Identify wrought iron

[ThomasPowers]

(I currently have 3 copies of that book on my shelf; anytime I see it at a reasonable price I pick it up...)  I should be finishing William Kelly and the So Called Bessemer Process today; written in the 20's by an enthusiast and has a lot of extraneous info in it---though I did enjoy the chapter on Andrew Carnegie even though the only connection was the line to the effect that he had made his fortune using the Kelly process of making steel.

For a real fun one; find a facsimile copy of "Mechanicks Exercises" by Moxon, printed in 1703 and fo ufef F's for S's.  A lot of it was written in the last half of the 1600's.  Be sure to find the full version as a lot of reprints only contain the part on printing and not the part on smithing!

[Gerald Boggs]

For those that think wrought iron doesn't pit. 

[George Geist]

On Wednesday, May 17, 2017 at 0:10 PM, SReynolds said:

I'm informed there are several classifications of wrought.  In order to work it proper, you must identity it first. So I'm  told. Which leads to further questions.

I have some wrought and do not remember how to classify it. When i use it (forge it) this stuff crumbles apart like kiln dried pottery.  Wondering what folks see in this and again, infirmed i must first identify the classification first in order to work it properly. 

I love 1020 and buy it new. Thus i know what it is and how it reacts.  Like to better understand wrought but it simply dont like to be forged. 

It will do that if forged same as steel. WI requires more heat. Bring it up to white hot and stop when it cools down to red.

Can't imagine trying to work the stuff in a gas forge.

You'll find when you get it figured out it'll kinda grow on you.

George