Apparently, it’s an excess of carbon that make wrought iron more brittle than it should be. Back in the 1700’s this was a big problem for the Navy. It was possible to produce a higher quality wrought iron but it was a slow and expensive process.
Henry Cort came a long as a producer of wrought iron. I must admit that I’m not sure how, but Henry found a way to mass produce high quality wrought iron quickly and cheaply, through what was called the puddling process. The high-carbon version would be sat at the bottom of the kiln, and a man, known as a puddler would stir the iron, and would hook out the carbon when it started to bloom (I have no idea how to visualise this).
Henry Cort and his foundry started mass production in his foundry, which was off Mumby Road in Gosport, where Henry lived. To this day Henry’s achievement is celebrated partly through a blue plaque on the wall of a car park in the town, not far from the water front.
Bills Posts 