High-Speed Steel

Excerpt from High-Speed Steel: The Development, Nature, Treatment, and Use, of High-Speed Steels, Together With Some, Suggestions as to the Problems, Involved in Their Use

It is rather unusual that any considerable time should elapse between the announcement of a great discovery and the appearance of a book dealing specifically and comprehensively with the subject of that discovery; and especially is this true when the idea or invention has such a far-reaching, even revolutionary, influence in its particular department of the world's activities as is the case with high-speed steels. Nevertheless during the decade and more since Fred W. Taylor and Maunsel White unexpectedly stumbled upon the high-hcat treatment for tungsten and related steels, and developed their high-speed steel, nothing has been published which could be called at all adequate as a treatment of the subject, except possibly Mr. Taylor's address before the American Society of Mechanical Engineers on the occasion of his inauguration as president, at the December, 1900, meeting; and the articles hereafter mentioned. This address or report is indeed a monumental work, including as it does the results of his experiences and researches, and those of his co-laborers, in the carrying on of his investigations. These researches, it would seem, have been more extensive and thorough than any others yet attempted, covering the general subject of the new steels. Other investigations, covering limited portions of the field, like those of Dr. H. C. H. Carpenter, say, have been exhaustive as far as they extended, an«l also are very valuable for the light they throw upon the nature and the possibilities of high-speed steel.

The Taylor report confines itself largely to the experiences of its author and his associates, and unfortunately, has not a good index. There has been a pretty general feeling for some time that a work should he available which would cover comprehensively the whole subject of high…