Guideline to Wrought Iron

WROUGHT IRON is a form of iron containing less than 0.20% and usually less that 0.10% carbon, and carrying also 1 or 2% of slag. We say, to use Low carbon steel to fabricate Wrought Iron works, being the best steel for these applications, because of its inherent properties of ductibility, easy for working and welding, and superior resistance to service conditions involving corrosion, shock and fatigue.It is found and proved that the most appropriate metal to apply work of wrought iron is found in Europe, being massive the demand of Wrought Iron works in the Old Continent .The first iron to be smelted in the antiquity, was heated in a forge with charcoal (Catalan forge, about 1300 in Catalonia), and when white hot, worked, (wrought) with a hammer to expel the impurities and weld the iron particles into a coherent mass. In the modern times, wrought iron , or the most similar to it (being told that is since 30 years, a good wrought iron cannot be produced, due to its high cost of manufacturing) is made in puddling furnace (system invented by Henry Court, in England during the 18th. Century and still in use). Pig iron is smelted in a furnace with iron ore added.

The operation is carried out in an oxidizing atmosphere in which silicon, manganese, sulphur and part of phosphurus are oxidized and removed in the slag. The temperature in then raised, promoting interraction between the iron oxide and carbon. Carbon monoxide is evolved, causing violent boiling of the charge, which is then worked with a rabble, or rake. As the iron becomes purer, it no longer remains liquid at the working temperature and the entire mass becomes pasty and is separated into portions and hammered and rolled into shape.Then the blacksith or fabricator restart again , heating and re-hammering the rod until bringing it to the shape desired.

We, PAS Classic Steel, are one of the many manufacturer, where questions are posed such as: " It is your material genuine Wrought Iron"?" or " Can you perform, real Wrought Iron works?" We should have been born in the 19th.Century or earlier, to properly answer to these questions.

We surely do our best when purchasing our raw material, and while manufacturing components, semi-finished or finished product, because we love our work as we love every piece we form, we love the Art of making good things, things to remember, things of Wrought Iron, but we will never be able to stand beside the capacity and talent of our forfather's work. Our modern times wouldn't allow us, our market couldn't afford anyway. We strongly believe, that the great Wrought Iron,will remain an untouchable legend.