[Regia-NA] Testing a Theory about whetstones!

[Frojel Gotlandica]

If you look at the Frojel page, gallery 25   find No 82, 83, 84, 85 you =
will see a pin from a large cloak 
brooch which has been used as Hack Silver. note the large number of cuts=
 in the metal. An excellent 
example.
 http://www.frojel.com/_index.html
Cheers
Sandy


>Hey,
>No one mentioned that apparently most (if not nearly all) bits of silve=
r 
>found (particularly hack silver in hoards) contain nicks and such marks=
 
>from testing.
>
>Very interesting.
>
>Do you have a digital camera?  Maybe you could take some pictures?  If =
you 
>have a scanner, I bet you could scan the stone directly.  Although I'd =

>suggest putting a sheet of clear acetate or something on the glass of t=
he 
>scanner first.
>
>If you don't have a DC or scanner, if you want to loan me your stone, I=
'll 
>take some pictures and then send it back to you.
>
>Thanks!
>Tom
>
>At 09:24 PM 7/10/2002 -0400, you wrote:
>>Hej!
>>     Well I have to eat my words.  The whetstone test for impure silve=
r
>>worked far better than I expected it to.  I first took a piece of fine=

>>silver (.9999) & made an initial rub test spot it looked kind of dark,=
 not
>>shinny at all.  Next to the fine silver I rubbed a piece of Sterling (=
.925)
>>& the mark was noticeably a little darker.  I then debased a small pie=
ce of
>>fine silver with about an equal weight of brass wire (I don't know the=
 exact
>>composition of the wire I used) by melting them together, I pickled &
>>polished the resulting silver compound (.5~).  It was about the same c=
olor
>>as the Sterling when viewed as a piece of silver, but notably less mal=
leable
>>than the fine silver.  When I rubbed it on the other side of my test m=
ark it
>>came out much darker than either the fine silver or the Sterling.  Whi=
le I
>>am not ready to concede that this was the only purpose of the whetston=
es, I
>>will believe it is one possible use for a commonly carried item.  Ain'=
t
>>experimental archaeology great!
>>Pax,
>>Olaf
>>
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>
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Fr=94jel Gotlandica Viking Re-enactment Society.
http://www.frojel.com/
frojel@frojel.com