(04-06-2017, 01:08 PM)grepper Wrote: Jan, I’m sure that you can understand my skepticism that rubbing hardened steel on leather could possibly alter the crystalline structure of the steel. I know you can bend an edge, but actually change the structure of the steel? I can understand smearing peanut butter on toast, but smearing steel on leather?That said, I have totally no idea at all of what I’m talking about and more than willing to be surprised. I can’t see radiant heat or gravitational waves either but nonetheless I’m convinced of their existence.
Grepper, on the one hand I understand well your skepticism, but on the other hand I expected that you, as an expert in burrs microscopy, might be willing to digest my innovative pilot hypothesis more easily.
Thank you for coining the term "smearing steel on leather". Please do not underestimate the traction (adhesive friction) of the leather wheel especially without honing compound. You surely know that gold and some other metals could be hammered by hand into sheets or drawn out into very fine wires. Gold leaf may be only several atoms thick and than it is almost transparent. You can easily smear or melt it between your fingers.
All this is about malleability and ductility of materials and it is in intimate relationship with plastic deformation. Goldbeating is an example of cold-working because the plastic deformation occurs at a room temperature which is low and does not allow gold atoms to rearrange themselves.
Jan