' On Sfee! and its Ufir j<j j 



Concerning the peculiar Properties of tie liferent Kinds of Steef, 

 CAST fteel may be confidered as the mod perfect for all fuch inftruments as require a 

 beautiful polifli and uniform hardnefs. It is exempt from the flaws, dull fpots, and veins, 

 ■which are more or lefs abundant in other fteel. This fteel ought to be chofen for fuch tools 

 as require to be hard and well poliflied; fuch as burnifliers, watchmakers' tools, lancets, 

 razors, and ornamental fteel-work ; but it has the inconvenience of not being welded* with 

 iron, and is brittle. It is more difficult to treat in the fire, and is neceflarily much dearer 

 than common fteel, becaufe it is obtained by fufion of that very article. 



This kind of fteel is highly valuable to the arts which promote luxury ; but we muft dl- 

 re£t our attention to the fteel which forms the hatchet, the file, the fabre, and the hammers 

 of gun-locks. 



Steel of cementation fomctimes approaches to caft fteel in purity, when excellent iron has 

 been ufed, and particularly when it has been well forged ; but in general it prefents fome 

 threads and veins, is lefs uniform in its texture, and does not become equally hard. This 

 fteel may be ufed for moft articles of cutlery, edge-tools, laminating rollers, hammers, fmall 

 fprings, files, &c. It is not eafily welded to iron. 



This fteel is not only ufed for a great variety of objedts, but it may be ufed in different 

 proportions in the ftufFs (EtofFesf ) which are ufed when a material is required which fhall be 

 lefs fubje£l to break, as in the fabrication of large fprings, fcythes, fabres, &c. 



The material called ftufF(EtofFe) is a compound of iron and fteel, feveral plates of which 

 are forged and welded together, to afford a fubftance partaking of the properties of both. 

 The iron feems to give flexibility to the fteel, while this communicates its hardnefs and 

 elafticity to the iron. It appears that the art of uniting plates of fteel and iron, and of con- 

 torting them together, is the principal requifite in the perfeftion of Damafcus fteel. 



Natural fteel is much lefs uniform than the fteel of cementation. When it is polifhed,, 

 its furface is ufually rendered unequal by fcabrous places, flaws or veins. It is eafy to dif- 

 cover veins of iron with the point of the graver, fo that it may be confidered as a natural 

 compofition ; whence it is found, that cutting tools made of this fteel are lefs fubjedt to fail 

 in the edge, and that it bears heating a fecond time very well ; having, as the workmen fay, 

 more body, and being more eafy to forge. 



In general, according to our eminent cutler Perret, It is advifeable to ufe the Englifli ce- 

 mented fteel for fine and delicate work, and fometimes even caft fteel ; but for ftrong and 

 heavy work, the preference is to be given to German fteel, which is the natural fteel, be- 

 caufe it has more body and tenacity. 



Upon the whole, it appears to us that the fteel of cementation is moft worthy of being, 

 attended to •, becaufe it is eafy, at a fmall charge, to eftablifh nianufa£tories on a confined: 

 fcale, and with the deCred expedition ; and becaufe this fteel may, without difficulty, be 

 ufed in any kind of work. Fellow citizens, let us convey to our forges thofe expenfive ba* 

 luftrades and railing, which have nothing to defend; and if we find them to poffefs the q^a- 

 lities of good iron,, let us convert them into fteel. 



• For th« method of welding caft-fteel to iron, fee PKilof. Jour. I. 575. N. 

 t I am not aquaimed with the appropriate £nglijh term. N. 



