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                                                                   Exhibit 10.51


                           EMPLOYMENT SEPARATION AND
                           -------------------------
                                GENERAL RELEASE
                                ---------------

        This Confidential Separation Agreement and General Release ("Agreement")
is made by and between BAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company") and FREDERICK L. DEICHERT (the "Executive"). The parties enter into
this Agreement to set forth the terms of their understanding regarding the
termination of Executive's employment with the Company and the good faith
settlement of all claims or causes of action by or on behalf of Employee.

        NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual promises
herein contained, it is agreed as follows:

        SECTION 1 - TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. Executive shall cease to be an
employee of the Company on November 20, 1998 ("Termination Date"). Until his
Termination Date, Executive shall endeavor to assist in the conduct of the
Company's business as is reasonably required by the Company. On his Termination
Date, Executive shall deliver to the Company all of the Company's property in
Executive's custody or control, including without limitation, all credit cards,
records and documents, physical and electronic files, computers, software, and
any other office equipment, furniture and supplies.

         SECTION 2 - SEVERANCE PACKAGE. For and in consideration of this
Agreement, including without limitation, the release set forth in Section 3 of
this Agreement, the Company shall provide and Executive shall receive the
following severance package:

                  (a)    SALARY AND BONUS. Executive shall continue to receive
                         through the Termination Date his current salary and
                         benefits. All earned but unpaid salary shall be paid no
                         later than the first regular payroll date following the
                         Termination Date. Executive shall also receive the
                         minimum bonus for 1998 of Fifty-Five Thousand Dollars
                         ($55,000), payable within 90 days after the close of
                         the year, but in no event later than the date that
                         minimum bonuses are paid to other executive employees
                         for 1998.

                  (b)    VACATION. Pursuant to the parties' Employment Agreement
                         dated December 2, 1996, Executive is entitled to twenty
                         (20) business days paid vacation in calendar year 1998.
                         The Company agrees to pay Executive by December 31,
                         1998 for any vacation days not used prior to the
                         Termination Date.

                  (c)    SEVERANCE BENEFIT. Executive shall be entitled to
                         receive a severance payment from Company in the amount
                         of One Hundred and Forty-Five Thousand Dollars
                         ($145,000), which amount equals 

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                         one (1) year of Executive's base salary as of the
                         Termination Date. This severance payment shall be paid
                         in twenty-four (24) consecutive, equal semi-monthly
                         installments of Six Thousand Forty-One Dollars and
                         66/100 ($6,041.66) beginning on a pro rata basis on
                         November 30, 1998. Pursuant to the parties' December 2,
                         1996 Employment Agreement, payments to Executive under
                         this subsection shall be offset by any compensation the
                         Executive earns with a new employer or from
                         self-employment. The Company agrees that if Executive
                         does become employed before November 20, 1999,
                         Executive's first Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000) in
                         wages from his new employer will not be subject to this
                         setoff requirement.

                  (d)    Executive will also be entitled to a lump sum severance
                         payment of Twenty-Six Thousand Dollars ($26,000)
                         payable on December 31, 1998 if he remains employed
                         with the Company through his Termination Date.

                  (e)    During the period November 21, 1998 through November
                         20, 1999, the Company agrees to provide Executive at
                         Company expense with the following benefits at coverage
                         levels comparable to the coverage levels provided to
                         Executive as of the Termination Date: health insurance
                         under the Company's Salaried Employees' Health Care
                         Plan (or under a plan providing substantially similar
                         benefits and coverage) and life insurance. Such
                         coverage will terminate sooner if, and when, Executive
                         secures employment with another employer who provides
                         health and/or life insurance benefits for which
                         Executive is eligible at no cost to Executive. If such
                         replacement coverage is not equivalent to coverage
                         provided by the Company, then Company will provide
                         secondary coverage to Executive to November 20, 1999.

                  (f)    REIMBURSEMENT BONUS. The Company agrees that the
                         Executive is not responsible for reimbursement of any
                         portion of the signing bonus as described in Section
                         3.3 of the parties' December 2, 1996 Employment
                         Agreement.

                  (g)    STOCK OPTIONS. Executive shall receive Twenty-Five
                         Thousand Dollars ($25,000) in lieu of any rights to
                         purchase shares of company pursuant to Appendix A of
                         the parties' December 2, 1996 Employment Agreement or
                         any other document pertaining to options on Company
                         stock. Payment under this subsection (g) shall be made
                         on the first to occur of June 30, 1999 or the date on
                         which Bar Technologies, Inc. and Republic Engineered
                         Steels, Inc. are merged into a single business entity.

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                  (h)    PERFORMANCE BONUS. The Company shall pay Executive a
                         performance bonus in the amount of Twenty Thousand
                         Dollars ($20,000) within sixty days of the Termination
                         Date.

                  (i)    GENERAL LIMITATIONS. Executive acknowledges that except
                         as set forth in this Section 2, the Company shall have
                         no further obligations for compensation payments or
                         benefit payments under the Employment Agreement or
                         Appendix A to the Employment Agreement. Executive shall
                         be responsible for all income taxes applicable to the
                         payments, compensation, and benefits provided to
                         Executive under this Section 2. Company shall have the
                         right to deduct Executive's portion of Social Security
                         taxes and all federal, state, and municipal taxes from
                         the payments due under this Section 2. Executive
                         acknowledges that the majority of the compensation and
                         benefits provided herein are given in consideration of
                         the general release contained in this Agreement; that
                         Executive would not otherwise be entitled to such
                         compensation and benefits; that such compensation and
                         benefits are offered in the spirit of promoting the
                         good faith settlement of all matters between the
                         parties; and that payment of such compensation and
                         benefits does not constitute an admission by Company of
                         any liability to Executive in connection with any of
                         the matters that are the subject of the general
                         release.

SECTION 3 - GENERAL RELEASE OF CLAIMS.

                  (a)    In consideration of the benefits provided herein,
                         Executive hereby releases and discharges the Company,
                         its officers, directors, employees, representatives,
                         agents, shareholders, successors and assigns, including
                         RES Acquisition Corporation and Republic Engineered
                         Steels, Inc. from any and all claims, demands, actions,
                         causes of action, liabilities, costs, damages,
                         expenses, and attorneys fees, whether known or unknown
                         arising in any way out of, or relating in any manner to
                         the employment of Executive by the Company, the
                         termination of such employment, or any condition or
                         benefit of employment, including but not limited to,
                         claims for breach of contract, breach of promise, loss
                         of income, backpay, reinstatement, frontpay, impairment
                         of earning capacity, discrimination under state law
                         and/or under federal law, wrongful termination, damage
                         to reputation, fraud, violation of public policy,
                         violation of statute, infliction of mental or emotional
                         distress, intentional tort, or any other claim or
                         damage. Executive agrees to refrain from instituting,
                         maintaining or prosecuting a claim, action, suit,
                         charge or other cause of action against the Company
                         arising


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                         out of his employment, termination of employment, or
                         any condition or benefit of employment. The release
                         given under this section includes but is not limited
                         to, claims arising from any alleged violation by the
                         Company and/or its affiliates of any federal, state, or
                         local statutes, rules, regulations, ordinances or
                         common loss, including but not limited to, the Age
                         Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended
                         (including the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act),
                         the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
                         amended, Title VII the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as
                         amended, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, as amended, the
                         National Labor Relations Act, as amended, the Ohio
                         Revised Code Section 4112 et seq and Section 4101.17,
                         as amended, or claims growing out of legal
                         restrictions, if any, on an employer's right to
                         terminate its employees.

                  (b)    Executive expressly acknowledges that this Agreement is
                         intended to include in its effect. without limitations,
                         all claims which have arisen in Executive's favor prior
                         to the Termination Date and that this Agreement
                         contemplates the extinguishment of any and all claims
                         including, without limitation, any such claims which
                         Executive does not know to exist even though Executive
                         has no reason to know or suspect that they may exist.
                         Further, it is the intention of Executive, in executing
                         this Agreement, that the same shall be effective as a
                         bar to each and every claim, demand and cause of
                         action, including those herein above specified.
                         Executive acknowledges that he may hereafter discover
                         claims or facts in addition to or different from those
                         which he now knows or believes to exist with respect to
                         the subject matter of this Agreement, and which, if
                         known or suspected at the time of executing this
                         Agreement, may have materially affected this
                         settlement.

                  (c)    Executive represents and certifies that he has
                         carefully read and fully understands all provisions and
                         effects of this Agreement, and has been advised by the
                         Company to discuss thoroughly all aspects of this
                         Agreement with Executive's private attorney if he
                         chooses; that Executive is voluntarily entering into
                         this Agreement; that neither the Company nor employees,
                         officers, agents, representatives or attorneys have
                         made any promises. representations or statements
                         concerning the terms of effects of this Agreement other
                         than those expressly contained herein.

        SECTION 4 - NON-DISCLOSURE/NON-COMPETITION. Executive agrees to abide 
by the terms of this Section 11 of his December 2. 1996 Employment Agreement
with the Company regarding non-disclosure of confidential information and
non-competition. In addition, the Executive covenants and agrees not to use or
disclose to any third parry any confidential. proprietary information pertaining
to the business, processes, or systems of the Company without


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the prior written consent of the Company. Executive further covenants and agrees
that he shall refrain from:

                  (a)    Making any critical or derogatory public statements
                         concerning the Company, its officers, directors, or
                         employees;

                  (b)    Taking any other action which would adversely effect
                         the Company's reputation or business prospects.

        The Company covenants and agrees that it shall refrain from making any
critical or derogatory public statements concerning the Executive or taking any
other action which would adversely effect the Executive's reputation or business
prospects.

        SECTION 5 - GENERAL PROVISIONS

                  (a)    Executive hereby acknowledges that he has been advised
                         to consult with his attorney and given at least
                         twenty-one (21) days to review and consider all of the
                         terms, conditions, and covenants entered into herein
                         and has consulted his attorney in connection with such
                         negotiations, review, and consideration prior to the
                         execution of this Agreement.

                  (b)    This Agreement shall be deemed to have been made and
                         entered into in the State of Ohio and shall, in all
                         respects, be interpreted, enforced, and governed under
                         the laws of the State of Ohio and the United States,
                         and the parties consent to exclusive venue and
                         jurisdiction in the courts of the State of Ohio for the
                         resolution of any dispute arising under this Agreement.

                  (c)    The severance benefit payable under this Agreement
                         shall not be deemed to be salary or other compensation
                         to Executive for purposes of computing benefits to
                         which he may be entitled under any pension or other
                         arrangement of Company for the benefit of its 
                         employees.

                  (d)    Any and all obligations of the Company, its successors,
                         and assigns. shall be relieved and discharged after the
                         date of the death of Executive except for those
                         payments and benefits owed to Executive's survivors
                         pursuant to the terms and conditions of any qualified
                         retirement plan maintained by the Company; and except
                         for payments or benefits under Sections 2(a), (b), (c).
                         (d), (g), and (h) above, which payments will be made to
                         Executive's estate,

                  (e)    Should any provision of this Agreement be declared or
                         be determined by any court to be illegal or invalid,
                         the validity of the remaining parts, terms, or
                         provisions shall not be affected thereby



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                         and said illegal or invalid part, term, or provision
                         shall be deemed not to be a part of this Agreement.

                  (f)    This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement between
                         the parties hereto, and fully supersedes any and all
                         prior agreements or understandings between the parties
                         pertaining to the subject matter of this Agreement.

                  (g)    Executive may rescind this Agreement for a period of
                         seven (7) days following the date of Executive's
                         signature set forth below by providing written notice
                         to the Company of his intention to rescind this
                         Agreement. This Agreement shall become fully effective
                         and enforceable upon the expiration of such seven (7)
                         day period, in which case both parties shall be fully
                         bound by the terms hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Executive and Company have executed this 
Agreement.


      12/23/98                           /s/ Frederick L. Deichert
----------------------------             -----------------------------
Date                                        Frederick L. Deichert
                                                "Executive"

                                            BAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

      10/25/98                           By:  /s/ Thomas N. Tyrrell
----------------------------             -----------------------------
Date                                     its: Chief Executive Officer
                                             -------------------------
                                                    "Company"



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