Temperance

I've had to study for this Sunday's Sunday School Lesson about "Adding Temperance to Knowledge" to teach the Ladies Class, and discovered this about Tempering. I thought it had a lot of rich, spiritual symbolism (although I'll let you search those out for now. : )


Although Temperance also means "self-control". (which is the substitution that the NIV uses.) The KJV word "temperance" reveals a deeper, richer meaning by revealing the process by which we GAIN self-control.

First you need to understand why steel needs to be tempered. To understand that
you must understand the process before tempering, hardening. First metal is worked into the shape of what it is to become. For this example let's use a flat head screw driver.
After the metal is shaped into a flat head screw driver it needs to be hardened. To
harden the metal it is heated till it is orange hot. The deeper the color of orange to red signifies the temperature of the steel. The deeper the color orange to red the higher the temperature. This is very important and it takes practice to observe the colors.
Gradually plunge the metal’s hot colored end into oil. Completely immerse the metal into the oil and withdraw. Observe the color of the metal; it should be a blue to purple hue to the steel. Re-immerse the steel again and hold it there for a few seconds more. Withdraw the steel from the oil and plunge the steel into the water.

The super heating and rapid cooling make the metal very hard. However it also makes the metal very brittle. In our case a brittle flat head crew driver would be a bad thing. As soon as you applied to much pressure to the flat tip it would crack breaking the tip. This is where tempering is needed.

TEMPERING
After the hardening treatment is applied, steel is often harder than needed and is too brittle for most practical uses. Also, severe internal stresses are set up during the rapid cooling from the hardening tempera­ture. To relieve the internal stresses
and reduce brittle­ness, you should temper the steel after it is hardened.

Tempering consists of heating the steel to a specific temperature (below its hardening temperature), holding it at that temperature for the required length
of time, and then cooling it, usually instill air.

After hardening the flat head screw driver, we have made it very hard and brittle. Now we must temper the point. To do this slowly heat up the tip of the screw driver. However, it will not be heated to it’s hardening temperature, but below it. A blue line of heat will appear on the metal as the temperature rises and travels down the shaft of the screw driver. When you see this you have reached the correct temperature for tempering. Place the shaft on a metal surface and allow it to cool slowly. After it is cool your screw driver is tempered.

The tempering process has taken most of the brittleness from the steel. Allowing you to turn a screw and not have the tip crack and shatter.
　
The purpose of tempering is to reduce the brittleness imparted by hardening and to produce definite physical properties within the steel. Tempering always follows, never precedes, the hardening operation. Besides reduc­ing brittleness, tempering softens the steel.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2094362_temper-steel.html
http://www.tpub.com/steelworker1/11.htm

1Pe 4:12, 13 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

2Co 12:5-10 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.