What is "crucible steel"

Crucible steel \Cru"ci*ble steel\ Cast steel made by fusing in crucibles crude or scrap steel, wrought iron, and other ingredients and fluxes.

n. A high-grade steel, used in tools and dies, originally made by fusing wrought iron and charcoal in a crucible.

n. steel made by the mixture of molten wrought iron, charcoal, and other substances in a crucible

Crucible steel is a term that applies to steel made by two different methods in the modern era, although it has been produced in varying locales throughout history. It is made by melting iron and other materials in a crucible. Crucible steel was produced in South and Central Asia during the medieval era. Techniques for production of high quality steel were developed by Benjamin Huntsman in England in the 18th century; however, Huntsman's process used iron and steel as raw materials rather than direct conversion from cast iron as in the Bessemer process. The homogeneous crystal structure of this cast steel improved its strength and hardness compared to preceding forms of steel.