Anyone seen wagon wheel iron like this?

Robert Mayo

Robert Mayo

Joined
Oct 13, 2005
Messages
1,236
A friend gave me some big wagon wheel iron and of course i figured it to be steel or wrought as usual
but when i cut a chunk out and ground a bevel then etched it this is what i found . It seems to be two
types of metal welded together now this is new to me but i was wondering if anyone else has seen this before?
This stuff is 3" wide and a 1/2" thick.
Thanks Bob
wierdwleel.jpg

Wroughtiron.jpg
 
Sorry Bob, never seen this but whatever it is I can see lots of possibilities. Very cool find and friend of course. :D
 
Bob, That's one of those 100,000 mile wheels. :D Never seen a wagon wheel like that and I've seen a few. I had an old farming tine that was laminated steel. Hardened steel with a mild steel core.
 
Thanks guys! Ray it brings a whole new meaning to steel belted:p
That would hold lots of possibility's if this was Hardened steel with a mild steel core.
Bob
 
I did have a piece of a very small wagon wheel, maybe 1" X 1/4 that was medium carbon steel. Made a blade or two from it. Did you try sparking the two different materials in the 100,000 mile wheel? That's pretty strange unless its a recap. :D
 
hey Ray, look close at that steel.....is it possible you worked in the original smithy that was forged in??? hahahahahahahahahaah

You driving to the Boise show in November? Just read the Spirit of Steel show is moved to Knoxville this November......just up the road so to speak, but haven't heard good things about it lately.

Edit: Looks like Blade is getting hard up for articles...congratulations!! It's a good read..
 
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Larry D. Davis said:
hey Ray, look close at that steel.....is it possible you worked in the original smithy that was forged in??? hahahahahahahahahaah

You driving to the Boise show in November? Just read the Spirit of Steel show is moved to Knoxville this November......just up the road so to speak, but haven't heard good things about it lately.

Edit: Looks like Blade is getting hard up for articles...congratulations!! It's a good read..
Click to expand...

I think you should do the Spirit of Steel Show, I hear its a really goodone.

You've turned into a real peckerwood since you moved to Georgia. I'm now seeing first had results of what heat and humidity does to an old bald guy. Nice and cool here today. Almost cold.........

Not real sure how I'm going to go to Boise. The weather on 84 in November can pretty nasty on the east side. Been thinking about flying.
 
Larry D. Davis said:
Just read the Spirit of Steel show is moved to Knoxville this November......just up the road so to speak, but haven't heard good things about it lately.
Click to expand...

There's a show in Knoxville? That's where I was born and where most of my family lives! Maybe I should make an excuse to be in Knoxville when the show is in town.

- Greg
 
Fascinating stuff Robert. I've got a couple of pretty beefy wheels. Guess I'll have to do some etching to see what it is. Have any ideas how you might use that stuff?
 
Farmer Phil said:
Fascinating stuff Robert. I've got a couple of pretty beefy wheels. Guess I'll have to do some etching to see what it is. Have any ideas how you might use that stuff?
Click to expand...

Phil the pipehawk pictured in the link above was forged from the same type of wrought but it was only about 1 3/8" wide and 1/4" thick. I'm not sure what i will do with this big stuff. Lots of possibilities.

Bob
 
Bob, I think I'd get that spectragraphed to see exactly what it is. Very interesting for sure!
 
birdog4 said:
Bob, I think I'd get that spectragraphed to see exactly what it is. Very interesting for sure!
Click to expand...

I'm not sure where i could have that done around here but i am going to heat a chunk up and quench in water to see if it hardens at all.

Bob
 
Robert, have you scored and broken any of it to see if the center core is wrought?
Keep us posted on the results of your findings on this mystery.
~Alden
 
Alden Sherrodd said:
Robert, have you scored and broken any of it to see if the center core is wrought?
Keep us posted on the results of your findings on this mystery.
~Alden
Click to expand...

Alden yes i did cut and bend and it seemed fiberous, very fine fibers but it being so thick and wide i cut probably most of the way through the center core before i could bend the piece with a 16" pipewrench. If you look at this link http://forums.dfoggknives.com/index.php?showtopic=17351&pid=161637&st=0&#entry161637 you can see that it is the same stuff as Patrick posted just maybe a little cleaner but after spark testing it is wrought iron for sure.

Bob
 
Since that stuff obviously welds up to each other, there are some pattern welded possibilities there for sure!
And they etch differently as well.
If you need anyone to help experiment, I'll send you my address!
 
Hmmm...One might think that there was a difference in carbon content in the different metals, forge weld-fold up a piece several times and see if there is a difusion of carbon content and what the hardening results are. Or just hack saw up a small piece and treat the inney and outey separately to see what happens.
 
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