[TheForge] OK, now I'm mildly perplexed...

[theforge@mailman.qth.net]

In a message dated 2/15/2004 1:06:13 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
osan@netlabs.net writes:

> To All,
> >Beats me!  I would first try fresh acid.  The next thing I would do is cut
> >one of the links in half to expose the transverse section and then etch 
> again.
> >Let me know.
> 
>   OK, I did this.  Fresh acid seems to have revealed the regular
>   dull-ish grain.  The end grain etched VERY deeply... and I find
>   the grain isn't as fine as I'dve expected.  Voids in the end grain
>   far larger than I would have expected from iron employed in a
>   high stress component such as a roller chain... unless it wasn't
>   high stress :)
> 
>   Speaking of manufacture, as I look at it, I'm wondering if this
>   could have been built in-house, as it were.  The end of the link
>   is not round but appears almost the have been cut in facets with
>   a chisel... perhaps it's just the years under water?  You can
>   see a scan here at http://netlabs.net/~osan/Photos/WI_Chain_Link.jpg
> 
>   The pitch of the chain is about 6".
> 

To All,
Different concentrations of the same acid will have different etching 
characteristics depending on the concentration and nature of the contaminants.  A 
very deep etch on the end grain seems to imply that it is not of very high 
quality.  You really have to etch a known piece to see what the unknown is all 
about.  The ends do look chiseled off.  It makes sense that if they just punched 
the holes they would have cut the link from bar stock.
Good pic.

Hochewa


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