[TheForge] Packing and compression

[Jonathan Nedbor]

I remember on a visit to a large forge shop where they made bearings, among 
other things, that they were careful to move the metal a certain amount in 
the last forging heat. This was we were told, to assure a small grain size 
in the material as it relates to the strength of the finished bearing.

I assume that these were not going to be heat treated because, in my limited 
knowledge of this subject, when you heat above the critical temp, also known 
as the heat of recrystallization, you get just that - new crystal growth, 
and this is the temp that carbon steel has to reach for heat treatment (ok 
Bill H. you can correct me later). So all the "packing" in the world is not 
going to get a harder edge if the grain you have compressed in the last 
forging heat is regrown in the heat treat. Or something to that effect.

Jon Nedbor