Hammerscale
Have you ever colored with chalk on black paper and noticed that the color looks different and kind of dusty? That's because the chalk is leaving behind a residue called dust. In the same way, when metal is struck with a hammer, it can leave behind a residue called hammerscale.
Hammerscale is made up of tiny flakes and pieces of metal that have been hammered out of the larger piece. Think of it like crumbs falling off a cookie when you take a bite. The more the metal is hammered, the more hammerscale is produced, and it can be different colors depending on the type of metal.
Hammerscale isn't usually a good thing for metal because it can make it look dirty and rough, which isn't desirable for things like jewelry or metal tools. However, sometimes it can be intentionally added for a decorative effect, kind of like sprinkles on a cupcake.
Overall, hammerscale is just a byproduct of using a hammer on metal, and while it can sometimes be useful, it's usually not something we want to see on our metal objects.
Hammerscale is made up of tiny flakes and pieces of metal that have been hammered out of the larger piece. Think of it like crumbs falling off a cookie when you take a bite. The more the metal is hammered, the more hammerscale is produced, and it can be different colors depending on the type of metal.
Hammerscale isn't usually a good thing for metal because it can make it look dirty and rough, which isn't desirable for things like jewelry or metal tools. However, sometimes it can be intentionally added for a decorative effect, kind of like sprinkles on a cupcake.
Overall, hammerscale is just a byproduct of using a hammer on metal, and while it can sometimes be useful, it's usually not something we want to see on our metal objects.