These days iron is not manufactured by steel making factories, it has to be scavenged or sourced (we find ours in Farms and Wineries in our district) and we repurpose it.  Iron was commonly used in old farm machinery, wine barrel hoops or horse drawn cart tyres. Some of our scavenged iron dates from about the 1890's.

Iron is an element and in it's purist form is relatively soft.  Steel is an alloy and is a derivative of iron.  Steel is made of iron with some carbon and impurities removed, which makes it stronger.

Modern Iron is commonly known as mild steel, and is readily available for purchase in various formats from Metal Supply shops.  Manufactured steel began to replace cast iron about 80 years ago.  Steel is iron with some of the carbon and impurities removed.

Primarily, iron is an element while steel is an alloy comprising about 99% iron and tiny amount of carbon. Various other metals can be added to steel which produces alloys that have different properties. For example, if chromium is added to steel, stainless steel is the product.

Historically, the 6th Anniversary gift is something made from iron, while the 11th Anniversary gift is made of steel. In the times when the traditional gifts were decided, steel was much more expensive than iron, so was used for the 11th anniversary. Time has reversed these values and iron, because of its rarity to obtain, is now far more valuable than steel.

However, as steel is actually made from iron - being approx 99% iron with a tiny amount of carbon - many people are happy to accept mild steel and iron as one and the same, due to steel being readily available, easy to work with and much cheaper.

We keep most of the more popular items we make in stock.  If an item is in stock, it may be able to be sent on the day we receive your order, or depending on time of day and any customising, it may be sent on the following day. If you are running short on time, you could call or email us to check what we have available to ship immediately, or ask how long before the item can be made and ready for shipping.

Some of the items that we don't hold in stock are the Jewellery Boxes or Fireside Tools, because these have many options and variables, eg. colour of fabric lining, style of handles and type of tools.  Our iron rings also need to be made to size, but as these are quick to make, they may only take an extra day or so.

Your item is finished with Carnauba wax polish to invisibly protect against surface rust.  To ensure the item retains the finish that it has when you receive it, please from time to time polish it. If you don't have Carnauba polish, we suggest a 'Mr Sheen' or similar household wax polish.

Rust can affect iron and its alloys, including steel. The main catalyst for rust to occur is water. Although iron and steel structures seem solid to the eye, water molecules are able to penetrate microscopic gaps in the metal. If salt is present, for example in seawater, corrosion will be more rapid.

Examples of base metals include iron, nickel, lead, zinc and copper. A base metal is a common and inexpensive metal, as opposed to a precious metal such as gold or silver.  Back in history, a long-time goal of alchemists was the transmutation of a base metal into a precious metal.

Iron has unique characteristics and a rustic nature.  It doesn't typically have the high shine that precious metals have, though it can be polished to a bright finish.