Property of Bronze Knives: An Experimental Replication of a Bronze Knife

Abstract

This study aims to examine the property of bronze tools and weapons through experimental replication. The target of this replication is the bronze knives of the “Spring and Autumn” period from Xinjiang, China. The composition and the element ration of the alloy, the metal construction, along with other aspects of the bronze knives of Xinjiang have been analyzed in previous studies. The alloy used for a particular knife included 10% tin, and was forged after casting the bronze to increase the strength of the metal.
Referring to these previous researches, I replicated a knife casted with an alloy consisting of 10% tin and 90% copper, followed by repeated implementing of cold forging and annealing. I explored the property of the bronze alloy by measuring the strength of the replicated knife and comparing with iron.