Recovery of a Lost Art by R.

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Sep 29, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 38.

Recovery of a Lost Art

By R.

Hardening Copper

We now have in “The Technical World” for June, the statement by Roland Ashford Phillips that a jeweler, David Lamon, of Denver, has suddenly found himself in possession of the much-sought-after method of hardening copper. While working at his trade as a jeweler, he mistook another compound for borax; and this, instead of softening the metal, as borax does, instantly changed the heated copper into such a degree of firmness that manipulation was impossible. Quick to take advantage of this accident, the jeweler at once made a chemical analysis of the compound, determined the ingredients, and protected his wonderful secret by a patent.

Thus the art that was old even when the pyramids were building, and which was lost, to remain a mystery and an unsolved secret for centuries, seems to have once more been given to the world by the fortunate blunder of an unsuspecting jeweler.

By the processes, the copper is not only hardened, but tempered. We are told that it is neither treated in the molten state nor glazed, but the finished product in any and all shapes is given a complete and lasting physical change.

Looking out from the same spot as the picture opposite. The sewer pipe jutting out 20 feet over the ground where formerly it was buried 5 feet.

The method has met with considerable opposition, but has finally won enough confidence on the part of capital that a large plant has been erected and is now nearly ready for operation. This new product will be known as Lamon copper, and it will be used for all commercial purposes from wire to automobile engines. The cost of the treatment is so slight that the tempered metal can readily be sold at the present price of the raw material.

Recently, as an experiment only, the dies of a certain manufacturing company were tempered; and a letter from the president of the company states that the life of each die was trebled, altho the striking pressure of 1,200 lbs. was still sustained. According to the statements of a railroad company’s engineer, the average copper-wheel will run from 1,200 to 3,000 miles. When it begins to blister, the blister crumbles into dust and the wheel is ruined. Where these wheels were treated by the Lamon process, they ran from 8,000 up to almost 16,000 miles. A trolley wire where the wasting, wear, and tear are continual, as at curves, will under this treatment be lengthened, so that instead of lasting nine months as now, they will last three or more years.

To awaken interest and strengthen its proofs, the inventor is giving to his friends small copper screw-drivers treated by these methods. Altho barely as thick as a copper cent, with an edge almost razor-like, they will turn the most stubborn screw without the least trouble, as easily as if made of steel. Copper is in great demand for electric appliances, which constantly keeps the market value up. By doubling and trebling the life of the copper in use, the result will be the same as if twice or three times as much copper were produced by the old methods.

General view of Monterey looking eastward toward the Gulf of Mexico from the site of an old church which stands 500 feet above the city on a mountain ridge west of the city. Eighteen blocks of the city were washed away in a district just around the prominent white building in the center. Saddle Mountain in the distance.

Consequently, the promise of this process is very great.

It is only one out of the many evidences that we are in the time mentioned by the prophet Daniel, the time when knowledge should be increased. Knowledge to-day is being extensively increased, and the lesson of it all is that each one of us should know his duty before God as no people in any age of the past have ever known it. Knowledge is increasing; and if our knowledge of our relationship to God is not proportionately increased, a heavy responsibility rests upon us. As to our knowing our duty and doing it, Christ has said: “He that willeth to do His will shall know of the doctrine;” and the angel informed Daniel that the wise should understand these things, but the wicked should do wickedly, and none of the wicked would understand. Dan. 12: 10. R.