Can one of you possibly answer this guy's question? Asked of me through one of my eBay listings. I also bought something very interesting. It's a piece of what appears to be stainless steel. It looks *exactly* like the iron bars they put in concrete for reinforcement, but it is definitely not iron. It is "cane" length and has been fashioned into a walking cane with the top bent over to look exactly like a cane. So that means it can be heated and bent. It has the following "code" on it which appears to look like "welded writing" (if there is such a thing). It says "CR-R19." This thing shines like sterling silver, it rings like a bell when you tap on it with a piece of metal, and my best file can't put a scratch on it. It is definitely "solid" (not "cast). You can tell by the cuts at each end. This was cut by a large industrial fabricator's cutter (I've seen them in use). The cut is clean, but obviously a "cut." The metal inside looks identical to the outside. Although I don't know what it is, I *do know* that this is not cast. It is also *very heavy* at bout 8 pounds. It's the "bell" noise that I find interesting, plus also if you hold it in the center and tap on it, not only do you hear the bell (albeit muted by holding it), you can feel the vibration running up and down the thing. Like I said, it has obviously been bent because it has been fashioned into a cane, but I cannot bend the full length of it, and like I said, my *best* file won't touch it! (The guy wanted five bucks, I offered him three and we settled on four bucks). What do you think it is? Again, it looks *exactly* like concrete reinforcement, has the appearance of polished silver (including the cuts on either end), and it is so hard I cannot touch it with a file. (I don't have a torch here although I plan on getting one. I bought a used, but complete torch without the gas lines for 10 bucks). My assumption is that you would make a carbon determination based on how it reacts to being melted by the torch, water quenched, and then hit with a hammer Yes? (As it is right now, it *laughs* at a sledge hammer!)
rebar is made from other than recycled steel for some applications. From the description I would guess you have a piece of rebar made for a very corrosive use. It brings to mind some of the characteristics of inconel to me.
Sounds like monel, a nickle rich alloy often used in professional cooling plate steel because of its ability to transfer cooler temps. The machine cut is done by a hydraulic powered shear known as an 'iron worker'. Go into google, click 'images' mode for visual examples of both items. Monel responds to a magnet much less than normal mild steel also.
Good afternoon; If you put it to a grinder, the sparks can tell you something about its makeup.... I don't remember for sure, but I thought long, straight sparks indicated moire carbon, and shorter sparks that "split" indicated more nickel. Does anyone know what I'm talking about, or as I just going crazy? Unixguy
No, there is a stardard sparks test for the metal. In fact, there is at least one party who sells pieces of known stock for comparison. It is both the color and pattern of sparks which are indicative. I've heard back from him that he now thinks it is specialized rebar for use in seawalls. Ken Scharabok
Take the metal to the nearest scrap metal yard and ask the guy who weighs the non ferris metals, he will know the exact answer immediantly just from familiarity.
