Metalminds and other Invested stuff

[Spaceferring he/him]

Are metalminds or Invested objects harder to destroy physically than unInvested ones? 

[Calderis he/him]

Considering that Nightblood was a simple steel sword originally, I'd have to say yes. 

[RShara she/her]

I think the more investiture, the harder it would be to destroy, yes. But I don't know that metalminds or even hemalurgic spikes are so invested that it would make a substantial difference. The earrings that Pathians wear are melted down hemalurgic spikes, after all.

Nightblood, definitely, is so invested that he'd be harder to destroy than a normal sword.

[Spaceferring he/him]

Ok, thanks! 

[Quantus he/him]

I dont know, Nightblood's issue is that it would destroy anything that came in contact with it before it had a chance to do damage.  But if you stuck it in a slot on a big block of aluminum and wrenched it sideways it might very well bend and/or shatter just like a normal steel blade of it's original size and shape.  Unless it has become so Invested that it has become a Godmetal like a shardblade, with fundamentally different physical properties, which is only really possible in it's case where it's far more invested now than even at it's initial creation.

By all indications Ive seen, metalminds, spikes, Aon structures, fabrials, Awakened or Forged items, and even Gems are all as physically vulnerable as their non-invested counterparts. 

[Calderis he/him]

@Quantus

1) nightblood only destroys if it cuts. 

2) it was steel and I doubt he's being regularly drawn for routine maintenance, and it doesn't appear to have suffered from rust. 

[Quantus he/him]

27 minutes ago, Calderis said:

@Quantus

1) nightblood only destroys if it cuts. 

2) it was steel and I doubt he's being regularly drawn for routine maintenance, and it doesn't appear to have suffered from rust. 

Ooh, fair points both.  I was thinking purely in terms of physical/strain type damage, not the chemical side (got stuck on Hardness, rather than "harder to destroy).  That being said, he spends all that time in an aluminum bottle exuding liquid, dripping black, ruinous Investiture that likely blocks H2O moisture at least as well as an oil bath.  And if the black color was there prior to Awakening it could be that he simply has an applied black patina, which is a common method to prevent rust on iron & steel.

Still, Nightblood also the most invested Non-shard thing in the entire cosmere he's likely going to break most of the rules.  For lesser Investment levels like Metalminds/Spikes and any other non-sentient Invested objects, I dont think we've seen any increased durability. 

But your rust point is a perfect test-case, has there been any mention of metalminds or spikes getting oxidation and/or needing polish/maintenance?  Id prefer to ignore the Bands, as they are similarly weird. But it should be an easy to spot issue for bronze&copper, steel&iron at least.

[+Ed Venture]

On 1/3/2019 at 6:22 PM, Quantus said:

And if the black color was there prior to Awakening it could be that he simply has an applied black patina, which is a common method to prevent rust on iron & steel.

Someone should ask Brandon what Nightblood’s original coloring was.

[RShara she/her]

8 minutes ago, Rekrulmurof Eht said:

Someone should ask Brandon what Nightblood’s original coloring was.

Nightblood was not previously black. He was made of steel, and then turned black after being Awakened.

 

Quote

Comatose [PENDING REVIEW]

Was Nightblood black before being awakened by Shashara?

Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

No.

source

 

[+Invocation]

On 1/3/2019 at 11:22 AM, Quantus said:

But your rust point is a perfect test-case, has there been any mention of metalminds or spikes getting oxidation and/or needing polish/maintenance?  Id prefer to ignore the Bands, as they are similarly weird. But it should be an easy to spot issue for bronze&copper, steel&iron at least.

Sazed polished his metalminds, but there was never any rust to see on it (at least not that was noted, so it's very inconclusive), and there haven't been any references to that in Era 2 that I've noticed.