Identifying wrought chain...?

[DocsMachine]

Local fellow has an old (and very large) boat anchor, we figure roughly 2,500lb including the chain. It has about ten or twelve feet of badly rusted chain (much of it is rusted and scaled to about 2/3rds of it's original thickness) of loops some six or eight inches on the long axis with the old style spreader bar in the center.

Is there a "nondestructive" way I can determine if these are wrought iron? I might be able to buy a couple rings off the owner (it's all sitting in his yard as a decoration) but I can't "cut first, pay later".

Doc.

[Hillbillysmith]

I believe that there is a chemical test that you can do that will determine what it is. But you may need a "normal" material sample. you may need to knock off some of the rust.
But don't quote me on this.

[ThomasPowers]

You ought to be able to see the wrought pattern in the rust. As for a chemical test:

From "Formulas for Profit", Bennett, copyright 1939, 4th printing

"To identify iron from steel"
"Mix 5 drops nitric acid with 10 drops H2O", (remember acid into water *NEVER* water into acid),"File a clean spot and place a drop on it.

If it is steel it will turn black immediatly. If it is wrought iron or malleable
iron it will stay bright for a considerable length of time."

Use at your own risk!

[Blacksmith Jim]

Is that formula testing for carbon content or something? I have an old chain link I am pretty sure is wrought. I can see clear grain patterns in the rust, and under the paint. I'd be curious to try it.

[ThomasPowers]

That chemical test is for telling the difference between Wrought Iron and Bessemer/OH/BOF/... steel.

[DocsMachine]

I can see clear grain patterns in the rust[...]

-Good point. I recall seeing a sort of ''tree bark" pattern to the rust (long, thin flakes running parallel to the body) but didn't pay it any attention at the time.

Doc.

[Mike Turner]

This is what wrought chain looks like

[Blacksmith Jim]

Yeah, thats what mine looks like, except it doesn't have the middle piece. Boy I wish I had more of it. I found a link at the scrap yard once.. Mine is probably an inch and a half in diameter..

[bruce wilcock]

the studs are usualy cast iron and knock out with a hammer easily, its not a good idea to get them redhot and then shove them under a hammer.

[HojPoj]

Rather than creating a duplicate, I'm going to do a little thread necromancy here.

Was visiting the scrapyard yesterday and there's this giant pile of anchor chains, and that I spotted there's at least three different types.

Do any of these look to be worth going back to investigate further for possible wrought?  I couldn't see any rusting that showed obvious grain/striation, appeared to be more pitting than anything else.  Is there anything else I should look for in terms of how the chain is made that would be unique to a Wrought Iron process?  For example, from what I've found online, process-wise this cut link is more than likely steel (inserted and welded spreader):

I should note that unless I want to pay for the yard to do the gas cutting of these, getting a sample would be limited to whatever could be done with a hacksaw or battery-operated powertool.  I think the smallest cross section was close to 2 inches in diameter.

[MrTMichaud]

I'm not thinking that any of those 3 are WI.

[ThomasPowers]

I would get a battery powered angle grinder and do a spark test.

[Donal Harris]

^^^^ what Thomas said. 

[jlpservicesinc]

X2

 

[Latticino]

The only group that looks like any of the wrought chain that I've seen is the second one (single picture where the crossbars look like the same diameter as the links).  I have heard that the crossbars are sometimes different material as well, so if you are going to spark test, do both.

For example, here is a photo of an anchor I came across while on a recent vacation on Cape Cod.  Both the anchor and chain were clearly wrought iron, as can be seen from the wear pattern.  However, the crossbar, the one that remains, didn't show the same wear and may have been cast...