Author Topic: Tempering Steel  (Read 5689 times)

Offline Shreckmeister

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Tempering Steel
« on: February 04, 2014, 06:29:58 PM »
I recently acquired a journal of William Crise born 1818 in Westmoreland Cty PA.  The journal spans
his entire adult lifetime from the 1830s through 1890s and is a complete Day Book document of his
work as a Miller, Blacksmith, Carpenter and Farmer.  Extremely interesting reading including his trade of carpentry for one rifle gun valued at $12 in 1853.  One of the more interesting items along with several indentures that were stuck in the book was this 4 page letter titled "C Posts Improvement in the
art of tempering steel"  I thought I would share it with you guys who like to work with iron.

« Last Edit: January 14, 2020, 06:48:25 AM by rich pierce »
Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.

Paul E. Wog

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Re: Tempering Steel
« Reply #1 on: February 05, 2014, 02:56:17 AM »
Mr. Meister,
  Very cool...or hot ???...or, tempered ::)
  I have the first page deceiphered, where is the rest ???
  Kinda writes like that Levi guy ;D
                          Shreck ( NOT Meister )

Offline James Wilson Everett

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Re: Tempering Steel
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2014, 04:21:43 PM »
Shreckmeister,

This is written in a very similar manner to patent applications, especially in the way the title is worded.  I could not find a patent by C. Post on tempering steel in melted lead, but I did find that Calvin Post and his brother or father Garret Post have a bunch of patents in the 1828 - 1830 period.  Many deal with iron i.e.  "iron mill" and "bending sheet iron".  These guys lived in Cayuga County New York.  As a note, I have tempered springs in the same way, in melted lead, but using a thermocouple to measure the temp!  Thanks for posting your research, what a great find.

Jim

Offline Shreckmeister

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Re: Tempering Steel
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2014, 06:21:06 PM »
James,  Glad you enjoyed it.  I emailed you the other 3 pages of it.  Please share your thoughts
on the forum after you read it.  Not having any experience with metal work, it is harder for me to
decipher what it is all about.
Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.

seaguy

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Re: Tempering Steel
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2014, 05:51:55 PM »
I think it is interesting how at that time they would spell almost phonetically... sometimes the same word would be spelled differently in the same document. Odd too how so many words they used quite commonly are no longer used at all. I'm not talking about the Old English addition of st at the end (as in whilst) but some of their ordinary, often used words.
« Last Edit: March 02, 2014, 06:23:14 PM by seaguy »

Bible Totin Gun Slinger

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Re: Tempering Steel
« Reply #5 on: May 06, 2014, 04:01:24 PM »
I love to read this old stuff. I hope this is not out of place.
Years ago I worked for this guy who's grandfather was a Blacksmith in the mid 1800's. Before he died, his son and my ex boss learned quite a bit.
He had a big selection of Hardies and other tools, and a old forge. He ran this business renting Jack Hammers. The bits too costly to replace were reshaped and re hardened.
My job was such I never did this, but I watched his old Brother in Law do it all the time. Later they used a Rose Bud Torch for heat. I saw many things tempered, even screw drivers and chisels.
Any how I watched this process, something like this.
He heated the bits until white hot,
He stopped and looked at it about long enough to let out his breath.
Stuck it in oil for about 1.5 seconds,
and then in a bucket of water for about same time.
This procedure varied in time depending the size of bit or tool, I even say special bits hardened with liquid nitrogen.
I remember customers saying how his re shaped bits worked better than new.