Front matter
Reading edition
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
Some minor misspellings in the text are silently corrected.
The numbering of the drawings does not correspond to their marked number. However, they have been left as they are, as the author has entered them by hand in the drawings.
In the table on the color of the oxide layer of tempered steel in the tempering section, the first column has been set without trailing commas, as the author has handled this inconsistently.
The new original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain.
A FEW SECRETS OF THE
METALLURGIST
SIMPLY TOLD
ATLAS CRUCIBLE STEEL CO.
PUBLISHERS
DUNKIRK, N. Y.
A FEW SECRETS OF THE METALLURGIST SIMPLY TOLD
BY
GERALD W. HINKLEY, M. E.
CORNELL UNIVERSITY ORDNANCE ENGINEER AND ASSISTANT TO PRESIDENT ATLAS CRUCIBLE STEEL CO. DUNKIRK, N. Y.
FIRST EDITION
COPYRIGHTED 1918 BY PRESS OF DUNKIRK PRINTING COMPANY
PREFACE.
This is not and is not intended to be a thoroughly complete explanation or discussion of the allotropic theory of iron and steel, but rather a brief outline of a few of the great principles of metallurgy written primarily for the layman. If without leading him astray from the real scientific understanding of the subject we have succeeded in briefly but satisfactorily answering the old familiar question, "Why do steels harden?", we will in a large measure, have accomplished our purpose.
Besides the personal observations which the writer has made from time to time in the metallurgical laboratory, he has availed himself freely of the works of many and eminent authors dealing with this subject and where disputable conditions have arisen in regard to certain theories, uses, etc., has attempted to adopt the most logical consensus of opinion.
G. W. H.
CONTENTS.
A FEW SECRETS OF THE METALLURGIST SIMPLY TOLD.
Page
INTRODUCTION 17
CHAPTER I.
A Slight Test of the Imagination 19
CHAPTER II.
Comparison Between Conditions Which Exist in the Iron and Steel Family to Those Which Exist with More Familiar Elements 22
CHAPTER III.
An Experiment Performed with a Piece of Pearlitic Steel 29
CHAPTER IV.
High Speed Steel 51
CHAPTER V.
The General Effect of the More Important Elements in Tool Steels 61
Carbon Steels 61
Alloy Steels 63
High Speed Steels 64
Elements Which Occur in all Steels 66
Iron 66
Carbon 67
Manganese 67
Silicon 68
Phosphorus 69
Sulphur 70
Elements Which Have Become Especially Associated with Special Alloy Steels 70
Chromium 70
Tungsten 72
Molybdenum 73
Vanadium 73
Cobalt 74
Uranium, Titanium and Aluminum 75
Impurities 75
Heat Treatment 76
Hardening 77
Annealing 79
Tempering 81
Conclusion 84
CHAPTER VI.
What Tool Steel Is Doing Towards Winning the War 85
APPENDIX.
Analysis, Uses and Heat Treatment of Various Grades of Tool Steels 92
High Speed Steels 93
Die Steel for Hot Work 94
Special Alloy Steel 95
Semi-High Speed Steel 96
Simple Carbon Tool Steel 97
Non-Shrinking Oil Hardening Steel 98
Special Hot Work Alloy Steel 99
A FEW SECRETS OF THE METALLURGIST SIMPLY TOLD
INTRODUCTION.
When as a student at a Technical College of one of our great Universities, I came to the study of Differential and Integral Calculus, I remember that I was seized with a kind of mental paralysis at the thought of the great unknown that lay before me. Fortunately, however, a little book was brought to my attention, under the encouraging title "Calculus Made Easy". As a matter of fact the little volume did not attempt to take its readers through all the intricacies of the entire subject, but it did succeed in giving a certain start on the long journey which has to be undergone by a student of the Calculus. Its opening sentence was encouraging, which I have always remembered, and which read something as follows:
"What one fool can accomplish, another fool can do, therefore take courage". This same thought applies to the subject which is now before us.