WTF is "cold iron", and why's it so special?

[Kid Charlemagne]

*grins*

It's more complex than this, but I'm disinclined to argue metallurgy any further for fear of getting lynched.

Yeah - the thing I didn't include is "up to a point." But the link I provided does give a pretty good idea of the basics of medieval iron/steel smelting.

 

[Jdvn1]

Other than iron that is cold, what makes it stand out?

Heh. It's not actually cold. Funny, though.

 

[RSKennan]

In D&D terms, cold iron is iron which has been forged using special low temperature techniques, which supposedly makes the iron more 'natural' than normal iron or steel. Hence it's anti-fey and demon properties.


glass.

This is my understanding as well. D&D canon says fey are somehow 'especially natural', but all of the early source research I've done portrays them as otherworldly. Using earlier sources, it makes perfect sense that cold iron would harm fey.

What's more natural than the mineral at the heart of the earth?

Edit: I've changed "original source" to early source, as the original sources for fey folklore were storytellers, and the coming of christianity altered many of the stories.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I just wanted to say "fallacious" on this thread. That's a fun word.

 

[Kelleris]

I just wanted to say "fallacious" on this thread. That's a fun word.

Yes, but I prefer "specious" myself.

And I like the "cast, not forged" idea. I'm one of those people that finds the image of improvising silver weapons by melting down your (high-quality) coinage to be nifty-keen.

 

[SidusLupus]

What's wrong with just renaming it since the hang up is the name and not the substance?

Take a page from Tad Williams and call it black iron or something. That sounds cooler anyways imo.

Cold Black Iron!

or something.

 

[Farganger]

Cold iron in 3.5 isn't the same as iron or steel. It's a unique metal found deep underground that is naturally resistant to magic. Just check out the special materials section in the DMG.

My thought as well.

Since the SRD also defines "cold iron" as a special type of iron, I don't see its existence as more puzzling (or worthy of complicated explanation) than that of mithral or adamantine.

Interesting discussion though. The folklore angle is the one I've always played up . . . it would be nice to know the primary source for that.

 

[moritheil]

My thought as well.

Since the SRD also defines "cold iron" as a special type of iron, I don't see its existence as more puzzling (or worthy of complicated explanation) than that of mithral or adamantine.

Interesting discussion though. The folklore angle is the one I've always played up . . . it would be nice to know the primary source for that.

I've attempted to broaden the discussion here:

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=130631

 

[Cedric]

Historically, 'cold iron' is a shortening of 'cold wrought iron'. Wrought iron is usually a very low carbon content steel that is worked with a hammer while white hot and shaped with the hammer into the desired form.

However, you can work it with a hammer while it is merely warm enough for the iron to begin to flow.

It's technically a form of steel, however, the carbon content is so low (< 3%) that you may as well just call it iron. It has enough carbon to change the manner in which it rusts. Instead of rust eating pits in the iron, it usually forms a reddish/brown coating of mottled colors on the surface that are often used in art because they are attractive and give an aged look to an item.

True "cold wrought iron" ...while once prevalent, is now only made by specific artists and blacksmiths. It was made by poor smiths in years past because they lacked the resources necessary to make, purchase or pay for time at a forge. Having to work at cooler temperatures required patience and a great deal of strength (a good hammer helped too).

This became known as Cold Wrought Iron...

There are many theories why creatures of Faerie origin (or sometimes demonic depending on text) are susceptible to Cold Wrought Iron.

This goes WAY back in history and is right up there with Silver for werewolves, running water for vampires and the like.

My own theory as to why Cold Wrought Iron was thought to harm the Fae is that making something useful and difficult like a sword out of cold iron is a long, laborious, extremely difficult process that requires a very skilled smith. Anything that hard is likely to take on an element of mysiticism to it, as the general populous feel that if its so far beyond their ability, it must be magical.

Hence...Cold Wrought Iron became thought of as magical iron...and since the process was so unnatural, creatures that are so uniquely tied to nature as the Fae would be harmed by it.

Demons were added much, much later, largely based on the term 'cold'...cause if its cold, demons must not like it, right?

Cedric

 

[mythusmage]

We do have our share of misunderstandings and misapprehensions here. From my reading ...

Allotropic (pure) iron is soft and weak, compared to most alloys. It is the hardest and strongest of the pure metals.

Wrought iron is what you get when you smelt iron ore. Also known as pig iron. It's the raw material for cast iron and steel.

Steel is either wrought iron heated in charcoal, or the modern alloy made by adding carbon to molten iron. The modern stuff is much better. Though it should be noted that true steel needs manganese as a catalyst for proper alloying. However, too much manganese turns the steel brittle. Something the Italians ran into during World War II (Italian armor plate would crack when hit by an anti-tank shell).

Cast iron is made by adding carbon and silicon to molten iron, and then casting it. Cooled fast it becomes black iron, cooled slowly white iron. Gray iron is cast iron that cooled at a normal rate.

Note that metal can be smelted without melting it. All you need to do is heat it until it becomes plastic. At which time material with a different melting point will separate out. But not entirely, which is how you get slag. Cast metals are stronger than wrought metals by and large, while die cast metals are stronger yet. However, die casting involves very high pressure and very small lots. For examples of die cast metal check the change in your pocket.

The whole 'cold iron' thing? It's what you get when a clueless academic tries shrouding his tush. It's of a type as the idea Chuchulain's gaer bolg (foot spear) was some sort of spiky soccer ball. It's iron that burns the fey; gives them an incentive to learn well the arts of war. (He can't hit you, he can't hurt you.)