How are bronze swords cast? How ancient bronzes were cast

The first step, molding, is actually to make the shape of the utensils with clay, and can carve various patterns on the surface of the clay according to the needs.

The second step is to brush a layer of oil on the surface of the model, then apply a thick layer of soil, and then cut the outer layer of soil into blocks after drying, we call this layer of mud "outer fan"; Then the pattern on the surface of the model is scraped off, how thick the scrape is, how thick the bronze will be cast in the future, we call the model with the pattern scraped off the "inner fan".

The third step is casting, combining the "outer fan" and the "inner fan" together, and then pouring the bronze liquid into the cavity formed.

Finally, after cooling, break the "outer fan", take out the "inner fan", and a beautiful bronze will appear in front of us. (Look).

The lost wax method is to use the beeswax mixed with grease to make the inner mold, apply mud on the inner mold, etc., reserve the holes, make the outer fan, wait for the outer fan to dry, roast at high temperature, the inner mold melts into liquid, and is discharged from the hole, and the outer fan forms the same cavity as the inner mold, and then injects copper liquid from the hole, after cooling, the outer fan is stripped off, and the casting is the same as the inner mold. It is a precision casting method for metal objects such as bronze, which is still used in modern industry. It is known that the earliest artifacts cast by the lost wax method in China belong to the late Spring and Autumn Period, which is the copper ban in the Chu tomb of Xichuan Xia Temple in Henan, and the exquisite indication of its craftsmanship is not the initial production.

And the production of the delicate and wonderful, Chu Di contributed the most, and the plate of the tomb of Marquis Yi was also the most praised, and the dense pattern of the pan was exquisitely clear, and it was extremely rich and rich, that is, it was made by the lost wax method. However, the application of the lost wax method is not widespread enough, and there are still few works to be seen, which is related to the limited quantity of beeswax and the overly complex production, and perhaps it is also due to the fact that although the effect is amazing, it is difficult to elicit a general aesthetic pleasure.

The history of the lost wax method in China can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and the earliest bronze cast by the lost wax method was the Xiong Shenyu, the king of Chu Gong, and the tomb of Marquis Zeng also unearthed a bronze plate.

Bronze is an alloy in which pure copper (copper) is added with tin or lead.

It is the earliest alloy in the history of bronze metal smelting and casting. The addition of tin or lead alloys to pure copper (copper) is of special importance and historical significance. Compared to pure copper (copper), the melting point of tin smelting bronze with high strength and low melting point (25%) will be reduced to 800.

The melting point of pure copper (copper) is 1083. Bronze has good castability, wear resistance and stable chemical properties.

Bronze has the characteristics of low melting point, high hardness, strong plasticity, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, bright color, etc., and is suitable for casting various appliances, mechanical parts, bearings, gears, etc.

There are twelve categories of bronzes: food vessels, wine vessels, water vessels, musical instruments, weapons, chariots and horses, agricultural tools and tools, currency, seals and jeffs, weights and measures, bronze mirrors and miscellaneous utensils, which can be subdivided into several subcategories. Among them, food utensils, wine utensils, water utensils, musical instruments, and weapons are the most important and basic.

There are many kinds of tin bronze, mainly because of the different tin content in the copper parts, so the grades are also different, and the use is also different. For example, 6-6-3 is containing tin, 6 zinc, 6 lead, and 3, and the balance is copper. 10-1 is 10% tin.

Ancient bronze production usually uses the model casting method, also known as the model method, so if you want to cast bronze, you must first make a model. Judging from the archaeological excavation data, there are pottery fans, stone fans, metal fans, etc., among which the pottery fan is the most common. The soil should be selected from the local impurity-free loess, the thickness is alternate, the color is uniform, and then after grinding, sieve, soaking to take suspension, precipitation, drying and other steps, so that the mud washed out is smooth and soft, the feel is excellent, and it is convenient for carving delicate ornamentation.

Mix selected mud, sand, water and other materials in appropriate proportions to prepare for use.