Quenching History

[kb0fhp]

I may have cross-posted this - if so I apoligize. I am a PhD metallurgist with years of experience in heat treating and failure analysis. My primary specialty is quenching (aluminum and steel) - water, oils, salt and polymers. I have been asked by Advanced Material and Progress Magazine to write and article on the history of quenching. I have many references prior to 200 AD or so, but little from about 200AD to 1850. Can any one provide me with a good set of references regarding the history of quenching? I suspect much of the dearth of information is because little was written down, or because of guild protection of intellectual property. I woud really appreciate it.

 

If anyone has any questions regarding heat treating, quenching or other similar topic - feel free to ask me. I would be glad to help.

 

Thanks

 

Scott MacKenzie, PhD aka KB0FHP

Edited April 29, 2006 by kb0fhp

[Jeff Pringle]

Have you checked out the bibliography of "A History of Metallography" (Smith, MIT Press 1988)? There must be something you can use in there.

"On Divers Arts" (Theophilus, 1120ish) has a couple recommendations, and other early ideas can be found in "The Pirotechnia" of Biringuccio (1500ish) - both of those are out in Dover paperbacks.

[kb0fhp]

Have you checked out the bibliography of "A History of Metallography" (Smith, MIT Press 1988)? There must be something you can use in there.

"On Divers Arts" (Theophilus, 1120ish) has a couple recommendations, and other early ideas can be found in "The Pirotechnia" of Biringuccio (1500ish) - both of those are out in Dover paperbacks.

 

 

Thank you - I have Pirotechnica, but I do not have On Divers Arts.....Thank you!

 

Scott

[daryl meier]

"Sources for the History of the Science of Steel 1532-1786" MIT press 1986, Cyril Stanley Smith , has some interesting formuli for quenchants. I particularly like the distilled cockchafer grubs one.

Articles by Piaskowski, and by Antiens in JISI ( 1960's) show evidence of hard structures from an earlier time peroid , but do not speculate on method of quenching.