[Bryn-gwlad] Armouring

Tue Oct 31 08:31:44 PST 2006

Salut cozyns,

I think I see both why this works and why it doesn't work for long in some 
cases.

Hardening of steel is accomplished by heating the steel to a critical 
temperature at which the crystalline structure of the iron becomes 
face-centered cubic. To avoid digging out my old metallurgy notes and boring 
everyone with a lot of trig and valence-related explanations, let's just say 
that a face-centered cubic iron crystal will readily allow a nearby carbon 
atom to displace it in the crystal. If the steel is cooled slowly, the iron 
atom will displace the carbon atom and everything returns to normal. If the 
steel is quenched, however, the carbon atom stays put. Normally, iron atoms 
share long thin faces that slide readily against one another, which is why 
iron is malleable (literally, "hammerable"). Carbon atoms in an iron 
crystalline matrix act like big road blocks, stopping the slide.

Okay, so the problem with mild steel is that it lacks the carbon impurities. 
If you run it through the whole hardening process, you get very little in 
the way of hardening. In the so-called Super Quench process, I would guess 
that they're relying on some component in the quench solution to act as the 
carbon atom in displacing iron atoms from their face-centered cubic locales. 
Of course, this would only work at or near the surface. Possibly the high 
concentration of electrolytes is exerting an additional electric effect on 
the crystals. In any case, I'm sure the process only holds for a limited 
amount of wear because it's surface only. The hardening points are getting 
cold-worked out of place.

En Lyonel (apparently suffering from a severe case of Guy Answer Syndrome)
_________________________________
Dum doceo disco

>From: Zach Most <clermont1348 at yahoo.com>
>Reply-To: Barony of Bryn Gwlad <bryn-gwlad at lists.ansteorra.org>
>To: Barony of Bryn Gwlad <bryn-gwlad at lists.ansteorra.org>
>Subject: Re: [Bryn-gwlad] Armouring
>Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 07:35:04 -0800 (PST)
>
>That looks cool.  I'll have to try it some time.  I'm
>curious why they say the hardness doesn't always last
>more than 7-8 uses.  It does seem like a great way to
>make things like inexpensive bodkin points.
>   Gaston
>
>--- caladin <caladin at io.com> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >
> > There is a rescipie for "super quench" on several of
> > the smithing sites
> > that's supposed to make
> > even mild steel hard enough for a temporary tool, it
> > ought to do the
> > trick for thos cheapo hammers,
> >
> >
>http://www.celticknot.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=31
> >
> > I'll let you know next time I have a chance to
> > convert one of mine into
> > a throwing hatchet
> >
> > Cal-
> >
> >
> > Zach Most wrote:
> >
> > >Yeah, a cheapo hammer that you don't mind mangling
> > can
> > >be just the tool for a lot of jobs.  It can be
> > easier
> > >to shape than a spike.  A lot of Harbor Freight
> > tools
> > >are lower carbon than I'd like, so they're softer.
> > >For a one time use though it's probably not a big
> > >deal, and I do keep a few around to be reshaped.
> > >  McMaster-Carr has a good price on spikes.  It's
> > >about a buck a piece, though shipping kind of burns
> > >you:
> > >http://www.mcmaster.com/
> > >  Gaston
> > >
> > >--- caladin <caladin at io.com> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >>I've got a dozen or so of these for forging if you
> > >>need more.
> > >>You can also do alot with CHeap ball peen happers
> > >>from Harbor Freight,
> > >>
> > >>Knock the handle our, reforge it, put the hald
> > back
> > >>(after cooling ofcourse)
> > >>
> > >>I've also go a source where you can order boxes of
> > >>about a dozen of the
> > >>new railroad spikes
> > >>for about $20.
> > >>
> > >>Caladin-
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>Zach Most wrote:
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>>Giotto,
> > >>> That could be pretty tough, but I can think of
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>three
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>>possible options.
> > >>>1. Grind off the weld, fix the dents, and reweld
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>it.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>>2. I do have a couple stakes which could fit up
> > >>>inside, and it might be fixable by raising it
> > from
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>the
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>>outside.  The planishing afterwards might be the
> > >>>trickiest part.
> > >>>3. Make a custom hammer for the task.  I'm
> > thinking
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>a
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>>long handle, and a curved, or maybe very squat
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>head.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>>Barnet gave me an old rail road spike which could
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>be
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>>forged to the task.
> > >>> Gaston
> > >>>
> > >>>--- Ed Shelton <shelton_ed at hotmail.com> wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>>Hey Gaston,
> > >>>>
> > >>>>I've got to get some big dents out of the peak
> > of
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>a
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>>>bascinet.  Have you got
> > >>>>anything we might be able to get up in there?
> > The
> > >>>>visor is welded down and
> > >>>>the topmost dent is 10-12 inches from the
> > opening
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>of
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>>>the helm.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>Thanks,
> > >>>>
> > >>>>Giotto
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>It is better to deserve honors and not have them
> > >>>>than to have them and not
> > >>>>to deserve them. -- Mark Twain
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>>From: Zach Most <clermont1348 at yahoo.com>
> > >>>>>Reply-To: Barony of Bryn Gwlad
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>><bryn-gwlad at lists.ansteorra.org>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>>To: Barony of Bryn Gwlad
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>><bryn-gwlad at lists.ansteorra.org>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>>Subject: [Bryn-gwlad] Armouring
> > >>>>>Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:18:28 -0700 (PDT)
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>My armouring shop is open tonight for anyone
> > who
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>has
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>>work to do.  If you need to polish or fix
> > things
> > >>>>>before the hunt, now's the time!
> > >>>>> Gaston de Clermont
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> >
> >>>>__________________________________________________
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>>Do You Yahoo!?
> >
>=== message truncated ===
>
>
>
>
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