[TheForge] Burning Metal

[Ralph]

At 05:37 PM 11/2/2003, you 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?


All I know is that if you get the steel or iron hot enought it will burn. 
ie sparks flying off and then when cool the metal will be pitted and 
cratered. So yes the metal is itself consumed.....

Ralph