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Precious Alloys

 Rediscovering Forgotten Formulas
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Everyone who reads about ancient history or medieval type fantasy will know about Electrum and how it to make it was lost. It's supposed be a pretty blend of gold and silver I think. Wouln't this Alloy be prized by jewellers? and Damascus steel would make really nice shiny silver-blue belt buckles and watches among other things. Or blue silver (assumed to be cobalt and silver)?

Any number of brilliant formulas of precious alloys have been lost over time, so why not, with some money, either from some government or from a private donor, many forgotten and new alloys could be rediscovered and added to economic trade.

—Skip, May 13 2003

Damascus Steel http://www.vikingsw...amshir/shamshii.jpg
How it looks. [DrCurry, Oct 17 2004]

(?) New way to discover alloys http://story.news.y..._strength_threshold
[krelnik, Oct 17 2004]

ORME http://www.halexandria.org/dward466.htm
Supernatural properties of gold, rhodium and iridium [eticas, Feb 11 2006]

Alloys http://images.googl...=alloys&sa=N&tab=wi
I assumed that these were the "Precious alloys" referred to. [hippo, Feb 13 2006]

[link]






       [UnaBubba] Don't you mean, "Out of your *element*"? <guffaw> <guffaw>
—friendlyfire, May 13 2003
   

       *shrugs* passing thoughts aren't generally thought through, see my other ideas for proof of that fact.
—Skip, May 13 2003
   

       Way to go, [FF]!
—FloridaManatee, May 13 2003
   

       As UnaBubba notes, Damascus Steel is the truly lost metal. Although the composition is known, no one now knows precisely how they made these particularly strong but flexible blades, which keep a very sharp edge. Some modern metallurgists believe they have come close, although reproducing the very distinctice surface pattern (presumably tied to the manufacturing process) is still tricky.
—DrCurry, May 13 2003
   

       Reminded me of a recent story about a Japanese researcher who is working out new alloys in an entirely new way. Instead of the tedious trial-and-error process of years past, he simulates the behavior of the alloy at a molecular level in the computer first, then tries it out. He's already created an alloy of titanium that approaches "magical" strength. See link.
—krelnik, May 13 2003
   

       Damascus steel is a form of vandium steel. There were naturally occuring vandium impurities in the Iron ore, which is why, when that source of ore ran out, their steel wasn't as good, and they didn't know why.   

       Titanium makes some interesting alloys, there is that "magical strength" one, there is one with "memory" of sorts, as in when it's cast into a shape, you can manipulate it, but when you apply heat, it returns to the origonaly casted shape. they use it in Surgery sometimes to pin bones
—Skip, May 13 2003
   

       My employer collects damascus blade stilettos. $1,000+ each at discount. Precise, solid, dependable, one-of-a-kind & most have hidden buttons. These knives are Art.
—thumbwax, May 14 2003
   

       thanks for the spelling corrections, and btw, UnaBubba, sorry about the spit I had at you on the burp tablets.
—Skip, May 14 2003
   

       Yeah, everyone's argued with UB at least once. He's a mass debater.
—AfroAssault, May 14 2003
   

       This discussion reminded me of a book I read lately by Laurence Gardner called "Lost Secrets of the Sacred Ark" where he describes the conversion of gold, rhodium and iridium into “Orbitally Rearranged Monoatomic Elements" or ORME. He claims that these elements gain 'supernatural powers' and this may explain the powers of the ark of the covenant. Check out the link for more info about these metals.
—eticas, Feb 11 2006
   

       I'd be wary of claims about "supernatural powers". Real chemistry is more surprising and actually works.
—sninctown, Feb 12 2006
   

       Heh.
—bristolz, Feb 12 2006
   

       The link was most enlightening actually. According to 'numerous scholars':
  

       · Extraterrestrials from the planet Nibiru came to Earth,   

       · Their primary purpose was to mine gold and precious elements,   

       · They created mankind in order to have someone to work the mines   

       Kinda puts the evolution/creationism arguments to shame in terms of imagination, doesn't it?
—hidden truths, Feb 12 2006
   
      
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