Metal

“ Metal itself implied metal-working; and metal-working brought about, not only the arts of smelting and casting, but also endless incidental arts of design and decoration. The bronze hatchets, for example, to take our typical implement, begin by being mere copies of the stone originals; but, as time goes on, they acquire rapidly innumerable improvements. First, metal is economized in the upper part which fits into the handle, while the lower or cutting edge is widened out sideways, so as to form an elegant and gracefully curved outline for the whole implement. ”

“ There are a good many sorts of metals, are there not?
Tut. Yes, several; and if you have a mind I will tell you about them, and their uses.
Geo. Pray do, sir.
Har. Yes; I should like to hear it of all things.
Tut. Well, then. First, let us consider what a metal is. Do you think you should know one from a stone?
Geo. A stone!—Yes, I could not mistake a piece of lead or iron for a stone.
Tut. How would you distinguish it?
Geo. A metal is bright and shining.
Tut. True—brilliance is one of their qualities. But glass and crystal are very bright, too. ”

“ The ore of a metal is the state in which it is generally met with in the earth, when it is so mixed with stony and other matters, as not to show its proper qualities as a metal.
Har. How do people know it, then?
Tut. By experience. It was probably accident that in the early ages discovered that certain fossils by the force of fire might be made to yield a metal. The experiment was repeated on other fossils; so that in length of time all the different metals were found out, and all the different forms in which they lie concealed in the ground. ”

“ Whether the Metal, being brought to fusion, affords any Recrements? (As Iron-stone affords store of a dark Glass or Slagg) And, if it do, what those Recrements are? How they are separated from the Metal; and to what Uses they are employed?
90. Whether, after the Metal has been once melted, the remaining part of the Ore being exposed to the Air, will in tract of time be impregnated, or ripen'd, so as to afford more Metal? ”

“ If, without any reference to history, we should seek to determine which of the two metals, copper or iron, was first discovered and used for weapons and tools, we should very readily come to a conclusion in favour of that which is most easily recognised as a metal when in the earth. ”

“ This metal can be reduced by forging to any shape; but, during the process, it will bear no heat greater than a red heat; and, as it does not admit of welding, like iron, different pieces are united with bolts, or rivets, of the same metal, as in the case of the larger kinds of vessels, or by means of solder made of brass and zinc, or zinc and lead, as in the case of those of smaller dimensions.
5. Brass is applied to a greater variety of purposes in the arts than copper. ”

“ The collection of old metal may at first sight appear a somewhat unattractive hobby; a moment's reflection, however, brings to mind the wonderful art treasures of metal in our museums, gathered together from many parts of the world; not necessarily of the precious metals, for many of the most cunningly contrived objects of antiquarian research are of copper in one or more of its numerous forms of alloy. ”

“ All the simple ideas that go to the complex one signified by the term metal, being nothing but what he before comprehended and signified by the name lead. Indeed, to a man that knows the signification of the word metal, and not of the word lead, it is a shorter way to explain the signification of the word lead, by saying it is a metal, which at once expresses several of its simple ideas, than to enumerate them one by one, telling him it is a body very heavy, fusible, and malleable. ”

“ Point X. Every imperfect Metal, without the mixture of other Metals, may be ripened by this Secret alone in the fire, in an hours space, so that it will yield Gold and Silver, but without profit; an indication that the viler Metals, may by Art be promoted into the Nature of the perfect, to the great profit of Metallurgists. ”

“ METAL-WORK. Among the many stages in the development of primeval man, none can have been of greater moment in his struggle for existence than the discovery of the metals, and the means of working them. The names generally given to the three prehistoric periods of man’s life on the earth—the Stone, the Bronze and the Iron age—imply the vast importance of the progressive steps from the flint knife to the bronze celt, and lastly to the keen-edged elastic iron weapon or tool. ”

“ For if any imperfect Metal, as Iron, or Tin, or Copper, be adjoyned thereunto, and held in such a Vessel, as in which, that Water cannot by means of its fugaciousness vanish away, nor through its subtile and penetrating power run out, and that it be digested for a while in such a Vessel, this Saturnine Bath seizeth upon, washeth, and purgeth the Metal, and transmuteth it into a better and more pure Metal, but yet with no great profit, for it onely shews the possibility. ”

“ For the latter work, the artist made studies in color and in charcoal, working in the mills, to the surprise and admiration of the giants of the molten metal. The huge machinery about and above, men half clad (the human part of the great industry) — all reflected the lurid light from the great cauldrons of fluid metal, and below, against dark retainers, were seen spurts and fountains of red hot spray. ”

“ The chief alloys, or compound metals in use, are, brass, made of copper and zinc; pewter, made of lead and tin; bell metal and gun metal, made of copper and tin; and solder, which is a kind of pewter, and made of the same metals; the silvering for looking-glasses is made of mercury and tin; the gold and silver used for coin are not pure metals, but alloyed with two parts of silver or copper to every twenty-two of the pure metal, and this forms the “standard” gold or silver. ”

“ As to the metal in which the type was cast, we find mention made of almost every metal, several of which, however, refer to the punches and matrices, leaving tin, lead, and antimony as the staple ingredients of the type-metal. Of the types themselves, we find these in most essential particulars to be the same as those cast at a later date. We see, however, evidence of perforated, mould-cast type, and, in the absence of a nick, a “shamfer” at the foot, from which the jet appears to have been sawn or cut, instead of being broken. ”

“ The types cast by the type-founder are oblong square pieces of metal, each having, on one end of it, a letter or character, in relief. The metal of which these important instruments are composed, is commonly an alloy consisting principally of lead and antimony, in the proportion of about five parts of the former to one of the latter. ”

“ Sometimes, he told me, a mass of metal would be discovered of the size of a man's fist, or smaller, composed of copper and silver, both metals closely united, yet both perfectly pure and unalloyed with each other. ”

“ BELLS AND BELL-METAL CASTINGS The founders' secrets—Great bells of historic fame—The uses of bells—Old mortars.
The metal of which bells are made differs only from that used for other copper wares in its alloy. The ancients, however, made many mysteries about the constituents of the metal by which they were able to produce such beautiful notes and musical sounds. ”

“ As soon as a miner who searches for veins discovers pure metal or minerals, or rich metallic material, or a great abundance of material which is poor in metal, let him sink a shaft on the spot without any delay. ”

“ In the thirteenth century appear plates of metal, generally silver or gold, covered with a delicate chiselling in bas-relief, and clothed with colour by means of a coating of various transparent enamels through which the pattern is seen. And, lastly, in the fifteenth century, we find plates of metal, gold or copper, coated with a thick covering of enamel, on which the design is painted, [1] In these successive processes, we perceive a tendency to the concealment and subordination of the metal that forms the groundwork of the enamel. ”

“ So much, and more, is the difference betwixt a vulgar and imperfect metal, and the Gold and Silver which it contains shut up in its bowels. But because the melting of metals out of their mines is, by reason of its long use, grown vile, and not esteemed an Art, but a Trade, and every where exercised, without any ones admiration ”

“ Hence arises the superiority of this metal for making mechanics’ instruments or tools, by which all other metals, and even itself, are filed, drilled and cut. The various degrees of hardness given to iron, depend on the quantity of ignition it possesses at the moment of being tempered, which is manifested by the succession of color exhibited on the surface of the metal, in the progress of its receiving the increasing heat. These are, the yellowish white, yellow, gold-color, purple, violet, and deep blue; after the exhibition of which the complete ignition takes place. ”

“ If we come upon earth which is like lute, in which there are particles of any sort of metal, native or rudis, the best possible indication of a vein is given to miners, for the metallic material from which the particles have become detached is necessarily close by. ”

“ We started with the pure metal, and all our endeavours have been directed solely towards reconstructing the ore. It is the metal itself we are now about to study. Nothing could be easier, for this time we have a simple element to deal with. ”

“ Modern Art Metal-Work.—The term “art metal-work” is applied to those works in metal in which beauty of form or decorative effect is the first consideration, irrespective of whether the object is intended for use or is merely ornamental; and it embraces any article from a Birmingham brass bedstead to works of the highest artistic merit. The term, as definitely distinguishing one branch of metal-working from another, is objected to by many on the ground that no such prefix was required in the best periods of art, and that allied crafts continue to do without it to the present day. ”

“ With the larger employment of metal in all industries the need for handling it easily is increased. Much greater [62] accuracy generally distinguishes metal as compared with woodwork. "In turning a piece of work on the old-fashioned lathe, the workman applied and guided his tool by means of muscular strength. ”

“ Metals are brilliant, but opaque, or not transparent. The thinnest plate of metal that can be made will keep out the light as effectually as a stone-wall.
Geo. Metals are very heavy, too.
Tut. True. They are the heaviest bodies in nature; for the lightest metal is nearly twice as heavy as the heaviest stone. ”

“ Metal Founding.—The treatment of metal after it flows from the furnaces, or is poured from the crucibles into moulds, by the operations of facing, drying, covering, casting and stripping, has given rise to a multitude of machines and methods for casting a great variety of objects. ”

“ Metal is a mineral body, by nature either liquid or somewhat hard. The latter may be melted by the heat of the fire, but when it has cooled down again and lost all heat, it becomes hard again and resumes its proper form. In this respect it differs from the stone which melts in the fire, for although the latter regain its hardness, yet it loses its pristine form and properties. Traditionally there are six different kinds of metals, namely gold, silver, copper, iron, tin and lead. ”

“ Then, as the metal shapes more various grew, And, hurled upon each other, resonance drew, Each gave new tones, the revelations dim Of some external soul that spoke for him: ”

“ COPPER WORK
There is a limited field for metal work in home decoration; but there are some things of metal that combine beauty and utility to a remarkable degree and, in their making, introduce us to most interesting operations. Beginning with the gate, which may be of wrought iron, or with the door knocker, which may be of antique brass, we may find in every home problems of design involving work in metals. ”

“ The arrangement of these numerous bits of metal is a masterpiece that a false movement might ruin. It is held firm in its iron frame by means of wedges, so that the whole thing seems made of a single block of metal. ”

“ It dissolveth Metals and Minerals into a penetrating spirituality, so that the Metal is not separated from the Menstruum, but a solution is made of both, either by the dry or moist way, from which the more pure part of the Metal, or that which is Gold or Silver, after the premised fixation, is precipitated by Art, especially if many were jointly dissolved. ”

“ It is not more difficult for the mineralogist to define a metal, than for the critic to define a classic. No attribute or property of metal can be mentioned,—hardness, brittleness, malleability, magnetism, lustre,—but some acknowledged metal can be found which lacks it. ”

“ In conclusion, it will be well to notice the growth of engraving on metal in England. The earliest specimen that I know of is the device first used by Pynson about 1496. It is certainly metal, and has every appearance of having been cut in this country. Some writers have put forward the theory that the majority of early illustrations, though to all appearance woodcuts, were really cut on metal. ”

“ Whether they have any Signs, whereby to know whether the Fusion have been well or ill perform'd; and the Metal have obtain'd the perfection, to be expected from such Ore, melted in such a Furnace?
84. Whether they observe any great difference in the goodness of the Metal, that first melts, from that of the rest of the Metal which comes afterwards in the same or another operation? And whether the Rule holds constantly? (For, though they observe in Tin-Mines, the best Metal comes first, yet in the works of an Industrious friend of mine, he informs me, that the best Metal comes last.) ”