The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1827-02-08

ed by rust, they are proportlona,,y 49,.
bic to the workmen, should there be .nu r. -
ciency OF this necessary oxidation, thcy are .sl
larly exposed to moisture, until thev ~. eSS'
ciently prepared for welding. Beinp ,v cn. sum ;l
lengths of about twelve inches, thew are s .a'9
into pile an inch or an inch and half fbich sa i
ing the edges strait, SO as not to overlaS "y'
other longer piece is then fitted as ~ saca
over each end, and hold the whole topeth.. h..uln y
the fire. The pile is then heated, and draw IN
to bar an inch wide, and one third of an ;.' ou'
thick it is doubled up in three or more len,,sVa ,Va
and again drawn ont as before; and this oners.'
is repeated, to the third or fourth time, accoraOa
to the degree OF tineness required. The h.sn
then to be heated about one third of its lenp,hi
time, and being struck on the edge is aatst.nss.;
out the contrary way to that of the strati6ca,ona
This part ofthe operation brings the wire NJ '!
outward upon the strap. The barrel is then f.. .el
cd in the usual way, but much more iumn;n~e
uscd than in the English process, in ordc,,o Is
der the twist finer. The most careful vorl'1
always make practice Of covering the n,r. r".sI
posed 10 the fire with lutte Of mud. cIo,, "a, ga
stable manure, in order TO guard against ,nv ,.a
necessary oxidation ofthe metal When that.. eN
rel is complete, the twist is raised by layino, ,,'
barrel from one to five days in vinegar or sso' wv
ton Of the sulphate of iron, until the t,vis. !;
raised, this process is called the wire tw;s,
To produce the curl, the bars or straps are draw
out to bars about three quarters of an inch son,,a
some to the right and some to the left one -
each sort are then welded together, doubled NJ
and drawn ont as before; and upon the eyn.,I
ence of the workman, any ntricacy Of tv;s
produced by this drawing out, or doubling and
twisting.
| Sometimes, TO save trouble and econornise ror
thus prepared, the artist will rough file an En-
lish barrel, weld strap of Damascus iron snirsl
ly round it, or scverally laid longitudinaly, and
welded on. A native artist never works WIN
coal under any consideration; charcoal, franz
light woods, forms his only fuel
''In making the sword blades, there are sever,
al methods used; some make pile of alternate
layerssof soft and hardened steel, with powder.
ed cast iron, mixed with borax, between each
layer. These are drawn out TO onc.thrd lnor.
than the length of the intended blade, doubled
up, heated, twisted, and reforged several times
the twist is brought up in the same way as th.
in the gunbarrels.
"some swords arc forged out of two brost
plates Of steel thus prepared, with narrow plat.
of good iron welded between them, lcayinr
solid steel for the edge of considerable derh
Others prefer to make them CT one plate Of steel,
with lamlna of iron on each side Of il, TO give
strength and toughness. Swords of this De.
scription were tempered in the following com.
pound with desired effect The blade was Gov.
cred with paste, formed Of equal parts Of barih
powdered eggshels, salt and crude soda, heated
10 moderate red heat; and Just as the red is
changing to a black heat, quench it in spring va.
ter.
at appears that Damascus obtains all its steel
from the Ocean, where it is called the fon!Ai
hind, Or Indian steel. The damasque (or jcr)
is natural to this steel, and is raised by immersing
it in All acid solution"