Metalwork - Materials - Comparison of Ferrous Metals

As with all experiments you need to set yourself up with a number of items first. There is a list and diagrams of what you need below. You will also need two pieces of each of the following types of metal : Cast Iron, Mild Steel, High Carbon Steel, Silver Steel. One piece should be flat bar and the other round bar.


Test 1 : Appearance of the sample

Metal Appearance Picture
Cast Iron Grey, rough surface line where mould was divided.
Mild Steel Black Mild Steel will have a dark blue surface and Bright Mild Steel a greyish white surface.
High Carbon Steel Dark blue, smooth surface.
Silver Steel Bright silvery, ground surface.

Test 2 : Drop the sample on an Anvil

Metal Sound Discription
Cast Iron Dull sound.
Mild Steel Medium metallic ring.
High Carbon Steel High pitched ring.
Silver Steel High pitched ring.

Test 3 : File the sample

Metal Filing Discription Picture
Cast Iron Easily filed when hard surface is removed; dark powdery swarf.
Mild Steel Easily filed, slight clogging of file.
High Carbon Steel Difficult to file.
Silver Steel Difficult to file.

Test 4 : Cut part way through flat bar, hold in vice and break off.

Metal Breaking Discription
Cast Iron Breaks easily.
Mild Steel Bends over before breaking.
High Carbon Steel Bends slightly before breaking.
Silver Steel Bends slightly before breaking.

Test 5 : Turn in the Lathe

Metal Turning Discription Picture
Cast Iron Easily machined when the hard surface is removed; granular chip.
Mild Steel Easily turned; long continuous chip.
High Carbon Steel More difficult to turn than mild Steel; swarf breaks into short pieces.
Silver Steel Fairly difficult to turn, swarf breaks into short pieces.

Test 6 : Heat to bright red and quench in water.

Metal Filing Discription
Cast Iron May crack.
Mild Steel May harden very slightly.
High Carbon Steel Becomes very hard and brittle.
Silver Steel Becomes very hard and brittle.