[TheForge] Mystery steel

[schade at acegroup.cc]

Ron,

Knowing what the bar in question was in it's previous incarnation would 
give the best indication of what it is. Without knowing that 
experimentation is the only route left. Make a blade and see if it 
works. Or find a piece that you can identify so that all your work will 
not end with a little "ping". That's no fun.

Bob
_________
On Feb 20, 2007, at 11:15 AM, Ron Childers wrote:

> Gentlemen & ladies,
>
> I picked up a piece of steel from my junk pile yesterday to make a 
> tire iron
> for a walk behind tiller. I thought it was mild steel- it is about 3/4"
> wide, 1/8" thick abt 18" long. It has a 1/2" sq hole in one end. It is
> extremely hard to bend and resisted a 36 grit grinding belt, barely 
> knocking
> the rust off. The sparks are a bright red, no sparkles @ the end and 
> only 3
> or 4" long. Wrought has longer sparks and I know it isn't cast iron.
>
> Does any one have any ideas or speculation on what it is? I have no 
> idea as
> to its origin, but I think it would make a good blade.
>
> Thanx,
>
> Ron C
>