MovieChat Forums > Conan the Barbarian (2011) Discussion > Ancient metallurgy

Ancient metallurgy

posted 11 years ago by max_demian
11 replies | jump to latest

It's all very dramatic showing the crucible of molten metal poured into the sword-shaped mould, and later being poured over Ron Perlman, but you just can't make a sword that way.

In ancient times they could scarcely ever achieve a high enough temperature to melt iron, and if they did all they could produce is cast iron which is too brittle to make a sword (and is always cast in sand, not a rigid mould).

A sword is make by forging steel from iron ore by heating, hammering, bending, multiple times.

[–] ttaskmaster 11 years ago

You also cannot raise long-dead queens of evil just by putting on a mask and prancing about a bit, with your metal-goth daughter-wench hacking up innocent monk-types...

Because this is a Fantasy movie... and not a very good one, at that!

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[–] tedeadite 11 years ago

You are right about not being able to make an iron/steel sword that way(although you can make very high grade cast steel tools).It would be fine for a bronze sword using a stone mould.
You could also mention that any molten metal in a crucible does not stay molten when removed from the furnace.

[–] Fubarius 9 years ago

To be fair, this movie wasn't about ancient times, it's about Hyborea where thing are crazy different. On a side note, the literature had little to do with weapons and more to do with the strength and skill of the men and women wielding them.

[–] jack-upland 8 years ago

Also, Conan has a telescope. Why not give him a gun?

[–] Dream_Demon 8 years ago

Also, one major problem with showing blacksmiths at work in fiction is the fact that forging is often seen being done alone. In reality, blacksmiths have assistants to help them with their work, like strikers, polishers, grinders, hilters, etc. See "How long did it take to make a sword in medieval times?" in this article to see what I mean:

http://www.anvilfire.com/FAQs/swords_faq_index.htm

Honestly, Corin should've had more helpers other than young Conan to assist him in is occupation as a blacksmith. Then again, so do a lot of other fictional blacksmiths as well.

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[–] max_demian 8 years ago

Also, one major problem with showing blacksmiths at work in fiction is the fact that forging is often seen being done alone. In reality, blacksmiths have assistants to help them with their work, like strikers, polishers, grinders, hilters, etc.

Don't forget the red-headed boys standing by to provide urine for quenching the steel. (I think it was the Vikings who favoured that approach.)

[–] LeeVing88 8 years ago

Also...(in regards to his fathers death scene) it would not take very long for an unheated molten metal to cool down enough to solidify. But I guess the scene wouldn't have been as powerful if his father merely received a concussion.

[–] SpiltPersonality 8 years ago

In ancient times they could scarcely ever achieve a high enough temperature to melt iron

What the???

How do you think they got the iron out of the ore if they didn't melt it?

SpiltPersonality

[–] max_demian 8 years ago

How do you think they got the iron out of the ore if they didn't melt it?

The temperature required to extract iron from its ore - smelting - is much lower than that required to melt iron: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smelting#Reduction.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

but they did have swords in "ancient times"

[–] Satan2016 (23350) 5 years ago

You get a ingot of pig iron that you forge.
Also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smelting#Early_iron_smelting