Composition

• Wrought iron is a very particular kind of iron. The general definition is that it is commercially pure iron, which contains 1 to 4 percent slag, or iron silicate, by weight. This measurement of content was particularly important, as it's part of what gave wrought iron its strength.
  
  

Oxidation

• Wrought iron, since it is as close to pure iron as can be worked with commercially, is nearly immune to rust. This is mostly due to the purity of the metal, as it is much harder for iron by itself to rust than it is for an alloy or iron and something else to oxidize.
  
  

Flexibility

• Wrought iron is a very ductile form of iron to work with as well. This means that while wrought iron is strong and resilient, it's also easy to work it into a new shape, even one as thin as a wire or cable. Whether wrought iron was being forged by hand, or rolled out in a mill, this property is what made it such a popular material for crafting.
  
  

Grain

• Wrought iron is a fibrous metal, which gives it a grain similar to that found in wood. This fibrous nature of the metal is created by the inclusion of slag in the wrought iron. This unique grain is usually only seen when wrought iron is bent, or broken.
  
  

Welding

• The property that made wrought iron highly desirable for construction, both of buildings and of ships, was that it can be easily welded. This allowed large sections of wrought iron to be brought together and welded into place, whether they were for the hull of a battleship, or for a fanciful railing, the property remained the same.