Steel wool

Last updated
A piece of steel wool Steel-wool.jpg
A piece of steel wool
Soap-impregnated steel wool pad for household cleaning Staalwol schuursponsje met zeep.jpg
Soap-impregnated steel wool pad for household cleaning

Steel wool, also known as iron wool, wire wool, or wire sponge, is a bundle of very fine and flexible sharp-edged steel filaments. It was described as a new product in 1896. [1] It is used as an abrasive in finishing and repair work for polishing wood or metal objects, cleaning household cookware, cleaning windows, and sanding surfaces. [2]

Contents

Steel wool is made from low-carbon steel in a process similar to broaching, where a heavy steel wire is pulled through a toothed die that removes thin, sharp, wire shavings. [2]

Uses

Steel wool burning in air Burning steel wool.jpg
Steel wool burning in air

Steel wool is commonly used by woodworkers, metal craftsmen, and jewelers to clean and smooth working surfaces and give them shine. [3] However, when used on oak, remaining traces of iron may react with tannins in the wood to produce blue or black iron stain, and when used on aluminum, brass, or other non-ferrous metal surfaces may cause after-rust which will dull and discolor the surface. Bronze wool and stainless steel wool will not cause these undesirable effects.

Steel wool is often used for professional cleaning processes on glass and porcelain because it is softer than those materials and is able to scrape off deposits without scratching the underlying surface like common abrasives.[ citation needed ] In many countries, soap-impregnated steel wool pads were sold under various trade names including Brillo Pad, Chore Boy, and S.O.S Soap Pad for household cleaning, although those products sometimes no longer contain steel wool.

Another use for steel wool is in rodent control. Small holes are plugged with coarse grade steel wool, which, if gnawed on by rodents, causes extreme pain in the mouth and, if ingested, severe internal damage may lead to death.

When steel wool is heated or allowed to rust, it increases in mass due to the combination of oxygen with iron.

Piece of burning steel wool being spun to produce sparks for light painting Light Painting 2 - Booyeembara Park.jpg
Piece of burning steel wool being spun to produce sparks for light painting

The fine cross-section of steel wool makes it combustible in air. Light painting, where many sparks are released, is one application. Very fine steel wool can also be used as tinder in emergency situations, as it burns even when wet and can be ignited by fire, a spark, or by connecting a battery to produce joule heating.

Grades

Steel wool products are supplied in grades from the coarser grades 3 and 4 to the super fine grade 0000. Rust-resistant (stainless) steel wool is also available.

Steel Wool fiber thickness [4]
Grade NameGrade Codeinches μm
Super Fine0000#0.001025
Extra Fine000#0.001535
Very Fine00#0.001840
Fine0#0.002050
Medium1#0.002560
Medium Coarse2#0.003075
Coarse3#0.003590
Extra Coarse4#0.0040100

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corrosion</span> Gradual destruction of materials by chemical reaction with its environment

Corrosion is a natural process that converts a refined metal into a more chemically stable oxide. It is the gradual deterioration of materials by chemical or electrochemical reaction with their environment. Corrosion engineering is the field dedicated to controlling and preventing corrosion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cookware and bakeware</span> Food preparation containers

Cookware and bakeware is food preparation equipment, such as cooking pots, pans, baking sheets etc. used in kitchens. Cookware is used on a stove or range cooktop, while bakeware is used in an oven. Some utensils are considered both cookware and bakeware.

An abrasive is a material, often a mineral, that is used to shape or finish a workpiece through rubbing which leads to part of the workpiece being worn away by friction. While finishing a material often means polishing it to gain a smooth, reflective surface, the process can also involve roughening as in satin, matte or beaded finishes. In short, the ceramics which are used to cut, grind and polish other softer materials are known as abrasives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandpaper</span> Abrasive material used for smoothing softer materials

Sandpaper, also known as glasspaper or as coated abrasive, is a type of material that consists of sheets of paper or cloth with an abrasive substance glued to one face. In the modern manufacture of these products, sand and glass have been replaced by other abrasives such as aluminium oxide or silicon carbide. It is common to use the name of the abrasive when describing the paper, e.g. "aluminium oxide paper", or "silicon carbide paper".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tumble finishing</span> Technique for smoothing and polishing a rough surface on relatively small parts

Tumble finishing, also known as tumbling or rumbling, is a technique for smoothing and polishing a rough surface on relatively small parts. In the field of metalworking, a similar process called barreling, or barrel finishing, works upon the same principles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">File (tool)</span> Tool used to remove fine amounts of material

A file is a tool used to remove fine amounts of material from a workpiece. It is common in woodworking, metalworking, and other similar trade and hobby tasks. Most are hand tools, made of a case hardened steel bar of rectangular, square, triangular, or round cross-section, with one or more surfaces cut with sharp, generally parallel teeth. A narrow, pointed tang is common at one end, to which a handle may be fitted.

Bronze wool is a bundle of very fine bronze filaments, used in finishing and repair work to polish wood or metal objects. Bronze wool is similar to steel wool, but is used in its place to avoid some problems associated with broken filaments: steel rusts quickly, especially in a marine environment. Furthermore, steel is magnetic and can affect the operation of marine equipment, such as a compass. Steel can also discolor some materials, such as oak. This discoloration results from a reaction between the tannates in the oak and the iron in the steel, forming iron tannate, a black compound.

In modern Western body piercing, a wide variety of materials are used. Some cannot be autoclaved, and others may induce allergic reactions, or harbour bacteria. Certain countries, such as those belonging to the EU, have legal regulations specifying which materials can be used in new piercings.

Chore Boy is a cleaning product brand, primarily known for its copper scouring pads. During the first half of the 20th century, the product was marketed under the name Chore Girl.

Wire wool is a generic term for products made of filaments entwined, woven or otherwise agglomerated into a sort of felt pad or belt that is often rolled for convenience. Typical dimensions for most domestic wire-wool might be about 1 cm/¼" thick by 8cm/3" broad and cut to various lengths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharpening</span> Creating or refining the edge of a cutting tool

Sharpening is the process of creating or refining the edge joining two non-coplanar faces into a converging apex, thereby creating an edge of appropriate shape on a tool or implement designed for cutting. Sharpening is done by removing material on an implement with an abrasive substance harder than the material of the implement, followed sometimes by processes to polish/hone the sharp surface to increase smoothness.

Pickling is a metal surface treatment used to remove impurities, such as stains, inorganic contaminants, and rust or scale from ferrous metals, copper, precious metals and aluminum alloys. A solution called pickle liquor, which usually contains acid, is used to remove the surface impurities. It is commonly used to descale or clean steel in various steelmaking processes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polishing (metalworking)</span> Abrasive process for creating smooth finished surfaces

Polishing and buffing are finishing processes for smoothing a workpiece's surface using an abrasive and a work wheel or a leather strop. Technically, polishing refers to processes that uses an abrasive that is glued to the work wheel, while buffing uses a loose abrasive applied to the work wheel. Polishing is a more aggressive process, while buffing is less harsh, which leads to a smoother, brighter finish. A common misconception is that a polished surface has a mirror-bright finish, however, most mirror-bright finishes are actually buffed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wire brush</span>

A wire brush is a tool consisting of a brush whose bristles are made of wire, most often steel wire. The steel used is generally a medium- to high-carbon variety and very hard and springy. Other wire brushes feature bristles made from brass or stainless steel, depending on application. Wires in a wire brush can be held together by epoxy, staples, or other binding. Wire brushes usually either have a handle of wood or plastic or are formed into a wheel for use on angle grinders, bench grinders, pistol-grip drill motors, or other power tools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandblasting</span> Method of marking or cleaning a surface

Sandblasting, sometimes known as abrasive blasting, is the operation of forcibly propelling a stream of abrasive material against a surface under high pressure to smooth a rough surface, roughen a smooth surface, shape a surface or remove surface contaminants. A pressurised fluid, typically compressed air, or a centrifugal wheel is used to propel the blasting material. The first abrasive blasting process was patented by Benjamin Chew Tilghman on 18 October 1870.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleaning agent</span> Substance used to remove dirt or other contaminants

Cleaning agents or hard-surface cleaners are substances used to remove dirt, including dust, stains, foul odors, and clutter on surfaces. Purposes of cleaning agents include health, beauty, removing offensive odor, and avoiding the spread of dirt and contaminants to oneself and others. Some cleaning agents can kill bacteria and clean at the same time. Others, called degreasers, contain organic solvents to help dissolve oils and fats.

Mass finishing is a group of manufacturing processes that allow large quantities of parts to be simultaneously finished. The goal of this type of finishing is to burnish, deburr, clean, radius, de-flash, descale, remove rust, polish, brighten, surface harden, prepare parts for further finishing, or break off die cast runners. The two main types of mass finishing are tumble finishing, also known as barrel finishing, and vibratory finishing. Both involve the use of a cyclical action to create grinding contact between surfaces. Sometimes the workpieces are finished against each other; however, usually a finishing medium is used. Mass finishing can be performed dry or wet; wet processes have liquid lubricants, cleaners, or abrasives, while dry processes do not. Cycle times can be as short as 10 minutes for nonferrous workpieces or as long as 2 hours for hardened steel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotch-Brite</span> Abrasive product line by 3M

Scotch-Brite is a line of abrasive products produced by 3M. The product line includes scouring pads and tools for home uses such as dish washing and scrubbing, as well as various types of surfaces for industrial applications, such as discs, belts, and rotating brushes, with varying compositions and levels of hardness.

Scouring powder is a household cleaning product consisting of an abrasive powder mixed with a dry soap or detergent, soda, and possibly dry bleach.

References

  1. Iron Age, Vol. LVII, p.871, cited by Journal of the Iron and Steel Institute, Volume 50, Issue 2, p.482
  2. 1 2 Jessica Elzea Kogel; Nikhil C. Trivedi; James M. Barker; Stanley T. Krukowski (2006). Industrial Minerals & Rocks (7th ed.). SME. p. 156. ISBN   9780873352338 . Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  3. "Steel wool: low-cost, do-everything home and shop material". Popular Science . Vol. 208, no. 5. Bonnier Corporation. May 1976. p. 124. ISSN   0161-7370 . Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  4. "Steel Wool Grades". The Engineering ToolBox. Retrieved 23 March 2014.