Troubles with Wrought Iron

David Loukides

David Loukides

Joined
Mar 17, 2006
Messages
1,363
Hi Guys,
I decided to try out my wrought iron anchor link be for I made any fittings so here is what I did.
First piece was forged to a billet, machined with a end mill, surfaced ground,
Sanded to 600grit, polished, checked under a microscope, than etched 6 times.
The result was the surface grind marks showed back up, with hardly any wrought patterns.
The second sample sample was the curve of the anchor link machined only, sanded, and a mirror finish. I checked it with a microscope than etched it twice.
After I etched it a non mistakable end mill pattern showed back up.
The etch solution was ferric chloride 1 part water 2 parts.
Can anybody tell me what I am doing right or wrong!!!!
Thanks for your help!!!
 
First ( lets get this out of the way), are you sure that it is wrought iron , and not just iron? Many places and people call all old or forged iron WI. Saw half way through a piece (across the grain) and bend it in a vise. If the break tears with a ragged fibrous look ( like breaking a green sapling ), then it is WI. If it just tears or breaks, it is iron or steel.

Second, are you sure that you are seeing the mill marks, or is it the WI grain?
Stacy
 
My experience with anchor chain wrought iron is there is very little pattern to it since it is one of the better grades of wrought iron.
 
The only questionable wrought pattern is in the forged bar stock. But its really the pattern of the undressed surface grinding wheel.
Also both pieces had a mirror finish and I checked it out under a micro scope to see what type of surface scratches I left prior to etching.

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That looks like mild steel to me. All of the WI I've seen really tears apart in a fibrous sort of way. That looks like it broke too clean to be WI. A few years ago I bought some anchor chain from a nautical antique store that I was assured was WI. Turned out to be mild steel. You can almost always tell if anchor chain is WI if it is very rusty. You can see a layered look caused by the rusting. It's kind of hard for me to explain without a picture. Hope that helps.:o

Todd
 
The reason you are seeing machining marks is that machining introduces a tremendous amout of stress into the steel, far mmore than any other process. these stresses go below the depth necessary to polish the steels surface. Presto! they show up when etching. If you doubt, mill out a knife blank and try heat treating it without a normalizing cycle, you will see what i mean.
Del
 
WI looks like this when broken. Unless it is refined
wi001.jpg

wi002.jpg

This is anchor chain I have and know it is WI. When broken does not look much different from yours
001.jpg

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Dave, Do the cut and bend test again but this time leave a 3/16" to a 1/4" uncut. To me it looks like you left to much uncut and it just snapped off. Bend it slowly and I think your results will look similar to the picture Stuart posted. Just make the cut from one direction. Don't do an under cut.
 
I posted a "how to" thread a while back on wrought iron and how to tell if it was. here are the pictures from it

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close up of forged wrought iron chain.

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look how perty

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cut with a hacksaw.

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open it up.

DSC01469.JPG

This is what you want to see, this means its the good stuff

DSC01470.JPG


DSC01477.JPG

Sweet

here is the link to the thread i started.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=518355
maybe it should be added to the newbie how to sticky thread at the top of the page ;)

That last picture is solid gold i think. it enplanes everything. hope it helped
 
AS well, if you do very much forging of Wrought, you will refine the grain almost to a point of it disappearing. You're better off to just shape the piece you want out of the wrought stock. And take it to a mirror polish before etch. Sanded up through 1500 grit and buffed.
ou said you etched 6 times? For how long?
I etch WI for about 1/2 hour in 3:1.
 
Well after cutting the chain to within a 1/4" and slowly bending it it broke with a clean look.:(
With a spark test it had some carbon.
My guess is that what I have left is 2 links of chain made out of mild steel.
or,
Large paper weights that look like old 9" anchor links.
Or maybe I'll make some bookends;)

BTW, This was not purchased from Aldo.
 
loussharp1 said:
Well after cutting the chain to within a 1/4" and slowly bending it it broke with a clean look.:(
With a spark test it had some carbon.
My guess is that what I have left is 2 links of chain made out of mild steel.
or,
Large paper weights that look like old 9" anchor links.
Or maybe I'll make some bookends;)

BTW, This was not purchased from Aldo.
Click to expand...

Sounds like newer iron to me. I never polish iron or wrought iron. I give it a light texture using a carbide burr and then go over it with steel wool or real fine sand paper. Heat it up to a dull red and let it air cool. Then go over it with steel wool again. I very seldom will etch it anymore.
 
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