Is this wrought iron?

[Matt22191]

Can anyone here tell from this photo?

[metalbender]

very possible, look like layers of silicate and iron there but cant be totally sure from pics, best way to tell is to take a hacksaw, cut two thirds the way through at the very end of that peice (Im assuming its rather small and to make the 2/3 cut at the halfway point would be wastefull) put the peice in a vice by clamping the smaller area to give you neccessary leverage, and bend/break off that endpeice you've preped, youll see layers, lemme root for that recent thread ray did....

here ya go, take a look at these pics, thats what your looking for on a break
http://www.knifenetwork.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=41964

[Raymond Richard]

It looks to me like it could be. I'm seeing what looks to be layers.

[Matt22191]

Yeah, I saw that thread and did the cut-and-break test, but it's a small piece and it's hard to tell. The break definitely has a grainy, kinda fibrous look to it, but it's not as dramatic as the pics in the other thread. I'd feel better if I had a photo of a mild steel break for comparison. I've never dealt with any wrought before -- been looking for some for quite a while -- which is why I want the experts here to take a look at it.

[Matt22191]

For what it's worth, I found this embedded in a river bank where a mill stood from the 1740s to the 1920s. I can't prove it's from the mill -- lots of junk shows up on river banks -- but if it is, it's almost bound to be wrought.

[Raymond Richard]

Steel in general will show a smooth grainy texture and the same with cast iron pretty much. The piece you have looks to be part of a chain link.

[Matt22191]

Actually it's just a small protrusion that I was able to break off from a much larger piece.

Here are the best images I could get of the end grain. On this one I cut ~1/2 through, then broke it. (Then came back and re-read the instructions, and realized I hadn't cut far enough through.) The part on the inside of the bend, which was under compression, is crystallized and whitish. The part on the outside of the bend, which stretched then broke, is jagged and looks almost like what's left after you cut a tree halfway through, then let its weight do the rest:

[Raymond Richard]

I think its still wrought iron but not much of it. I didn't realize how small it was until I noticed the holder was a paper clip.

[Matt22191]

Well, it if makes you feel any better, it's a pretty big paper clip!

But don't worry, there's lots more where that came from. I just didn't want to haul it all out until I was sure it was worth the effort.

[rhrocker]

I think Ray's right, it's probably a piece of chain. IG was selling some whaler boat anchor chain a couple of years ago that looked a lot like what you have.

[Matt22191]

Er, it's definitely not chain. I saw the bigger piece it came from, and it wasn't a chain link! But I'm not too worried about what exactly it used to be, as long as it's made of wrought!

[metalbender]

ALL metal is worth the effort! does his best daffy duck impersonation* mine mine mine! down down down go go go! "im a happy miser"

[metalbender]

and heres the proof!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g5gk0gOJzs

[Martin Brandt]

A simple spark test for wrought iron is to put it to the top of your bench grinder wheel so the sparks shoot out into the room for a couple of feet. Wrought iron has a more orange spark, with no branching. Mild steel has a yellower spark with a many simple branches. You might get a few branches even with wrought from the previous steel grinding contamination on the wheel, but it will be much less than mild steel.

[Raymond Richard]

After studding the photo I believe you found the wart from the Wicked Witches nose. Now how's that?

Time for a nature call then I'm putting my bags in my truck and heading south to Eugene for the OKCA Show. I have heard the rumor that there's going to be big money at the show and I've got a whole bag of bait.