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Thats a nice tank but.. Gross!

It IS empty, right?

It is a cryogenic container - they put liquid nitrogen in it to freeze test tubes of "specimens" for subsequent breeding.....

I was thinking more in line with using a steel such as 15B30 - there the boron additions are added at the mill in either the ladle or the big crucible after the blow. Now, properly mixed in from a back yard steel mill would probably be by adding a small bit of ferroboron to the melt. Not sure if borax would do the same thing.

Just looking at it - it is difficult to tell. Hardness measurements would confirm the visual. BUT I suspect (and somebody please correct me if wrong) is that you got uniform hardening from the shape edge to the edge of the zone 3 (because it didn't etch as much) and upper transformation products in the remainder. The two lines could be remnants of a fold or a long line of inclusions...

If it is properly mixed in - it will increase the hardenability (like adding a bit more carbon). It might be tied up as Boron Carbides, or some sort of intermetallic - FeB for instance. Most indicate that it works best with "killed" steel - those that have Al or Ti present to scavenge oxygen first. Other than increased hardenability - I wouldn't worry about it. At those levels I really don't think it would have any deleterious effects on toughness and can only help with hardenability but may make it more difficult to form a hamon.

At least it is not Budweiser... unless you are talking about the Czech Budvar - the real Budweiser. One beer that my German and friends from Belguim drink when visiting here around PA - is Yuengling Lager. They claim it is almost as good as what they get at home - which is high praise indeed....

Take a look here - this gives you an idea of how it is introduced and how it is added and controlled - as well as a bunch of other elements used in ferroalloys....

http://www.shieldalloy.com/boronpage.html

It would be interesting to run microhardness across the band - that would tell if it was a band of pearlite. What had you etched the blade in? If it was something like 2% nital (2% nitric acid in methanol) I would expect it to be darker. If it is a region of martensite - I would expect it to be white. The degree of tempered martensite would cause it to become gradually grayer (or darker) as the martensite is tempered. Pearlite would be very dark in comparison.

It could be that the localized region of Mn - it that is true - may even have made a localized region of martensite because of the higher proportion of hardenable elements (C and Mn). When grinding - does it appear to be raised in any fashion - suggesting a region of harder material - or depressed suggesting that more material was localy ground away? This would give an indication of the relative hardness in that region compared to the surrounding regions.

Just a couple of ideas.....

Scott

Briar - that was what I was thinking of - the mind is playing tricks on me. Part of being an old man. I like the freehand stuff. Used to have a bunch of Ben Wade freehands - but wife threw them out after I quit smoking. Funny story - One New years day - I quit smoking. I was taking daughter to school a couple of day afterward and she noticed immediately. On my our anniversary in July, I took wife out to dinner - it didn't go well. She starts on the "you always take me for granted - never notice anything I do, etc."....I told her that I make changes and she never notices....Upon she replied - "like what?" ...I just kept on drinking my beer....and didn't reply. Later that evening, she looks at me and says - "You quit smoking - when did you do that?" I replied "about 6 months ago." She looks at me and say - "I guess I lost that argument"....

Kind of like the old story - "If a man is in the forest and says something, and there is no woman around to correct him - is he still wrong?"

I thought I was the only one that smoked a pipe - wife doesn't like my cigars. What type of wood is used? I can't remember the name of it.

I am not sure - it is called a stainless steel - I am thinking that it might be a grade similar to 410 stainless....But I continue my search. Thanks for the help.

Scott

A guy ask me a question regarding steel composition, and I couldn't help him. Apparently many items like gun barrels and high performance engine components are forged using 21M4 stainless steel..... I have never heard of this alloy. I have tried looking all over - but an't find it. I think it may be a European grade with Mo as an alloying element, but I really have no idea. Any ideas?

Thanks

Scott

Here you go....

I was looking to ask them what they thought regarding liners - not that you get one. I have some data buried away at my desk - I will try to retrieve it when I get back from vacation

The recommendations are use of inconel for high temperature dalt pots. Many of the large ones that I have used - and I am talking 20 feet long or so (and they were used for aluminum and contained ntrate salts) used firebrick.

I would suggest that you give a call to AJAX - they make salt pots.

Scott

Byron - nice photomicrographs....I suspect that the line is either scale, voids or inclusions of some sort - it may be flux. Too bad you can't get it in the SEM - a element map would be useful....

I was wrong - I misunderstood what was happening. Nice photographs! Segregation effects, or something associate with the flux is a possibility...However, the effect looks very nice IMO. Have you seen any difference in strength along the sea? Does it tend to open up? But I really like the looks - it almost looks like it were deliberate....

It could also be a large hydrogen flake....Pictures would be nice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLRkOupbARM...feature=related

This is cool - and I thought everyone would enjoy it. Certainly is easier using a hydraulic press!

Scott

Based on the phase diagram - I believe that it is stable Austenite - similar in microstructure to a stainless steel.I would be very surprized if it becomes martensitic.

JMATPro would be able to indicate what phases are thermodynamically probably present, and indicate possible CCT and TT diagrams....Very useful - I wish I had a copy....

I really have no idea - and what the carbon will do to the structure. If I had a copy of JMATPro I could get a reasonable estimate. Perhaps one of your people there can do a run for you...

I suspect that the alloy could be a nice strong, possibly high temperature, stainless steel. Looking at the phase diagram, it certainly is a possibility. I would guess that Re would form carbides - but I am not sure. I am trying to find an Fe-Re-C phase diagram, but have had no luck.

Don't say I never gave you anything.....

Based on the phase diagram, and the expected amounts of alloying elements present - I chose Fe-Ni-Re as the primary, The phase diagram indicates that it would be predominately austenite.

Just put me on the patent application (I am just kidding)....

fulltext.pdf

I went to a private boarding school - read Military Academy - because I had "issues with authority". I didn't do well. I went on to college - and I didn't do well. After 2 years I flunked out. Spent some time abroad, and then went back to school at Ohio State. I was a lousy student. I barely graduated. One of my dreams was to go to grad school. After 20 years I finally got the nerve to apply. After 20 years I started out on probation because my grades 20 years ago (now 30 years ago) were so terrible. I worked hard, with a full time job, and family. I got my MS Metallurgical Engineering, and finally my PhD Metallurgical Engineering. In grad school - I got all As... If I had brought home those grades when I was an undergraduate - I would have caused my parents to go into cardiac arrest. I also would probably gotten my PhD a lot earlier, and teaching someplace. I enjoy what I do - but it has not been easy.

High school can be such a pain - but work hard and get into the school you want and enjoy. It is worth it - and so much better with a degree than without. You certainly buy better quality beer and cigars.

I guess my point is to work hard and just put up with the nonsense. It will only get better.

Scott

That is really too cool.... I have done a lot of really neat and interesting things in my life - but that has to be amazing. I am green with envy - have fun with it - and take advantage of everything. I went to Oak Ridge recently - and got a tour of the facility there. But CERN is the tops!

Thank you for sharing.

Scott

Please post a pic of the microstructure - could be interesting