Is this wrought iron?

[kuraki]

Converting my barn to my new shop. Pulling the gutter cleaner so I can fill the gutters. Do you suppose these links are wrought iron? How could I tell? I'll save a bunch if they are, otherwise scrap the entire thing.

 

[Greenberg Woods]

Cut about 2/3 of the way through a piece and then bend it apart cold. Wrought iron will break like hickory, long thin fibers and threads pulling apart.

 

[kuraki]

Eh looks like cast to me. Nuts.

 

[Geoff Flato]

Old rusty wrought iron will have almost a wood grain look to it.
I've worked with it, but still have yet to get myself a stockpile of it...

 

[mete]

Usually very fibrous , hard to miss ! Somebody has a good photo

 

[JTknives]

There you go, here is a good exzample.

 

[kuraki]

Well, I didn't bend it apart, I hit it with a hammer. Maybe I'll try one more.

 

[javand]

Sand a portion clean to 400 or 800 grit and etch it with ferric, you'll figure out if it's wrought quick enough. The bend test is a good guide if all you care about is traditionalism or forgeability, which is valid, but in our case, some wrought is too "clean" too give any pattern, and may as well be mild steel from a fitting/embellishment standpoint. So I'd argue; etch it, and see what it looks like, answer both questions at once.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Doesn't look like WI from the break.