The blacksmith heats the iron in the forge and sculpts it with hammer and
anvil into three-dimensional form. Steam, air, or mechanical hammers are
customarily used in the procedure, but the hand hammer always concludes the
job. The rich texture 'Wrought Iron' is created from the blows of the hammer
as well as from the scaling caused by the fire.
The metal is forged and formed into the desired form, its making differs
from other metals in which the casting process is not utilized. Instead of
pouring a molten metal into a cast, the iron is heated to the point where it
becomes soft, and malleable. This is also known as hot forged metal as the
metal is heated until it reaches its red-hot state.
This process is labor-intensive and requires to master traditional joinery
such as: forge welds, rivets, tenons and collars. To take a trip down the
processing of wrought iron, follow the links…
Mild Steel
In an attempt to mass-produce wrought iron and by-pass the established hand
puddling process, in 1856, Henry Bessemer discovered mild steel, a more
strong and consistent material.
Charcoal Iron
The earliest wrought iron is known as 'charcoal iron', a highly carburised
form of iron which was made by constant reworking in the fire.
Puddled Iron
Bars of charcoal iron were heated in a furnace by an indirect coal fire.
Molten iron was then cast into ingots (pigs) and stacked one way the other
in a pile on the Puddling hearth.
Hand-forged Iron
Forging is manufacturing process where wrought iron is pressed, pounded or
squeezed under great pressure into high strength parts known as forging.
Hand forging wrought iron requires art, skills and good physical strength.
Wrought Iron Casting
Wrought Iron Casting refers to the process invented by P. Ostberg for
producing malleable iron castings by melting wrought iron. This process is
carried in a petroleum furnace.
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