What is Hot Short?

Its something I have read a couple times about the non-weldability of some alloys. Particularly those that have additives for better machineability like 1144.

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This is hot shortness due to high sulfur content, accidentally from the ore or the coal used to smelt it or intentionally to improve machinability.

It means the metal gets prittle when heated , usually beyonf red hot. You can bend it coldm but it crumbles when hot - like "shortbread"

Allegedly (I wasn't there myself :-) a recurring problem in the era of wrought iron when quality control at the ironworks was trial and error and in the supply chain very spotty. I've tried to forge a piece of hot short iron that crumbled under the hammer at orange heat.