How did the swordmakers of ancient Toledo temper the steel of their swords? Is the interesting answer to this a myth?

fosse4

Don't know which myth you refer to as there are many - Tempering depends on the time in the furness, the heat of the furness and the time taken to quench the steel. The most common explanation is the blacksmiths said a series of prayers or incantations whilst pumping the bellows for a specific number of times - a bit like counting the seconds for a photographs exposure time - 1 elephant, 2 elephant, etc. There is an alternative theory that the amount of urine in the quenching water had an effect on the final temper (I think that's an excuse for the blacksmith using the first available toilet! but the acids in urine may have had an effect on the steel). Oct 26 03, 2:26 PM

gmackematix

A colleague at work informed me that the best temperature to anneal steel is human body temperature so in ancient times they used to run through slaves with a sword. You see why I was sceptical? Oct 27 03, 1:23 AM

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