- Thread starter winchman
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Barking Mat
Cuddler of hedgehogs.
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Mild steel tends to rust faster.
Colour from a spark test I believe is the only way.
Colour from a spark test I believe is the only way.
If you look closely you can see striations (lamellar structure) in wrought iron.......
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brightspark
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i had a length of it and it looked like you could see the grain in it
BarrieJ
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As per 'cheb' above, about 1876 commercially and yes its fibrous nature can be seen in a fresh fracture. Lots on the Internet on its history, uses, nature and grades. Plenty of it may still be seen rurally in 'estate' style railings, working it can be frustrating due to its tendency to split along lines of lamination, generally easier to forge weld than mild steel.
Screwdriver
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Wrought iron has a grain like wood from all the impurities which have been “wrought” into it by folding and manipulating.
The easiest way to tell is to take a small sample and snap a bit off. Instead of a grainy granular structure like a low carbon or mild steel, you will see evidence of tearing which looks for all the world like a green stick fracture.
It is “difficult” to find the real thing because so many people try and sell you mild steel which has been made to look like wrought iron products. I just bought a pile of the real thing from a chap off here. Lovely it is too...
The easiest way to tell is to take a small sample and snap a bit off. Instead of a grainy granular structure like a low carbon or mild steel, you will see evidence of tearing which looks for all the world like a green stick fracture.
It is “difficult” to find the real thing because so many people try and sell you mild steel which has been made to look like wrought iron products. I just bought a pile of the real thing from a chap off here. Lovely it is too...
It used to be used in the boat trade for forged ironwork, mast bands, chainplates, fittings etc & would outlast mild steel by a huge amount.
If you get it galvanised the acid bath will eat into it completely differently giving what for all the world looks like a woodgrain effect.
I owned a boat built in 1938, her centreplate started out at 1/2" thick & the bit below the waterline had lost about 1/16" in 75 years.
I picked up some wrought iron knees a few year years back from an abandoned wreck on the marshes be interesting to see how it works.
If you get it galvanised the acid bath will eat into it completely differently giving what for all the world looks like a woodgrain effect.
I owned a boat built in 1938, her centreplate started out at 1/2" thick & the bit below the waterline had lost about 1/16" in 75 years.
I picked up some wrought iron knees a few year years back from an abandoned wreck on the marshes be interesting to see how it works.
