The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
-----

The History of Mild Steel

I am a student at Colchester Royal Grammar School. I am doing a design technology project on Mild steel but I can't find any information on it's history, how it came about and such. Please could someone let me know.

Many Thanks,

Tom N.
school - COLCHESTER, Essex, UK
2004

---

"Mild" steel is basically just "common" steel or "ordinary" steel or "soft" steel. It is steel that is low in carbon and not heat treated for hardness. Your school library or town library will have books about steel.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2004

---

Hi there, don't know if you found any more infomation on mild steel, I have just started a project and have done a liitle research into the subject. Though my info. is a little sketchy I can say that 'Mild Steel' was found accidentally through trying to mass produce Wrought Iron, and so has many similar material properities. I'd say wrought iron was a good starting point. Hope that's some help.

Rick Benson
- Lancaster, Cumbria, United Kingdom
2004

---

First of two simultaneous responses --

Tom, What Ted says is correct ... go thou and looketh it up, OK !

When you think of it, there is pitifully little difference between iron and steel.

Remove some of the impurities in iron, lo and behold, you have steel.

Impurities such as carbon, sulfur and phosphorus .... which exist even in the very high class Swedish iron ores, albeit in very minor amounts.

Freeman Newton [deceased]
(It is our sad duty to advise that Freeman passed away
April 21, 2012. R.I.P. old friend).
2004

---

Second of two simultaneous responses --

Do an Internet search on the history of steel. Also try Ironbridge, "bessemer converter" and "open hearth process"

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK
2004

Mild steel was invented by the Moffat brothers and produced at Cinderford Forest of Dean. The ruins of the furnace are still there. The actual furnaces (two) were cast by John Henderson of Fox and Henderson. Both ex-apprentices of Watt. Sub casting masters were two brothers Willi and Werner Siemens. John Henderson was my great great grandfather .

Richard Kerswell
- Oxford, UK
March 6, 2012