| Ironwork is a general term used for anything fabricated from iron or steel. As far back as 500 BC humans have been using iron and steel to make tools, weapons, and utensils. Today what many people refer to as wrought iron is actually handforged modern steel or bentwork. Wrought iron comes from iron ore that has a very low carbon content. This particular kind of Iron is more malleable and because of the "wrought" process (heating, working, and cooling) it becomes very rust resistant. This ore was mined up until the 1930's when demand turned from Farriers and Blacksmithing to Mechanical assembly lines. Wrought iron is welded together using a forged weld technique, when two pieces of metal are heated and hammered together forcing the molecules to fuse. Today the only way to make true wrought iron products is to recycle old ones such as bridges, fencing, and old steel buildings. Needless to say it should be considered a precious metal and therefore is not cheap. Hand forged steel is modern steel that is heated just enough to be manipulated into shapes such as scrolling or twisting etc. These shapes are usually used as ornaments to be incorported into and compliment pieces of bentwork. Bentwork is a term that refers to steel being worked cold; cut and welded together using solder or an arc weld process. Heavy benders, jigs, and occasionally an acetylene torch are also used to manipulate the steel. In the last few years there has been a huge increase in the demand for ironwork. Ornamental bentwork makes ironwork fabrication much more efficient and certainly more affordable. |
| ~ A Brief History of Ironwork ~ |
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