The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-07-02
Our Olio.
Different Varieties of Steel,

| Different Varieties OF Steel,
The following correct definitions of tht
different varieties of steel by William Met
calf, of the Crescent Steel Works, Pitts
burg, Pa, are published in a circular BY
the Dexter Spring Company, Of Hutton
Pa.
Originally the word steel was applied
only to iron which contained such quanti
ties of carbon as would cause hardening
when the red hot iron was cooled suddenly
This definition still applies, but, in ad
dition, the term cast steel applies to all oi
the products of the crucible, the Bcssemel
converter, and the open-heath-furnace
whether such products are too low in car.
bon to harden or not The steels that are
not cast steel are known in the market as
blister steel, German steel, shear steel, and
double shear steel.
Blister steel is made by heating bars Of
wrought iron, bedded in charcoal, in her
metically sealed chambers The carbon
of the charcoal penetrates the hot iron,
converting it into a crystalline mass Of
crude steel large blisters rise on the sur
faces Of the bars, giving the name blister
steel to this product
/ German steel is blister steel rolled down
into bars. II is used mainly for tires and
common springs, but it is being rapidly
superseded by the cheaper grades Of cast
steel
Shear steel Is made by taking 4 high
heat on blister steel aud hammering il
thoroughly. Double shear steel is made
by, cutting up shear steel, piling it, heating
it, then hammering again. The best shear
steel must be made from the best wrought
iron. The shear stcels are very useful on
account Of their toughness and the ease
with which they can be welded to iron,
and, when Of good quality and we'll work
ed, they will hold a very iue edge.
Crucible steel is made by melting in a
crueible either blister steel, or blister steel
aud wrought iron, or wrought iron and
charcoal, or wrought iron aud scrap steel,
or. in short, a great variety Of mixtures,
which depend on the quality Of steel TO be
produced
Crueible steel can be applied to any
purpose for which steel Is used Gener-
ally, it Is better than any other stccl-ihat
is to say. erucible steel made by melting
blister steel and tempered to suit by mix
ing iron Of the same grade in the cruciblc
Is always better than German or shear
steel made from the same blister.
Bssssmer steel Is made By blowing air
through melted cast iron, thus burning
silicon aud carbon OUT Of the cas,-irou.
After the silicon aud carbon are burned
out, melted spiegelcisca OF ferrO- Manganese
Is added to the charge The carbon in
the spicssl re carboniles the steel 10 the
desired point, and the manganese unites
With and removes the oxygen which the
air used leaves in the steel.
Orea.hearth steel IS made by melting
in a very hot furnace a charge Of pig iron.
Te this melted iron, which i called the
bath. Is added either wrought iron or
scrap steel, or iroa orc, aBl the whole Is
kept hot uu,il al is melted. The wrought
iron. or scalp, or ore reduces the carbon
aud silicon 10 the bath TO such proportions
as arc desired in the steel
Besse meT and opcn-heafih steer arg
much alike ia quality. They arc used
mainly for rails, boiler plates, ship plates,
bridge aud other structural purposes aud
machinery. The better qualities are also
used largely for springs. The best spring
steel. ike the best tool steel. Is simply
that which is made from the best material
Quality Of material. ehemieally speakiug,
being equal, the best spring steel Is that
which IS made from erucibIe cast steel, IS
the cracibio process Is less crude than
either Of the others 49, Builefia gf The
Ameyirua Iron and .Siesi .Issaciutias