On 22/06/2010 2:28 AM, Omelet wrote:
> In .au>,
> > wrote:
>
>> On 21/06/2010 3:26 PM, Omelet wrote:
>>> In >,
>>> "Lew > wrote:
>>>
>>>> This is known as "tempering" which reduces some of the brittleness,
>>>> but increases the ductility.
>>>
>>> I had to google that word. New one to add to my vocabulary.<g>
>>> Appears to be similar to Malleability. That one I knew...
>>
>> Well actually, "malleability" is similar to "ductility" because both are
>> inherent properties of a substance. "Tempering", on the other hand, is a
>> process whereby the properties of a material can be altered through heat
>> treatment. You might want to look up "quenching" as that can form part
>> of the process of tempering.
>>
>> Krypsis (A thwarted blacksmith)
>
> Why thwarted? :-)
> There is a reason that "Smith" is a very common last name.
> Take it up as a hobby.

I did, after a fashion. Used to build hot rods from the ground up in the
fifties and sixties. I still have four of them that I built back in that
era.

My parents and many members of my extended family were farmers. They
would do a lot of their own blacksmithing from necessity and, on visits
to relatives farms in my youth, became fascinated with the process. My
parents saw the writing on the wall for the future of farming in this
country and sold the farm before I was born. They refused to allow me to
take that path and, in hindsight, I see that they had great vision. The
farms of today aren't the same as they were when I was young. They are
now mostly mechanised and employ contractors to do various seasonal
tasks such as shearing, planting, harvesting and the like. Very few
people live and work on farms these days.

I instead grew up in the city and undertook a career as a public
servant. Now, 57 years later, I still operate as a consultant.

Krypsis