Crucible steel describes a number of different techniques for making steel in a crucible. Its manufacture is essentially a refining process in which another form of steel, that had been consolidated by hammering, such as shear steel, is melted to give a more uniform material. Crucible steel has aroused considerable interest for well over a thousand years and there is a sizable body of work concerning its nature and production.
The crucible steel of the Industrial Revolution is referred to in this article as English crucible steel. The puddling process, developed in the 1840s, produced a satisfactory grade for many applications at a cost far below crucible steel. By the end of the 19th century new steel making processes such as Bessemer and the open hearth furnace were able to produce quality steel at a cost even below puddling, making the crucible process obsoletescent. The crucible process continued to be used for specialty steels, but is today obsolete. Basic oxygen furnaces and electric arc furnaces have largely replaced all previous ones.
Read more about Crucible Steel: Methods of Crucible Steel Production, Ancient History of South Asian Production, Conclusion
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