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Socketed axe
Original
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Found: Unknown (Netherlands?)
Age: app. 1000BC |
Model
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The model used to make the mould is made from clay and sand. This is the same model as I used for socketed axe 1. As the first one had some flaws, I decided to cast a second one. |
Mould
| The mould is made from fired clay and sand. It exists of two halves and a core. This core also forms the casting opening, where the bronze flows in to the mould through channels in the core. Unlike the mould of socketed axe 1, this one fired well without damage. |
Casting result
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This time I got a perfect axe. The loop is complete, and also the mould filled up to both shoulders of the axe. |
Finished axehead
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| The axehead is fully finished. The flash and casting feed broke away easily. This means that the bronze is quite brittle. This might be caused by the lead which is part of the alloy. This brittleness made finishing the cutting edge a lot more difficult. When trying to hammer it thin, I noticed the beginnings of cracks right away. Fortunately with careful further grinding and hammering I could prevent any further growth of the cracks, and ground them away for the most part. | |||