[TheForge] Burning Metal

[theforge@mailman.qth.net]

Both.   High carbon steel at elevated temps will start to give up its 
carbon, so the outer layer will not be steel, just plain iron.  If you 
keep it in too long and too hot, the outer layer will become molten and 
will pick up all sorts of impurities as well.  Exposure to O2 in the 
forge cause scaling as well.

Charles

DillonCo wrote:

>>People also say that you have
>>"burned" the steel, when a highcarbon pice of steel has been left in the
>>fire too long or a too high of a heat.  It isn't really burned in the
>>normal sense, but the heat has driven the useful and desirable qualities
>>from the steel.
>>    
>>
>
>This is also what I was wondering about.  How are the useful properties
>driven from it?  Is the carbon buring or iron oxide forming?
>
>
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