pun was *sharp.*
Skaal
He SHINES a light on the use of bronze.
Yeaah, I *TIN* you are right mate!...
Just imagine how would it be to see an entire army equipped with bronze armour and weapons with the sun reflected on them, just imagine the shines
Army of the Sun.
Imagine the bards recounting this tale: "The enemy came upon us, and their wrath did burn with the fury of a thousand suns."
You should listen to the Iliad translated by Caroline Alexander on audiobook
@@johnpeterson2987 why would i do that when i could just pull my copy off the shelf and read it myself instead?
Homer did like to wax poetic about the glare of the sun gleaming on the bronze swords and armour, though--you are right about that.
@@michaelmccoy1794 Because it's hard to find a bard that has it memorized in English that can stand there and recite it to me while I feast ;) I vote listen to it.
I forgot all about the non-sparking aspect. That was a very important feature for a lot of our manual tools when I was in the Navy (USN). Fire control on a ship is a HUGE(!!) concern. Using bronze in this scenario makes perfect sense.
Just about every wrench used in my welding shop was bronze.
Acetylene, oxygen and solvents abound; no sparks please!
Even had an aluminum bronze tool.
@@pirobot668beta
Aluminum bronze?
It’s not the same type of “bronze” the ancient used though. They used copper and tin bronze. Modern non sparking tools use, aluminum, beryllium, titanium, nickel, zinc, lead or any other metal other than iron.
Not to mention the non-rust properties of bronze.
Fun fact, even when medieval china had steel furnaces, most metal worker preferred bronze as their favored metal over iron and steel.
@@misanthropichumanist4782 Basically, replace tin with aluminum. It's a bit stronger that traditional bronze, and noticeably lighter.
Of course, aluminum is hard to get without modern methods- it's not something people back then could get in good quantities.
Sometimes they'll also mix some other stuff in there- depending on what you are making precisely.
You sounded like Solaire of Astora: "at last, i have found my very own sun" XD
My thoughts exactly.
Bronze is so badass it has its own age.
So does iron, steel need to step his game up
@@juanpablogonzalez8528 so does stone.
@LowModulation yeah, but we are not calling it "the steel age"
@@juanpablogonzalez8528 We will after we advance, lol
@LowModulation I've heard arguments for us living in the plastic age. It would be interesting to see what future generations will refer to this age as, given all the materials we're using currently.
"If you're not fascinated by [Bronze], perhaps that's simply because you don't know enough about it yet." Well perhaps, Mr Skall, it's because it's actually not very fascinating at all!
15 minutes later...nope Skall was right.
I like to claim the same about the color pink. Many people don't realize what an oddity it is, being a vibrant color that fits into the color wheel but does not exist within the rainbow spectrum but only as a mix of wavelengths. (I.e. it is weirder than violet which does exist as a single wavelength that triggers both blue and red cones.)
Reason #1: It's shiny.
It's not just shiny, it looks like golden ice made slick by an early spring stream of meltwater.
Tounushi
Like dawn through a lens of tanned flesh
Reason #2: it's shiny
krillin6
Aye that too
like a treasure from a sunken pirate wreck
Sounds like a good material for mass producing spearheads. It doesn't matter much if it is weaker than steel and after a battle faulty ones can be just melted and poured into molds again and only the tip really needs to be sharp.
I can assure you, that the ancients did exactly that on a regular basis.
I think that’s basically how China operated for millennia, unlike most civilizations they had access to both copper and tin and didn’t need to trade long distance for it
Fact of the day: Staring at bronze swords gets you into a better mood (confirmed)
480 BC...
A Spartian: My Lord, the Persian are comming now, they are hundreds of thousands! By the gods, what should we do?
Leonidas: *silence* - Stares enraptured at his bronzen sword for a long time, which is gleaming and shimmering in the rising sun...
Then stands up with a bright big smile and shout: They should come, I feel GOOD !!
I read your comment the exact same time Skall said that lmao
@@quantumratio4311 No doubt as they reportedly were beautifying themselves before battle at Thermopylae according to their custom, they made use of reflective polished-bronze surfaces for minute corrections.
Me: I don't like bronze.
Me after watching this video: Wow, bronze is pretty groovy.
Me: I don't like sand.
Me after watching this video: It's coarse, rough, and it gets everywhere.
Are you trying to tickle some likes out of the comment section?
Yeah boi, 666
@@Brajany You forgot iritating.
Alright that sponsor segment was very well implemented,and was on topic
Gotta appreciate that
Hopefully they won't mind that he said their jewlery can stain your skin.
@@Guanjyn It's not like it's an anomaly for jewelry to do that.
@@Guanjyn I'd hope they'd appreciate their consumers being fairly informed about both the positives and negatives of their products so they can make a decision they don't regret.
Agreed, so much so I've actually purchased something.
Ya thats how id imagine its supposed to br done to win both parties!
You really want to show us how SHOINY it is don't ya?
Soooo preeettyyyy.....
isn't the symbol on the ring the same one from Samurai Jack ep were he fight a viking trapped in stone
@@tophatminion.7558 you know which ep? Then I could check it
@@TrueSonOfWalhall Episode X: Jack and the Lava Monster Samurai Jack. its on the stone that tells the story of the viking
@@tophatminion.7558 so you mean on the thing holding his cloak right?
I’m imagining a Bronze Age Army- a mass of soldiers armed with shiny bronze weapons. What a sight that would be!
Problem is, in the bronze age, only the rich fighters could afford metal weapons. The rest had to make due with wood, stone and bone.
That's one reason the iron age took over. Suddenly you could cheaply equip a whole army with metal weapons (even if those weren't nearly as good as the best bronze weapons).
@@SvenElven framed from that perspective, it seems obvious that bronze was still valued over iron in the iron age.
@Fidus Achates I think you got a few things wrong here.
First: Written sources from the Bronze age describing materials and technology basically don't exist. All we have is the archeological record which shows bronze weapons were not mass produced.
Second, iron weapons instantly became cheap and readily available once new technology brought coke furnaces hot enough to smelt iron. Why? Because iron ore is everywhere, while bronze is alloyed from two semi-precious metals that have to be separately sourced (in the late bronze age hundreds of miles apart).
Third, the iron age started after the bronze age collapse when bronze had become rarer and more expensive than ever before.
The early iron weapons were crude and brittle indeed since the smiths hadn't learned to control the carbon content yet, while bronze technology was mature at this time. A testimony to this is how nobles and officers of the early Roman republic often carried bronze swords, while the legionaries always had iron.
@Fidus Achates Bronze is both harder to obtain and functionally superior to iron. Have you ever actually used an iron blade? It's trash. Iron armor is similarly bad.
Fidus Achates Yes, that’s what we are suggesting. Because iron became extremely available and cheap very suddenly. I’m willing to concede defeat on all your other points, except the supposed superiority of early iron as a material. The idea that the iron age came to be because iron is a superior metal is widespread, and it’s this myth I’m trying to bust. Iron didn’t become materially superior until much later, when the blacksmiths and artisans had learned to control and exploit the carbon levels in the iron, creating steel.
Also I apologize for my aggressive and dissmissive retoric last night. You clearly know your stuff.
I primarily work with raw minerals and the iron specimens I find seem to hold up to oxidation a bit more than copper. They're ores of course so not really like the alloys were talking about here.
Another note about bronze: The amount of tin and copper are important in creating a strong alloy. This is why our Liberty Bell cracked. Too much tin made it brittle. Too much copper, and it'd be too soft and probably wouldn't resonate very well.
Bronze is much prettier than steel, that's for sure! Just harder to acquire. Iron and carbon are just so darn abundant! Surprisingly how bronze isn't as prized as you would think.
Oh bugger! I'm so sick of hearing about bronze. BRONZE BRONZE BRONZE BRONZE. What's wrong with stone? Does stone not work all of a sudden? Stone was all my old dad needed to feed a family of as many hands as I have and then more than that.
Stone? Ha! You lucky filthy rich person! What's wrong with bone I ask, hmm? Not only you can you make ALL stone tools from bone, but you can create needles from bone, which is not possible with stone.
You disgusting bourgeoise pastoralist! What's wrong with wood may I ask, hmmmm. Seems all you care about is bone which cant do much compared to our glorious wood homes, you filthy caveman.
@TheT34Tank You wretched hunter! Why use the guts and meat of a dead camel when you can pick berries and sleep outside exposed to the elements?
@@abramelinomago516 You repulsive hominid! How dare you waste away your life wallowing in riches and luxuries you have no earthly need for?! My great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandpappy swam around without consuming oxygen of any kind! What's the point of an opposable thumb I ask you? A jaw will catch your food, chew it up, and scare off competition at the same time! Nothin' better than a good ol' mandible, that's what I sssssssay.
*sees the the comment section*
*sits down with a cup of tea*
Don’t mind me lads, continue on!
*sips tea*
Seawater and brine pump on board ships are made from bronze specifically for their resistance to corrosion due to seawater.
Or Aluminium alloys Well in that cases they might be Aluminium Cooper alloys maybe with tin wich IS a bronce Aluminium alloy...
Um... as someone who dabbles in aircraft I can tell you that you do NOT want aluminum/ copper alloys for corrosion resistance.
@@jonskowitz Pretty much this, Aluminium, copper and Steel causes Galvanic corrosion and rots faster than unprotected steel. So much so that sacrificial plating, anodes are used to make the rust goes elsewhere first.
Chlorophyll more like borophyll
Now that you mention it, i spent a week on a boat that is 50 years old or so, and almost all the metal looks bronze or brass
Dear Skall and V.K.N.G Jewelry.
This partnership is a perfect example of how ads should be. I loath ads, yet I was actually interested in this. Seeing an ad that distracts from my content makes me avoid the person the ad is fore, yet this I was actually interested in. It added to the experience.
If we all can learn a lesson from this, it's that strategic ads are a _MAJOR_ win for everyone.
Well, I am not so sure about that, they have some nazi symbolism in their inventory (and I am not talking about runes, I mean things like the Black Sun), so that sponsorship might turn sour fast.
@@SirBlackjack010
The black sun pre-dates Germany it'self. it's important to remember that the 3rd reich thrived on taking well established icons (Like the swazika) and corrupting/appropriating them.
@@Ranstone Does it though? Do you have sources for that? There are sources for sun wheels, but that specific design seems to be exclusive to nazi germany.
If you're genuinely interested, here's a revised, online version of a peer-reviewed paper.
contern.org/cyberproceedings/papers-from-the-1st-international-conference-on-contemporary-esotericism/eva-kingsepp-the-power-of-the-black-sun-occultural-perspectives-on-naziss-esotericism/
_TLDR: Yes, you are correct, it's highly affiliated with Nazi Germany, but its previous use as a symbol of the occult was what drew Himler to use it in the first place._
In short, its a satanic symbol first, and a Nazi symbol secondly. After checking my sources for the above paper however, I think what you said makes more sense than I first thought. A lot of people affiliate the black sun with the SS, and it could be misconstrued.
P.S. Never trust wiki. I had to use academic-search-complete because this topic has so many rumors along with it.
P.P.S. Nazis suck. In case anyone thought I was supporting them in any way, I wasn't. Death to Nazis!
As Asian we don't really care about nazi, heck we love japan now, the country that enslave most asian
Hey, Skall, move your pop filter a few inches away from your microphone. They're made to diffuse plosives and hence are more effective at larger distances from your microphone.
I work with brass, bronze, copper, iron and steel, and I agree, bronze is my favourite! Not only in armour and weapons, it has really nice acoustic qualities; hit a bronze coupling with a piece of steel = really nice pure tone.
Should have mentioned that the bronze I work with is for plumbing fittings. Good stuff!
There is a legendary bronze blade found in a Chinese tomb that was still perfect despite a couple thousand years, still so sharp that you run it gently on your hand you would be cut
What's it called?
@@isectoid9454 The sword of Goujian, dated 8th to 5th century BC, perfectly preserved.
The sharpness seems to owe to differential tin to copper ratio depending on what part of the blade is examined (notably, almost 30% tin right on the edge, fairly high for bronze). Also the sword was apparently found inside a very tight fitting lacquered wood scabbard, inside a casket, inside a tomb underground which likely contributed to fending off tarnish and preserving the intricate decorative patterns.
Cheers.
@@platinumnib4443 Thanks.
Chinese tombs are weird like that. Look up Lady Dai to have your mind blown.
@@vitriolicAmaranth its partially because China has a wide range of natural resources and partially because some of their tombs were equal parts well built, well preserved, and had good natural conditions that alot of their burial artifacts are in amazing condition compared to places like europe where most tombs were either raided or flooded and rusted everything to sludge.
You have boarded my horizon. I had no idea that bronze was such an interesting metal. I also never considered just how useful it could be as a material for crafting weapons.
Thank you for this insight.
All aboard MegaWizard79's horizon!
@@naverilllang Exactly what I hoped the only comment would say.
Hello 7 months later.
@@cxx23 hello friend
Hi frend, I'm having troble boarding my horizon. How did you make its work?
@@kasperbolding18 It seems that your issue is that you're trying to board your own horizon.
MegaWizard79s horizon is the only horizon for you!
Please board soon, as MegaWizard79s horizon will depart... eventually.
An archaeologist of the future will find your bronze sword and be confused.
Why?
@@pewdiepieisking1454 They will think why did someone have a exceptionally made bronze weapon in the 21st century, then they will say "wow look at the great condition its in, bronze is fascinating..."
There will be no archeologist for our era.
The thing is since internet appeared, there will be no loss of everything we do right now. (Except for a large scale disaster of course)
Well, to use internet, you need energy, to have energy, you need ressources... Who knows what will remains 1000 years later, maybe we will find solution, maybe not :p
André Dulac If there are no resources, there will not be archaeology. I felt this first hand in the last depression in Europe. Culture and social sciences were the first ones to lose funding... even the National Board of Antiquities lost heaps of employees... so yeah, culture is the first one to go, when it gets rough financially for a state...
Edit: grammar.
bronze is also perfect for musical instruments - the most remarkable in modern age probably being the cymbals on drumkits. also, bells.
it is a science in its own right, with variations of the copper-tin ratio defining different types of cymbals (B8, B20, and so forth).
in cymbal-making, hammering is also one of the most important parts of the process. it literally defines the tone and pitch of the cymbal (together with the material itself, shape, size, etc).
I think it's interesting to note how cymbals (and therefore bronze) are defining of modern pop music. when cymbals were introduced in blues and jazz during the 20's-30's, they were just one more piece in the drumkit.
quickly afterwards they had already taken over as the driving rhythm force for most of pop music, and especially during the 60's-70's with rock and disco and whatnot, we sometimes don't give enough props to how much bronze is basically omnipresent in pop music.
even with the advent of electro-pop and contemporary pop music, samples and recordings are still based off bronze cymbals, or imitate them in one way or another.
great video! I also love bronze. such a beautiful, old and adaptive alloy.
cheers!
Whenever people talk about bronze and the bronze age, it does something with my heart that I can’t explain. Feels oddly familiar, have been fascinated by this alloy ever since I was a child
same
Never once in my life did I see and hear a sponsor being better integrated into a video than right here right now. Good job!
Skal: "Oh Bronze, shall I compare thee to a summers day..."
Hehe, Shakespeare reference
It's better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved.. at all.
Come cheer up my lads
One, seven, three, four, six, seven, three, two, one, four, seven, six, charlie, three, two, seven, eight, nine, seven, seven, seven, six, four, three, tango, seven, three, two, victor, seven, three, one, one, seven, eight, eight, eight, seven, three, two, four, seven, six, seven, eight, nine, seven, six, four, three, seven, six, lock.
What's in a name? That which we call bronze
By any other name would shine as sweetly.
13:39 - Skal gazes lovingly at his sword
There's so much sexual tension in this video.
skall x bronze
Check his onlyfans account for xxxclusive bronze content 😂🤣
Get your mind out of the gutter.
more like sexual relief
I ship
I knew it! I smelled that you where educated in either anthropology, archeology, or history. I must admit that I am astounded by your gift for didactic content you provide us with. Thank you for your work, cheers from anthropologist from EU.
13:15 DOCTORS HATE HIM! LEARN HOW TO CURE DEPRESSION EASILY WITH THIS SIMPLE TRICK!!!
Bronze gazing, the pancea of our time.
Dont listen to him he has been bribed by the big bronze industries to say that kind of stuff
I thought Skallagrim had cracked his addiction ... but all that hard work seems to have gone for nought
I think bronze/copper has a better color than gold. More red, more lively. imo.
I hope someday i'll get a bronze sword. historial or not. (bronze broadsword °3°)
Gold goes well with purple
Red gold looks a lot more similar. No surprise, it's got copper in it. :)
If you use aluminum instead of tin, it produces a very gold coloured bronze, and harder too!
Edit: gold, not good
Bronze Flammenscwert?
You know there is white gold (alloyed with silver, palladium or platin) and red gold (alloyed with copper)? Of course gold does not have the nice patina bronze develops, but the colour of those gold alloys is true metal. ;-) I wear a ring made of white gold (585), because it looks better than silver and does not get a black oxide layer like silver does. Did you also know that bronze is a lot heavier than steel? A broadsword may be impractical because of it's weight, but it will be pretty. :-)
I can see the headline before me right now... "Weapon youtuber posts video of him staring longingly at his sword while talking about 'bathing everything in red'. Potential threat to society or distasteful 'joke'?"
"I'm generally not into wearing jewelry"...says the guys wearing earrings lol 😂
Thats his power rings so he can wield the beautiful bronze without orgasm.
@@Ublivion01 Na, it´s a +5 dex ring so he can use the sword.
@@kjellringstrom6217 Nah, it's both, but he doesn't actually needs the plus in dexterity, because the vikings alrredy have that pluss from the racial trait.
Simple wrings of metal are not jewels.
@@lemmingscanfly5 definition of Jewelry-personal ornaments, such as necklaces, rings, or bracelets, that are typically made from or contain jewels and precious metal.Example: "she had silver hair and chunky gold jewelry"
Any precious/ornamental metal. I would say twisted wire is ornamental and would fall under a broad category of jewelry.
Bronze armory and weapons just looks so mythical as well. Love it !
I always been fascinated by bronze weapons ever since when I was a kid. Don't know why though
@Borderguy342 last time I checked, I am half German and Dutch. But who knows
its human nature
Bronze is pretty unique in the family of combat applicative metallurgies, it's got a very subdued golden shine that's super appealing and it ages a lot better than almost any non alloy metals. In general there's just a lot to like
@Borderguy342 so are Hugin and Munin...
@@ДушанРадин-ы3ю You know, I've used the ravens in writing several times, and every time I do, someone feels the need to correct me on the spelling regardless of how I spell their names.
Skall looking at bronze sword " my true mentor, my guinding sunlight "
He really does look at it like that
my Preciousss
You were at my side all along.... :)
*Opera music starts playing*
I once paid for a local guind. He turned out to be a fishman who tried to sacrifice me to his star gods.
Bugger didn't even guind me to the temple I was looking for first.
God dammit now I want that Ring. And I hate rings.
I hate wearing them, but I wear one around my neck on a chain. Best of both worlds really.
Go to 'Pakabone' on Etsy, the original jeweler from Ukraine
God dammit now I want that scallagrim. And I hate scallagrim
I normally dislike the concept of jewellery, but that ring really is awesome. Skall manages to get the best sponsors on the internet.
Sorry but Skall is lord of the ring.
The journey of getting into ancient weapons and tools starts with "oh hey that looks cool!" And ends with "okay lemme geek out about metallurgy for a bit."
Finally!! Ive been looking for a good video on bronze and brass... hopefully brass will be done next
Bronze, brass, copper, and gold are my favorite metals as far as looks go. They’re just so warm.
Does that mean you like rose gold?
"bathes everything more in red" considering the fact that it is a sword... I c u
I'm reading through the comments while listening to the video. I read your comment, wonder what you are talking about. Not even a second later those words come through my headset and I'm like "ah, neat". perfect timing
I've always loved the look of green/blue oxides that form on copper and bronze/brass
I dont think brass oxidizes.
@@furrytrash7917 yes it does....
Copper is my favorite metal. Bronze is my second favorite metal. This is strictly because they’re beautiful metals. I love their color, and their sheen, and the way they make me feel. Thanks for the great video, man. Keep it up.
I like Bronze because its a pretty metal also its almost gold, so from a distance it looks like gold.
It's gold the one that looks like Bronze
Bronze is much prettier to me because it's darker.
It looks like a sun?
Praise the Sword!
\《T》/
9:00 A bit of an elaboration here for those interested...
The idea that a welded spot on a piece is a weak spot is something of a half truth. It depends on the type and quality of the weld. For the kind of welding Skallagrim is talking about this would absolutely be the case. During the bronze age there were really only two processes by which pieces were welded.
One was a primitive form of resistance welding (whereby the sudden and forceful, mutual indenting of metals into each other causes them to fuse together at the point of impact). The other was more akin to a solder (whereby a molten metal is effectively used as a glue to join two metal pieces).
Sometimes these would be used in conjunction. However as far as I'm aware this isn't something we see used on weapon grade artifacts from the bronze age. We see it on boxes, jewelry and other items which would not be placed under tremendous stress. But it wasn't really strong enough to make weapons serviceable again and they would have known this.
Now by the middle ages in Europe we see forge welding come into full swing. When done well this can be strong enough to return a weapon to usable state and so was used sometimes. But in many cases it would still constitute a weak point. One would definitely have been taking a chance on such a repair. However it likely would have been good enough vs. the cost of a complete reforge or new weapon entirely to risk it in some cases.
Once we get into modern welding (which starts up in experimentation at least around the early 1800's) and especially gas welding, as it is very much an additive process. The weld actually becomes the strongest spot on a piece if done correctly. The only problem here is that while there are plenty of people who technically know how to weld. There are not nearly as many who do it very well. So in theory at least, where it regards modern welding, welds no longer constitute a weak spot.
This is why Tolkien simply said the Elves used magic to reforge Narsil. There's reference to hammering the steel, but it's core explanation is magic. I was thankful for this, as nothing pulls me out of immersion like when an author gets something this esoteric wrong.
Even with a well done modern weld wouldn't it alter the flex of the blade? Could it make a blade more prone to further breakage either behind or in front of the welded spot?
@@acerbicinspirations5978 While metal around an area to be welded is typically preheated (depends on the exact process) and while this temperature varies based on the exact type of steel. The preheating never really exceeds 400°F.
Annealing temperatures (the minimum temperature where if let to air cool or cooled in a controlled way, the result will be a softening of the metal from re-arrangement of it's crystalline structure) for a strait carbon steel are all well over 1000°F.
Even if quenched, there is no weakening or loss of temper/hardening that can physically occur.
However hardening temperatures (which would require quench cooling) can be around the 400°F range depending on the exact formulation of the steel.
Thing is, it's not really a through heat. The concern is mainly with the surface being at temperature so that it can fuse well with the metal being added.
So at worst what you get is something of a case hardening on either side of the weld. Which doesn't effect the toughness. So the metal on either side of the weld at worst might become a bit stiffer.
However for a blade to function properly, the desire would be to have everything smooth and flush. Therefore grinding and polishing would take off any excessively hardened material as necessary for preserving performance.
The end result should be no noticeable difference in flexibility. and no net change in strength of the material on either side of the weld.
But this is all based on doing it properly. which includes using the right materials and process based on foreknowledge about the specific alloy in question. If not done well there will be a rather large heat affected zone with significantly deep penetration into the piece.
However even these areas can be mitigated with appropriate cooling processes and even reheats and cools applied. So basically it's good to have someone who doesn't just know how to weld. But also knows how to spark test, acid test etc. and is something of at least an amateur metallurgist as well.
The one thing that might be noticeable to the old arm at swinging a sword is a balance shift in the grams. At least with gas welding processes one is adding material and that material tends to be denser than the original material.
But something to understand about a weld is that it is not soldering. This isn't a simple fill in of molten metal to act as a glue. the metal on either side of a weld fuses (like the interlacing of your fingers) with either side of the weld itself.
for all intents and purposes it makes two or more pieces of metal one, with a gradation in exact composition and properties, radiating out from the weld site.
The thing of it is, it's still a half truth modernly because unfortunately most people that learn to weld do so from a book or instruction by someone else who knows how to weld (like myself, lol). There are not nearly as many vocational school, certified welders as there are complete amateurs who think that they are better at it than they are.
A large part of that is vocational school for welding and fabrication can cost $20,000-$40,000 out of pocket (there isn't really such a thing as financial aid for this sort of schooling in most cases). These schools are well worth it. But unfortunately not an option for a lot of people who need the skill.
I have a friend who attended one. He said it was more book learning than anything else. And he brought home all of his test pieces to show off (the guy makes damn beautiful welds. Which I attribute to his decades of painting miniatures).
Because formally educated welders are tested constantly. They have to not only be able to technically weld but do so from the most inconvenient of angles (including directly over head) and their pieces have to survive 90° and up bend tests. As well as make good judgment calls on process. These schools make sure that they know what they are doing. And if they don't to satisfaction they wash out or have to take courses over again.
His class started with something like 20 individuals and ended with something like 6 or 7. of which I think (if memory serves) 2 had to retake some qualification or another and he graduated top of his class.
So even out of those who went to school for it. There are not as many as one would hope that are naturals at it or were even among the best in their class. The problem with a failed weld is far more often the welder and not the process.
@@Ranstone Tolkien's universe is well acquainted with steel. I'd suspect they would have forge welding at least. Which is done (effectively) with hammering.
An interesting thing is that in many cultures historically smithing and smelting was considered a type of magic. This is likely because of the elemental nature of the work and that smiths often worked in apparent secrecy. Though the reality is that they worked under necessary conditions.
An ancient smiths shop would often be set up something like a dolems seen in Skyrim (though not necessarily made of stone). Which is is to say a corridor whose entrance is juxtapose to the entrance of the inner structure.
The temperature of any metal can be discerned by its color. Whether it's a mild or high carbon steel, whether bronze or brass. All metals radiate consistently. That is to say that cherry red hot copper is the same temperature as cherry red hot iron.
In order to see these colors accurately it's important that their light be the majority light being given off. So smiths often worked in dark or dimly lit conditions that blocked out natural light. It wouldn't due to have a costumer enter and let in the sunlight just as you were checking the color of a reheated piece.
Layout of a shop is also very important to a smith. For time constraint concerns on heating and working they need to minimize unnecessary movement. So needed tools have to be within arms reach, the anvil height has to be right so as not to hurt the back during long hours. Where it sits and it's orientation in relation to the forge has to allow a smith to turn 70°-90° from one and be positioned with the piece over the other.
So again it doesn't due to have people who don't know what their doing loitering in the work space.
Natural air flow prior to things like forge blowers was important as well. so being on the upper end of a hillside is good for ventilation.
So your ancient smith might retreat to an on high, ceremonial looking structure, that by nature of it's layout blocked out natural light, and where only him and his apprentices were permitted entry. Then after hours of the damned ringing of metal and bellows of smoke he would emerge with seemingly miraculous end products from having been brought only pieces of crudely refined earth.
Furthering the mystery around it would have been the fact that smiths make a variety of job specific implements that only they understand the purpose of.
In addition to this guarding one's secrets excepting those who might one day replace you when you're old and nearly deaf/blind was job security.
All that taken together... One can easily imagine how to the uneducated mind that this appeared to be some manner of magic being worked.
So I think a satisfying hand wave for the author's lack of knowledge regarding the subject. Is that the exact process was so obfuscated. That even the author cannot fully relate to the reader it's inner workings; That even the author imagines it to be some sort of magic for not understanding the process by necessity of the process being done well.
@@The1Helleri Thanks for your exhaustive reply at putting my concerns to rest.
From a fantasy perspective, that bit about bronze standing up better to salt water is interesting. Might be a good option for merfolk.
Now, aquatic races are always going to have a disadvantage when it comes to any sort of metalworking, for obvious reasons. It's why you'd more expect merfolk to wield equipment made from bone, coral, or wood salvaged from sunken ships. But if they had a way to work around the limitations imposed by water - building forges on islands, using volcanic vents, or even just magic - they'd get a lot more value out of bronze equipment than any kind of iron or steel. The salt water would even serve to give the weapons a coloration not unlike seafoam, which I think they'd get a kick out of.
H1 stainless steel or titanium
@@mistakenotou7681 Granted. Though unless your fantasy setting is going all the way up to an industrial tech level - or you get really creative with alchemy - Bronze weapons are much more likely.
@@Bluecho4 why thech level in most fantasis is low? I mean there are like several thosound years old civilisations especially fire arms it wont take long for people to figere them out
@@mistakenotou7681 I think the typical reason for fantasy settings to have low technology is that they usually have magic. When a civilization has powerful wizards to both build cities and bolster armies, there's less of an impetus on developing new methods of doing those things that don't fall under the purview of magic. Why would you need a gun when you can throw a fireball?
@@Demonrifts reliability. everyone can use it and get mass produced imagine. The defenders had bombers in that lotr siege
If I recall correctly, I have watched an Alec Steele video where he basically heat treated Bronze in the same manner he would Steel. After he did that he tested the tensile strength and it ended up being insanely springy! They never did more with that information after that though and it drives me insane to this day.
It's interesting how in so many fantasy settings, Bronze is seen as being anti-magical, or very effective versus magical creatures.
Often true for a variety of non-ferrous metals like silver and gold too. Probably derives from historical beliefs that various undead and "evil" creatures feared rare metals.
What's more funny is how when we see how copper smithing from a layperson would look completely magical: I mean, bros go to the underworld, bring the blood of the earth with slight, magical tints of green, smelt them into liquid fire and pour it into moulds, making it into a material never seen before. Also, it's not like you can come unscathed in this journey, as arsenide from the pranks of our little old nick and those pesky kobolds will destroy your health. Old Nick and Kobolds even get honoured with the metal names Nickel and Cobalt.
No wonder there were such things as shaman-smiths in places like Croatia in the Bronze Age.
Stone age/ non metal weapons revisit? I loved your first video on non metal weapons and I'm curious on what you've seen/learned since then.
I know from my time playing minecraft that it only takes 2 cubic metres of stone and a single stick to make a sword
You got a sponsor! That's awesome!! That will definitely help since TH-cam is being stupid
I really liked this video. Super informative. I swear every video i watch i learn so much, and has helped me be more objective and realistic with not only my goals but with Historical analysis and of course HEMA ( which i will be looking into a local school for when i can get a moment) so just a big thanks to you Skall, and all you do.
The warm color And it’s softness makes bronze feel more friendly to me. If bronze was a person, it’d want to be your friend.
I know it's a late response, but, you can't spell "bronze" without "bro."
@@caseyhart9916 I want to be bros with bronze
He would be a dull person
Holy poo, first time in history I've ever paused a video to go check out the sponsor, lol. That ring was beautiful.
That’s the fist time in history I’ve ever seen anybody use the words holy poo
12:54 He said sunset with shiny eyes. That was so nostalgic! lol
One extreme example of how well bronze can be preserved is the so called sword of Goujian, an ancient chinese sword. Check it, it's a really beautiful piece
wait a goddamn minute!!!!
Did you just get over a million subscribers?? Congrats man! You deserve it!
Thanks, but that happened over half a year ago. :)
@@Skallagrim , O. M. Gosh! Lmbo. That's too funny sadlytoo funny.
Blessed days sirSir, Crawford out
I must admit, I've always liked copper over other precious metals, partially because of the look, and as such, I always liked bronze as well.
After being involved with bronze artifacts for years as an amateur archaeologist I saw my first high-quality and authentic reconstructions of bronze weapons at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. It was a revelation, and I suddenly realised what they were all about. Since then I have regarded the ragged remains of bronze weapons we find as only a tiny part of the real story. No Bronze Age person ever saw such a thing (except as scrap). The real sword is the one we can infer from the remains - an intellectual appreciation - not the remains themselves.
Just an FYI but lemon juice is perfect for cleaning jewelry of tarnish.
I have a copper bracelet given to me by my uncle who is a Jeweler which I soak in lemon juice for 2 minutes and it shines it back up to its original pinkish shine. And if I wanted a tarnished rustic look to it I just wont clean it for a week or so.
@Benja Freeman 2 minutes at least. Put my bracelet in for too long at one point and it ended up too shiny for my taste. But the patina usually comes back after a few days of wearing it.
How about silver?
Side point, juice was used in the Americas to make pre-columbian statues appearing to be of solid gold. They'd make an alloy of gold, silver, and copper. Then they'd use sulfur to dissolve the silver, and citric acid to dissolve the copper, then they'd burnish the resulting top layer to spread the gold and make an impressive finish. The Conquistadors thought they were surrounded by pure gold when it was merely gilded copper-electrum.
I always just soak it in cider
@@TheSteij yes anything with mild acidity will work. Lemon juice is just a good cheap way, being a dollar at the dollar store.
If you want a more effective acid, put the lemon juice in a sauce pan over low heat. The heat catalyzes the acid and it will eat away at tarnish more quickly.
Made with the special ingredient tin, from the far lands of tin land.
Is that Finland but with a speech impediment?
@@tiberiu_nicolae No, it's England but with an even worse speech issue.
My dealer won't tell me where he gets it.
Bronze weapons and armor are some of the most beautiful historical creations, imo
Bronze is such a beautiful and mysterious metal. Bronze swords and armor are wonders to behold, and the Bronze Age was a time of heroes.
What a story teller. That's what makes your videos so appealing.
Poetic Skall is interesting. I love bronze too. The history of it, the mystery of it and the beauty of bronze.
Classic bronze was about 10% tin and Mild bronze about 6%. So versatile that it's still used for various applications.
I know everything I know about bronze from Runescape.
Simon Peter Bronze is OP. Everyone thinks ur a noob until u pwn them in full bronze body.
That was incredibly educational about bronze's properties. Thank you, Skallagrim.
I recently developed a fascination with bronze after getting an old machine with bronze bearings. I very much resonated with your opening. The way you describe the physics of work hardening steel was very helpful to me, thank you.
Skall showing off his hand modeling talent. Totally got a future career dude
"Vegvisir" is really close to the German "Wegweiser" (way-shower), which is any signpost.
Isn’t vegvisir just how you pronounce wegweiser in German
When I look at the word I can see the english Way and Vision. English being such an influenced language is so cool to me as it is both Germanic and Romantic especially When you look at the evolution of letters like G making the Y sound
@@cometthegreat8750 Unfortunaly no xD
@@cometthegreat8750 well if you pronounce vegvisir like an American or English speaking Canadian would it would sound a lot like a German pronouncing wegweiser. If a German pronounced vegvisir it likely wouldn't sound like wegweiser.
@@robinpohl2702 in german it would sound like weg Visier
Woah, I hadn't even thought of how bronze was formed into blades. Wild.
I'm so happy to hear you talk about dislocations & cold working! All of this is spot on.
The only paid promotion I've ever watched and enjoyed and will now purchase. Thank you.
So basically I need a bronze sword because if it breaks I can just... recast it and have the same sword as before. Sold.
I've honestly wanted a bronze folding knife, or smallish EDC fixed blade. It'd be much less practical, but hella interesting and would be a hell of a conversation starter with other blade people.
However, I would like to point at what is most likely misinformation in chemistry. First: silver tends to tarnish as well and seemingly more often than bronze. Good thing is that you can easily clear silver tarnish with some toothpaste. Second: copper oxide (II) is black. Copper oxide (I) is dark red. Green discoloration usually seen on copper roofs is in fact copper (II) carbonate.
@@dymytryruban4324 Oh, I think I was under the impression that the green was an oxide.
@@BaronVonQuiply It was Skallagrim's who called green discoloration "oxide". I accidentally posted comment in the wrong place and couldn't retrieve it. Also Skall mentioned bronze's safety in volatile environments because it doesn't create sparks. This property belongs to berillium bronze.
And people wonder why it was the most popular metal for 2000 years...
I was waiting for skall to say "My PreciouSssss" while he stared at that bronze master peice.
13:29 such a shame there isn't any bronze weapon in Dark Souls. Poor Solaire couldn't find his own sun.
Gargoyle helm and shield are made of bronze, pretty sure it says it in the item description. All he needed to do was soak the helm and shield in an acid so they would be shiny again.
@@grandpanoogie2665 that is actually correct. Although they are very rusty, so they don't look as grossly incasdescent as they should.
@@aiexmonsterhunter a shame it is
@@aiexmonsterhunter rusty bronze? lol
I'm currently trying to start up a foundry, and have been looking into bronze a lot due to the fact that this design can melt copper but not iron. This video couldn't have come at a better time
The intro perfectly sums up why I'm watching this. I am eager to join the club and be fascinated by bronze
Love the ring.
I heard from shadiversity that hammering bronze into shape without melting it makes very strong and tough to dull, is that true?
Yes, it does. It's a process called work hardening if you're interested.
You can not nearly to the same degree as iron. Bronze has a far more regular crystal structure so it is far more consistent in terms of hardness.
That sounds garbled. Not sure if he garbled it or you did. Hammering bronze without otherwise heating it makes it harder, not stronger or tougher. You don't want it too hard - it will shatter/crumble. Bronze swords were molded into shape but the final shaping of the edges was done with a hammer to make that part harder so it would take a sharper edge. This does NOT make it tougher - quite the opposite. But it does make it possible to get a very sharp edge. If you make it too hard you need to heat it back up to make it softer again, then give it another try. The first swords were made of bronze and they were really cutting edge technology of the time.
@@laughingdaffodils5450 "cutting edge technology" ahh I see what you did there!
Shad described a process reflecting what Malcolm said for production.
Do more metals! I like this analysis into metal used in combat.
Man I love your videos, you often bring in just enough depth to a topic so as to get me to read more about it without keeping me here for an hour to hear every detail. This is probably the most difficult aspect of the vlog format to manage and you do it pretty masterfully in my opinion. Thanks for another great video.
Glad to know, thanks for the positive feedback.
Bronze age smiths were very skilled: they also made composite bimetallic swords by carting a central spine made of elastic 10% tin bronze and then casting over it the ridges of harded 20% tin bronze, and cold working the compiste blade in the correct shape. The resut were a composit sword elastic but with sharp ridges
I’d like more info cause that sounds awesome and interesting
They use also another very interesting technique: they cast a sword in a bronze alloy quote elastic with High tensile strength likes 10%tin bronze but non enough hard to have good edges, then they 0:17 immerged the blade in molten tin for a controlled time, in a way that tin can diffuse inside the bronze, then they polished the Blade from tin, living a tin enriched very hard superficial thin layer, good for sharp edges
Who needs girls? ALL YOU NEED IS SWORDS - Shadaversity (WRONG! ALL YOU NEED IS BRONZE SWOOOORDS! - Skallagrim)
All shad needs are mochiolations.
False! The four basic human necessities are air, water, food, shelter.
-Dwight Schrute
CobaltMusketeer to spill the blood of my enemy’s see them driven before me and to hear the lamination of the women
@@SimuLord yea u are right
I wonder if Aluminum Bronze would make a relatively good sword.
i heard that it did but not flully sure.....may have to call my. cuz and get the smelter runing agin it somethimg to try
It's been used for ship propellers, so it's got the toughness. The only question is strength of the edge vs standard bronze.
aluminum bronze is tough as shit, I work as a tool and die maker and occasionally machine parts from aluminum bronze. I usually have to use feeds and speeds similar to that for A2 which is an air hardenable tool steel. it resists friction from other metals which is why it is often used for bushings etc. but makes it really hard to saw though. id say it would make a great sword but if I was going to do it, id make a short thick sword like a roman short sword or something. you'd have to cast it into the shape of your sword because it doesn't forge well. and since it work hardens id sharpen it with a peening hammer like they do with scythes.
@@atomiclizzard288 Cool. Thanks for the info.
There is a tapping like Method for a bronze edge that makes the edge more stronger.. but would it be good still with any other metal?.
I have the same I idea that bronze mixed with another like a Damascus like sword. Bronze can be the soft core as it has the harden steal as the edge.
I know a way that could be a good basis but I'm not well know how to forge welled correctly and I may be worng for my knowledge about bronze is fairly young and not that vast just yet.
That's very interesting, I really like this video, it pushes me to want to know more about it, and how the different metal used evolve within millenia, and how mixing metals impacted their value.
I like how knowledgeable you are about all of it. Everything from history to engineering and material science
copper and bronze are so beautiful any weapon or armor made from them is like something royalty would have for cerimonies.
Dude, has anyone ever told you, that you have a soothing Bob "Happy lil Trees" Ross Voice?
He does have a very pleasant voice, he never sounds condescending or out of place, you just listen and and find yourself at ease and in agreement.
Yeah, Bob Ross of the Blade
I've noticed that effect is stronger when he talks about bronze.
And over here we will paint some happy little Vikings pillaging an English village....
I have actually been looking a lot lately at the Bronze Age collapse. It was so catastrophic, the "globalized" Mediterranean world went illiterate. I have a suspicion that archaeologists may have miscalculated how long that the collapse lasted. It could have been as much as 300 years or more that are completely missing from all written human records.
I think that it would be really cool to cast my own bronze AR-15 lower receiver.
Yeah, if you end up hating your bronze lower receiver, you can just recast it into a sword or something :)
I think that the collapse of the bronze age trade system might have helped a lot. The hittite empire fell to the sea people and to internal fightings, sea people almost brought even Egypt to his knees. Mycenean palatial society depended on trading with the previous two so it collapsed too due to internal struggles. New people came from north and east and filled the void left by myceneans but probably they weren't too much into writing things until a certain time.
However, archeology is made by people that made and make supposition based on what they found, so it could be possible that everything may not be correct.
@@davidemoras5185 Those dastardly sea people.
@@davidemoras5185
I am certain that the economic fallout from the invasions by the sea peoples was probably the heaviest factor in the collapse itself. With the trade arteries destroyed, there is no tin to make the bronze. Domestically produced commodities could not be exported, crashing their value. With imported commodities also no longer coming in, the material wealth used to create, support, and equip armies eventually dwindles. I suspect that the sudden mass migration invasion of the sea peoples was the direct result of a catastrophic famine in the western Mediterranean.
Even in today's world, what's the best way to keep you and your family safe during a disaster? Not be there when it hits. With multiple whole peoples picking up and moving, it's very plausible that it caused a chain reaction, even more so if it was a famine and the cause of the famine also gradually moved eastward across southern Europe and into Asia Minor and Mesopotamia.
Writing on non-perishing materials disappeared and in some regions the writing disappeared with much of the elite structures who used it. The Bronze Age collapse comes with iron and seems to be in part a new elite structure that was independent from trade control. The hierarchies of the world became a lot flatter and metal tools became common instead of limited to a few who had plenty.
The swordsman has fallen in love with the bronze sword! :D
I read this in farquads voice
I like how you take your time and do not rush. Thank you for this awesome lesson!