Aluminium
 

I have turned my nose up at many good kaskaras with aluminium furnishing's on the scabbard. I shall think again in future. I like the term "silver from clay" Silver in some parts of the Islamic would being a symbol of purity, using the new metal makes good sense. Hope this link works, gives the price relevant to silver in the early years of the metal.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...58/ai_68214858

Hi Tim,
interesting point about aluminium....especially with regards African weapons. I seem to remember you mentioning in a previous thread that you had rejected a few weapons before, believing that aluminium had been used to decorate them...and therefore more recent. However you had since concluded that they may of been zinc, and possibly of greater age. Is there an easy test to determine zinc to aluminium...especially if the 'aluminium' is heavily oxidised and you don't want to remove this 'patina' ????

Katana: zinc is a lot harder than aluminum,and corrodes much more easily.At first glance they may appear similar,especially if they are covered in oxidation but if you were to compare a piece of each side by side I think you could tell fairly easily.Hope that helps- :)

Thanks Justin ....I'll have to find some examples of oxidised zinc and aluminium. There are a couple of pieces that have metal adornment..... hoping they are zinc ;)

Many white metals are mixes of copper and nickel that also oxidize. These "German silver" mounts are of course not silver at all but look like it at a distance.

For early pieces I think the watch word is "quality" in use of the metal and mixed with other quality materials, as the link mentions. I read from another site about the properties of aluminium that it is the highest metal to take a polish I cannot remember what the word is for this property.

let us not forget that aluminum (or aluminium here in the UK) was considered a precious metal, and cost more than gold up until the invention of and the start of commercial production from the hall process invented in 1886. aluminum is so cheap now we forget that it once was the height of extravagance and ostentation, and it's use on weapons in the mid 1800's might be the sign of a high status item, as long as the craftsmanship supports it. the original link above is echoed in the following:

ref: http://www.world-aluminium.org/history/index.html

this one is particularly interesting: http://www.world-aluminium.org/history/antiquity.html

If it looks good, high status and old with some aluminium, then it probably is. Which is nice to know.