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Re: Metal Quality

To: shop-talk@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Re: Metal Quality
From: Brian Kelley <bkelley@ford.com>
Date: Thu, 06 Mar 1997 13:22:00 EST
> 
>      I have always heard people say things like Snap-On uses better metal 
>      than craftman on their socket sets.  Just by looking you can tell that 
>      there is an obvious difference in their finish.  Is there a way to 
>      tell a good quality  metal from a poor quality metal?   Another 
>      example would be drill bits.  How can you tell if a set is cheap or 
>      good quality?

Good question.  Though I don't think a basic test of the metallurgy
will tell the whole story or anything approaching the big picture: 
heat treating process or the grain structure of the forging, etc.

Richard Welty's wife was analyzing the metallurgy of coat hangers for
use as welding rods (!) a year or so ago.  As much as I didn't agree
with that kludge, this might be interesting.  Anyone want to donate a 
couple of wrenches? ;-)

  Brian

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