How likely is it for someone in the ancient world to stumble upon a method of casting iron and steel to late 18th century quality standards?
And what would be the consequences?
And what would be the consequences?
How likely is it for someone in the ancient world to stumble upon a method of casting iron and steel to late 18th century quality standards?
And what would be the consequences?
It only takes you so far, however, and will probably not be pure enough to produce bridge and building-worthy steel.Historian Robert Hartwell points out that the 11th century Chinese of the Song Dynasty innovated a "partial decarbonization" method of repeated forging of cast iron under a cold blast.[4] The historians Joseph Needham and Wertime acknowledged that this was the predecessor to the Bessemer process of making steel. This process was first described by the prolific scholar and polymath government official Shen Kuo (1031–1095) in 1075 when he visited Cizhou.[4] Hartwell states that perhaps the earliest center where this was practiced was the great iron-production district along the Henan-Hebei border during the 11th century.
Late 18th century, which is what the OP says, didn't have anything even remotely like Bessemer. That's latter part of the 19th.You mean like with a Bessemer like process?