Che Guevara Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 took a piece of what i thought was old wrought today 2 x 1/4 flat to make some andirons any ways i split it after one heat about four inches down the center as i was finishing the cut the piece started to crack horizontally small cracks about half inch wide never seen the likes of it perfectly straight cracks even where it wasnt heated any thoughts boys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Wrought iron comes in varying grades of refinement. The highly refined wrought forges like butter and is very nice. The low grade stuff tends to forge like a stick of rotten wood, and tends to need to be forged at or near welding heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RingingAnvil Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Che, may i see a photo of the material (preferably wire brushed) up close. i have had my hand on real wrought iron only a few times and it is a matter of interest to me. it seems that there yet remains a bit of knowledge about it out there but it is difficult to come by. as the unicorn fore has said (i think), the various qualities dramatically change it's personality. i forged a chunk that split in two once and i believe that it may have been do to a less than perfect forge weld. sounds like you have quite another issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Wrought iron traditionally came as a layered material---merchant bar (what was sold in the old days, hence the name) was made by taking several pieces of hammered out muck bar and stacking them and welding them and reducing them to the size sold. As with any forge weld there can be problems in the future if the original weld was iffy---especially if WI was worked below welding temp! OTOH WI can have an appreciable carbon content in rare instances and so be subject to overheating issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBrann Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 I have seen where it can oxidise on the outside, and it carries through, and it comes apart like a frayed rope... the WI I have seen do that has been in/around salt water for a long time. .. I get wrought iron from old wharves and docks.. and they are subjected to a lot of salt water... also most of he stuff I have is from storm damage.. it has floated in timbers and washed up on an island.. I have to wait for the timbers to rot to collect it... it could be stress cracks from being rent in a storm... the pieces in question are about 1" by 1" by about 2 feet long wharf spikes... or it could just be poor quality WI... Cliff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 The cheapest grades of WI were used in applications such as simple fencing (called 'estate railing' in UK) which needed only cutting and punching. If hot working or more complicated operations were needed then 'best', 'best best' or even 'best best best' were used. The higher grades were often denoted by crowns rolled in at intervals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David E. Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Thanks for that pearl of wisdom Sam, I came across an estate gate and piece of rail. I have been treating it like royalty, thinking about how best to use it. Perhaps a bit of Damascus? Figurine? Now you tell me it is a piece of bad, worse, worst or whatever silly classification they gave to crap wrought iron. So where can I find a bit of best best best lying about just waiting for me to come along?:D:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 (edited) First there was at least four methods of making WI, and then there were differing grades after that. Wrought iron was made by the Catalan process, the Lancashire (or Walloon) process, puddling of white cast iron and by the Aston process. All produce different qualities plus the variations in local ores. Much iron has been recycled many times and may be a mix of any of the above. The "best" wrought iron was the Lancashire also known as "Norway Iron". This was used almost exclusively in the production of blister steel which was then used for crucible (Huntsman) or "cast" steel. Edited November 17, 2009 by nakedanvil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 You think we have variations in A-36? It's nothing compared to wrought iron. Wrought iron as a term is pretty generic, like "steel" without qualification. I have had some real "Norway iron" and it is very high quality, very little slag almost like pure iron. Lot of commercial grade was piled scrap that often had bits of steel and even cast iron depending on the quality of the sorting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 It's a fair bet that scrap WI in this country will be puddled. the only way to test it is to try forging a bit of it; the workability can vary in the length of a bar. If you get a good section then use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Sam, maybe, maybe not. Piling scrap was a huge industry. And even here on the west coast of the US, Norway iron was pretty common. Bet the same was true in the UK. Round here we also get sash weights that are the gnarliest, crudest probably piled scrap you ever saw. During the depression a smith could make more money making these than selling his scrap. But, most of this is academic. Do as Sam says, test a piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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