[TheForge] Re: Steel question OT

[Andrew Vida]

David E. Smucker wrote:
> Andy,  I don't know the effect of the increased Carbon on corrosion -- I 
> just became aware of the use of case hardened wrought iron for large 
> machine bolts (in late 1800's) when finding information about the 
> company that made a shaper that I purchased.  My shaper is from WWII but 
> I found company information dating back to the 1800's.

	Carburization was common, no?  I've done it myself to produce the 
equivalent of blister steel for plane irons.  Seems to work well as long 
as one doesn't over-carburize.
> 
> What would be interesting would be to have some samples of your wrought 
> iron checked to see what really is the carbon content and what else 
> might be present.  Different wrought irons from different ores had 
> various content. I know that some wrought irons from Germany had high 
> Manganese content because the ore was high in Manganese.  This resulted 
> in a wrought iron that could be "hardened".  (This bit of information 
> from a German Mill builder I worked with in the 80's and 90's).

	OK, so this seems to agree with my assertion that the definition of 
wrought iron is somewhat more fluid than my associate's opinion would 
support.

	As for samples, if you have the means, I'll be happy to send you some 
from various bits and pieces.