Steel : $b a manual for steel users

"Steel: A Manual for Steel Users" by William Metcalf is a helpful book from the 1800s for people who worked with steel, such as those who built machines and blacksmiths. It's like a how-to guide that explains how steel is made and what it can do, filling in information that wasn't easy to find in other books. The author talks about being in the steel business for a long time and knowing a lot about it. He mentions how making steel changed over time with new ways like the Bessemer and open-hearth methods. Early on, the book tells you about the different kinds of steel, like cemented steel and crucible steel, based on how they're made, so you can learn more about what each kind is good for later on.