What Is Cast Iron?
What is Cast Iron?
Cast iron is a material that is made up of between 2-6% carbon and 94-98% iron. It is most commonly used due to its properties of being very strong whilst also being brittle. These properties have made it the first choice material in production of a range of things including engine blocks, antique style fireplaces, cooking pots and manhole covers.
Cast iron existed years before steel and was widely used prior to steel invention. Now that steel exists and there are limitless possibilities of material’s properties due to alloys, cast iron is not as favoured as it used to be.
Cooking utensils such as frying pans are now the most common use of cast iron in the home.
Cast Iron vs Wrought Iron
The main difference between cast iron and wrought iron is the way in which they are manufactured. To create object out of cast iron, you must first melt the iron down then pour it into a mold and allow it to solidify.
In comparison, to create wrought iron you must heat the iron and work it with tools whilst it is hot. Some people think these two different types of iron are interchangeable but this is really not the case.
Due to the forming process, their properties vary; this is why you are very unlikely to see a wrought iron pan for cooking or a fence made from cast iron.
