Crucible steel
Acero al crisol
- Date
- c. 1740 · confidence high
- Place
- Handsworth (Sheffield), England
- Credited to
- Benjamin Huntsman
- People
- 👤 Benjamin Huntsman1704–1776
- Field
- Matter & energy
What it is
The complete melting of cementation steel in clay crucibles at high temperature, producing a homogeneous, slag-free steel for clock springs, cutlery and tools. It turned Sheffield into the steel capital.
Huntsman was a clockmaker seeking better springs; Indian wootz and Damascus steel were earlier crucible steels.
What it led to
- Precision springs and tools for clocks and instruments
- Sheffield cutlery and machine tools
- The foundation of quality steel until Bessemer (1856)
Built on
- Coke smelting of iron1709
- Cementation steel (blister steel)
- Refractory crucibles
- Indian wootz steel
Made possible
- Chronometer springs
- Files and cutting tools
- Bessemer steel (the concept of cast steel)