The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-09-20


Of carbon Is properly called steel. Man.
other substances, however, are oommonl,
found IN steel Among these are sulphur
phosphorus, silicon, copper and manga
nese. These ingredients give various prop
critics 20 the metal, according 60 Oh,
amounts present. There are also severa
alloys of steel with other metals, but these
are generally designated by hyphenated a.
ties, such as "chrome-stoel, +" "nickcl
steel. etc
How Is steel madey
In many ways If we consider details.
The principal methods are three. The re-
sulting products are known as crucihle
steel, bossemer steel and open hearth steel.
What is crucible stocls
Cruciblo steel is obtained as the result
of fusing together I'm crucible the sub
stances desired in any quality Of steel
What is bessemCr stecly
Bessemer steel is made by forcinga blast
Of air through melted iron. by this proc
ess the substances not desired in the steel
are burned up. As somo ingredients which
are needed are also consumed, these sub
stances carbon, etc) are added before the
liquid metal is permitted 90 cool
What is open hearth steclf
Chemically the open hearth method is
substantially the same as the beSsemer
process, but in making open hearth steel
the forced blast is done away with and the
metal while melting and after complete
liquefaction Is kept exposed 10 the air in
such a way that the impurities are oxi-
died or slowly burned out OF the iron
The constituents other than iron are added
before qualification
Which is the best Of these three kinds Of
steelg
There is no answer TO this question as
it is phrased That steel is best whose
strength, ductility, hardness toughness,
ETC., are best adapted and proportioned for
the use for which it is intended These
qualities depend upon the composition of
the steel and upon its treatment-i O.,
whether it has been forged rolled, drawn,
tempered, annealed, etc
IL is wholly immaterial whether the
mixing Of the iron, carbon, manganese
and the rest is done in crucible. a hes.
semer converter or an open hearth furnace
so long as the same materials are com
pounded with equal skill and the steels
treated after manufacture with the same
care and Judgment
But is it not generally conceded that
crucble steel is the best steel;
BY no means There certainly was n
time when the manufacturer Of the cruci-
bic method was more skillful and moIe
successful than others This process is the !
oldest, and its advocates attained excellence |
while Others were experimenting-ind |
before the later methods were devised. Ii /
is not to be wondered at that The traditions |
of that time are still current in many |
shops and are expressed i'm many books |
which discuss the properties of steel. The |
method is still in use and is well ADAPTED I
60 the production Of small quantities OF
special grades Of steel, but, as matter OF /
fact, while every method of manufacture
has It's partisans, the superiority of crucible ,
steel can no longer be demonstrated This
Is conceded by prominent authorities and
Is the necessary conclusion of those who
are familiar with the most recent investi-
cations and tests
Has any one Of these three processes an
advantage over the others?
The maker of steel viii decide that aues
ton for himself, having duo regard 20
his surroundings and 90 the scope of his
undertaking. The user of steel will ask
what the steel Is madU Of, not what it Is
made in lie will aim ~ secure the prom
critics which suit his work without regard
to the methods Of manufacturing the
metal In general, if man uses much
steel be will be likely to purchase where
he can got largo quantities all alike. Cru
clble steel, made in lots not exceeding 100
pounds each, would hardly answer. A
careful purchaser Of steel analyses and tests
samples from each consignment which il
received. TO do this for one sample i'm cy-
cry hundredweigAt would call for am intol-
erahlo number Of analyses, To say nothing
Dt the uneven quality Of the steel itself
when considered in large quantities.
What is cast steele
All steel made by the Processes which
we have discussed is really cast steel-that
s' the metal becomes steel while melted
ana is then ran in mClds The name cast
'tccl should DO restricted to steel which is
cast IN the shape IN which it is intended
% be used. The result is inferior for most
purposes to that obtained Ivy forging and |
similar methods. There is much confu-
non, however, in the popular use of this
erm,
What Is tool steel2
The term has no scientific meaning 1
| nose who use 1t mean any steel suitable
or making tools it may be crucible steel
''."'''N' oNNNii hI'u BtdTlD ktCol or steel !
made Ivy some less important method.
cor no good reason the name tool steel is
'ften regarded with almost superstitious
I'VE The agent Of the SHOEMAKER calls n
tool steel, knowing little or
lothlng OF Its composition and properties.
The steel user buys it, the workman
makes things of it, the consumer buys and
Uses the things Sometimes the steel il
dapted TO its use and everybody is salts
led Sometimes it is not, and the con.
umer inds fault and the agent sells no
more steel to that manufacturer. Mean
line nobody concerned, except the original
maker, has the least idea what the stuff
alled tool steel really is No manufacturer
'nows what he is buying unless he has a
aboratory where his purchase can be
estod.
What Is machine steelY
mat Is another shop name. 1t Is ap-
Illod to any steel which is soft enough to
10 easily cut and drilled
On the whole, does il make any differ
nee how steel is made?
Not to the consumer, provided the steel
correct in chemical constitution and
Mystical properties, and these are matters
4 fact to be ascertained by careful tests,
lot matters Of opinion TO be decided by
ratory. brooklyn Eaple