[TheForge] bronze

[Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer]

Some bronze alloys will forge quite nicely at near cherry red on down, till they tighten up..You can tell when to quit when the thud of the hammer changes to a sharper percussive sound. An extra swat and some alloys will form cracks.
Other alloys, especially ones with more zinc content, will crumble if you hit them anywhere near that hot. Or so i've found.
I generally follow Kim's directions to cut off a small piece of a new alloy and then fool with that bit to establish the parameters and see what i can get away with.

On Dec 19, 2012, at 9:00 PM, Kim George wrote:

In forging bronze for many of the alloys heat to a dull cherry and
wait until the color goes out and then hit it you'll get maybe four
strokes before you have to heat it again.There is a small window
between too hot(red) and too cold.If it doesn't move easily it's too
cold.

-- 
Kim George

"Why for you try to bury me in cold,cold ground?"
    Taz
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