[TheForge] Sash weight

[Daniel Kretchmar]

Peter,
   I hope took the "smart guy" as funny.  I meant it that way.  If it
came off otherwise, I apologize...and I know wikipedia is not an
authorotative source, but I do know that wootz has been around a VERY
long time, much longer than Bessemer, so that means there are other
ways to make on a much smaller scale.  If I understand the bessemer
process, it was the first mass production method, but other people
have experimented.  Pendray and Verhoeven are mentioned in an article
at http://www.dragonsbreathforge.com/wootzhistory.htm

Ruuf,  What book are you refering too? I would love to read it.

Danr

On 3/7/09, Peter Hirst <saltydog335 at aol.com> wrote:
> I have heard a number of theories by a lot more authoritative sources than
> "Wikipedia says".  All involve melting and none is anything like
> "baking/cooking" a chink of cast.  .The nearest to your Wikipedia quote
> involves cast or pig iron and wrought combined so that carbon migrates to
> the wrought.
>
> BTW, Wikipedia is not an authoritative source of anything.  Anyone can put
> anything in a Wikipedia article.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Daniel Kretchmar" <dan at irontreeworks.com>
> To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 10:56 PM
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Sash weight
>
>
> > Ha - ha Peter....very funny. :)
> >
> > Okay smart guy! Wootz is older than the bessemer process, so how did
> > they make it before the bessemer process?
> >
> > wikipedia says "While other methods may be used today, it is known
> > that wootz was classically made in crucibles, e.g., crucible steel by
> > combining a mixture of wrought iron or iron ore and charcoal with
> > glass, which is then sealed and heated in a furnace."
> >
> > As an SCA blacksmith, I have been part of several crews that refined
> > the iron blooms that we made in cupola (sp?) furnaces.   We used
> > bellows for the air, charcoal for the heat, and a mixture of iron ore,
> > scale, and steel dust from the floor of my grinding room. (grinders,
> > chop saws, knife grinders all make alot of dust so I have them in a
> > separate room in the shop.)
> > After the furnace was opened to let out the molten slag (kinda like
> > lava), we removed the iron bloom and heated it again in a forge to
> > yellow.  A crew of 1 leader, 3 strikers and me holding the tongs and
> > turning the bloom, pounded it into a block about 4x4x8 inches.  I took
> > the block home and using charcoal in my forge (and an electric
> > blower), and my powerhammer, I folded and welded it several times
> > until it started to look like a regular peice of bar stock.  The more
> > I folded it, the cleaner it got.....so.....the next step.  making
> > wootz....anyone ever done it?
> >
> > Danr
> >
> > On 3/6/09, Peter Hirst <saltydog335 at aol.com> wrote:
> >> Damn!  Think of the technology Bessemer wasted melring and blowing air
> >> through the stuff !!
> >>
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: "Daniel Kretchmar" <dan at irontreeworks.com>
> >> To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> >> Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 12:51 PM
> >> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Sash weight
> >>
> >>
> >> > :)
> >> >
> >> > The article said that wootz can be made by cooking/baking cast iron
> >> > for long periods (at very high temps) to burn out some of the carbon.
> >> >
> >> > Danr
> >> >
> >> > On 3/6/09, Woolley <wjec1 at verizon.net> wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> I recently read an article on making wootz from cast iron.
> >> >> > Anybody on the list ever try that?
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Wootz?  I think I saw a "Wootz that toots when it doesn't give a
> >> >> > hoot"
> >> >> > in a Dr.Seuss book but I might be wrong.  In that case it would be
> >> >> > born
> >> >> > or, you know, hatched like a Quackathatch right?
> >> >>
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