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How Did Oil Rubbed Bronze Hardware Originate
By Alexander Stone on December 18, 2009 |
Total Viewed: 224 |
| Post by : Eddy FoX |
| Category: Arts & Crafts |
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The use of bronze for various applications goes back thousands of years. In fact in the metal ages such as the starting with the first one, the copper age, which was part humankind's early understanding of metals, they realized by mixing of metals you could make a strong alloy. Thus bronze was born. It was done by mixing copper and arsenic. But later on a better understanding developed and they started using tin.
The advantage of tin is that it is a bit stronger than arsenic and it is not poisonous like arsenic. Bronze is stronger than wrought iron so when mankind slowly moved to iron usage bronze was still heavily used because of this. Later on as better understanding of alloys developed they began to add silicon, manganese and phosphorous to it.
In the beginning of the Bronze Age it was used mainly for the production of weapons and farming tools. But with the passing of time, people got creative and bronze was eventually used for making musical instruments and statues. Some of the first civilizations to use good quality bronze made from tin were Thailand and Persia. Possibly because these were the only place both copper ore was found near tin ore.
That is maybe why some of the first good quality bronze artifacts come from those areas.
One of the unusual properties of bronze is that when it is melted and poured into the molds to create objects, it has a tendency to expand a little just before it cools off. This unusual property of molten bronze gives the finished product a good sheen and finish. This may be why metal smiths every where had a liking towards working with bronze. Other reasons may be because bronze had unique rusted or oxidized color to it.
In the 20th century knowledge of such techniques such as electrolysis came about and taking advantage of this, metal smiths started creating metals that were coated with different metals. That is when steel based oil rubbed bronze cabinet hardware was born. After the electrolysis it was polished with a lacquer which gave it the oil bronzed look. As far as authentic oiled bronze goes, they apply black nickel and then rub it with oil for the finish. |
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About the Author:
Learn more about (http://oilrubbedbronzecabinethardware.org/) Oil Rubbed Bronze Cabinet Hardware. Stop by Alexander Stone's site where you can find out all about it and what it can do for you. |
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