Is this wrought iron?

[Rizzler]

I recently found a bucket of what appears to be salvaged square stock, all cut into around 6-8 inch pieces while salvaging my family's old barn for scrap metal.  I'm very new to blacksmithing, and I got very excited at the prospect of this being wrought iron. I took a hacksaw to a piece, cut it halfway, and then bent it. Here's a picture of the result.

 

From what I've seen, it doesn't look like wrought iron, but I think I read that in some triple rolled wrought it's hard to see the markings. What do you guys think?

[beammeupscotty]

Though I am no expert, this does not look like wrought to me.  There should be some fibrous structure to wrought iron.  Are the pieces square on both ends or does one end have some modification to it?  Coming from an old barn they could be something like harrow tines.  If so they are carbon steel and very good for making small tooling.

[Rizzler]

Yeah, that's what I thought. Oh well, it's steel for me to practice on at least!

[Nick]

Not wrought, the structure is too granular and not fibrous enough in appearance.

[Michael]

This is what wrought iron looks like, half in round bar from an old grain silo.  You did the correct test, cut halfway, bend to breaking.

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Rizzler, glad to have you. If you don't put your general location in the header how do you expect IFI folk to drop by and mooch meals and beverages? Seriously, you might be surprised how many of the IFI gang live within visiting distance.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Rizzler]

Thanks for all the responses guys! And yeah Frosty I'll get my settings updated, I'll probably be lurking in these forums quite a bit.

[Frosty]

Lurking is a good thing, just don't be a stranger. Eh? I'm sure you have pics of what you make from the sq. stock and we LOVE pics.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[ausfire]

 

This is what wrought iron looks like, wrought.jpghalf in round bar from an old grain silo.  You did the correct test, cut halfway, bend to breaking.

That's an interesting way of testing for wrought. I am usually working with it in the forge when it laminates and splits and by that time you have wasted time and heat. A quick test with a cut off wheel and bend is the way to go. I find wrought iron a pain to use and it's a pity because we have stacks of the stuff. I would trade it all for plain mild steel.
Or maybe I should just learn what to do with it.

[ausfire]

So I tried the wrought iron test above. I don't know if this is wrought iron or not but it looks a bit like the pic previously posted.

[Judson Yaggy]

Yes, looks like wrought.  Work it at a high yellow, even forge welding heat and stop sooner than with mild steel and you will come to love it.  Forges much more easily than mild.  

[bigfootnampa]

Well I have also found wrought iron harder to work with!  I do like it for making rustic looking pieces though, it seems to naturally take on a bit of the aged look!  Of course it is also known to be much easier to forge weld... so that is another place where it can be useful.  I have found that I usually make my tapers a bit blunter when working with wrought iron... it helps to avoid delamination!  

[Rizzler]

I'm not sure if you can see it well from the original picture I posted of the cut and bent square stock, but it has some type of plating and I was hoping someone could identify it for me. It's very thin and brittle, and it burns off quite easily, but I'm worried about toxic fumes since I'm not familiar with the substance. I'm very new to metal working, so if anyone could help me identify the substance I would be most appreciative. If you need more pictures let me know.

[beammeupscotty]

I'm not sure if you can see it well from the original picture I posted of the cut and bent square stock, but it has some type of plating and I was hoping someone could identify it for me. It's very thin and brittle, and it burns off quite easily, but I'm worried about toxic fumes since I'm not familiar with the substance. I'm very new to metal working, so if anyone could help me identify the substance I would be most appreciative. If you need more pictures let me know.

If it burns off and leaves a yellowish, powdery residue it could be zinc plating which is something you don't want to breath.  Practically speaking, I would avoid breathing any fumes from a coating that burns off unknown steel, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't use it.  I would just make sure I burned it off someplace with plenty of ventilation.  I try to avoid galvanized metal but I have needed to use it many times over the years and have burned it off in various forges  without incident, because I only do it basically in free air and I avoid any chance of breathing in the smoke from the burn off.  I wouldn't recommend doing it regularly due to generally wanting to avoid polluting the air any more than necessary but an occasional zinc burn off is not going to end the world OR make you sick as long as you use your head.

[Rizzler]

My forge is set up outside so ventilation is not an issue.. I'll just throw them on and walk off while it burns away.

[Dodge]

This is what wrought iron looks like, wrought.jpghalf in round bar from an old grain silo.  You did the correct test, cut halfway, bend to breaking.

 

 

 

That's an interesting way of testing for wrought. I am usually working with it in the forge when it laminates and splits and by that time you have wasted time and heat. A quick test with a cut off wheel and bend is the way to go. I find wrought iron a pain to use and it's a pity because we have stacks of the stuff. I would trade it all for plain mild steel.
Or maybe I should just learn what to do with it.

 

Please explain the difference in these two methods...

[wpearson]

Please explain the difference in these two methods...

Nothing Ausfire agrees with Michael.

[Michael]

I learned this method of testing for wrought iron from Daniel Miller, a smith from one of the Carolinas during a CBA demo.  It's a good way of testing for wrought in situ.  When you see an old building being demolished, a hacksaw and hammer under the seat of the truck let you check out if it's worth hauling that rusty old scrap back to the shop. (Seriously, its always worth it, even if not WI)

 

I've had similar delaminating issues with this material, usually from working too cold.

[Dodge]

Nothing Ausfire agrees with Michael.

OK, srry. I miss-interpreted