Can Iron Really Sharpen Iron?

Actually, we had no idea.

It is an obvious metaphor, but we were recently thinking about if it is literally even possible and after some research this is the most legit response we could find on the World Wide Web from a Mr. Bill Cravens, BSMME, University of Michigan and Illinois Institute of Technology, he says…

“Carbon is a lovely thing in iron, and it is really what permits iron to have such a fantastic range of properties and uses. Too little carbon, and relatively “pure” iron is actually fairly soft and yielding. Easily worked, but not very strong or resistant. Too much carbon (cast iron from a blast furnace contains about 3.5% o 4% carbon), and the resulting alloy is brittle and unworkable, but very hard.

Ancient Smiths knew none of the underlying causes, of course, but became brilliant artisans and craftsmen by doggedly experimenting with various processes and techniques. “Recarburizing” a well-forged tool (getting it hammered into shape, and then burying it into a hot bed of coals and allowing excess carbon to re-diffuse into it) and then quenching the surface, could produce a tool with a hard and abrasion-resistant surface, but with a more durable and resiliant substrate. With extensive use, the tools would wear down to the softer under layer.

So yes, given what the ancient writers knew as “iron” (metallic iron reduced from oxide by carbon, and with varying levels of recarburization at the surface), one could indeed “sharpen” iron implements with other iron implements.”

So evidently ancient “Smith’s” knew.

However, what is even more interesting to think about is that if one of the irons has a different texture the iron could be sharpened even better and faster than if the blades are exactly the same. Pushing us to be a little out of our comfort zone, and to learn from the “crazy ones.” I think this one guy named Steve Jobs said it like this…

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

In another interpretation of this ancient saying we read that, “As the friction increases, the heat between the iron increases as well which creates sparks. Sometimes this will be uncomfortable to do but those sparks can be become flames when they are fanned.”

Interestingly, at the end of Bill’s science lesson on Iron he writes this, “And, especially in the ancient world, it was also important for people to “stick together”. (Come to think of it, I’ve had friends who were a bit “abrasive”, but they were still handy to have around in a pinch.”

Thanks Bill. We don’t know you but if you ever run across this we’ll send you some stuff for this awesome answer to our question.

Iron Sharpens Iron, So One Person Sharpens Another. Here’s to the Crazy Ones.