Blacksmithing

File: 15146744_1878580599032708_1125639427_o.jpg (136KB, 1136x638px) Image search: [Google]

136KB, 1136x638px

This is actually my work station
2/2

about the questions:
>How can I have the metal more heat (omg Im sorry for the bad english Im from mexico and I dont know shit about how to say some things)
>Its ok if I use a piece of metal from a train station as an anvil?
How can I refine even more the blade of the knife? something like a mirror finish

come on man, at least put some effort into it

>>1089037
>How can I have the metal more heat
Build a proper forge
>Its ok if I use a piece of metal from a train station as an anvil?
It can get basic jobs done but you will struggle with a lot of projects without a proper anvil.
>How can I refine even more the blade of the knife?
Grinding and sanding.

>>1089034
what's the purpose of the CD drive?

>>1089069
its just trash, its on my backyard so there is a lot of grabage

File: 1422981541000.jpg (10KB, 255x255px) Image search: [Google]

10KB, 255x255px

>>1089033
>>1089034
That's a pretty shitty setup, where the fuck do you li-
> Im from mexico
Literal tribal niggers from africa have more advanced set-ups than you. You're entire country is a trash dump and you can't even find a piece of tool steel laying around to use as an anvil?

File: 12112154_1056020251108916_2092790907431508029_n.jpg (46KB, 479x739px) Image search: [Google]

46KB, 479x739px

>>1089095
you have all the complete reason my friend, here is a piece of big shit, I hope you build the wall faster, I cant wait to pay for it actually
But yeah, I canot find a good piece of metal to use it as an anvil.

>>1089037
pump air into the fire as its going, that will make more heat.
and any large piece of metal will work as an anvil if it has a large flat surface and a lot of mass behind it

File: 1361842934290.jpg (109KB, 800x600px) Image search: [Google]

109KB, 800x600px

>>1089037
>Its ok if I use a piece of metal from a train station as an anvil?

its better than nothing.

but you'll find it moves around a lot. best to go looking around for a big tree stump (at least 40cm across, 50 preferably) that it can be bolted down onto.

>>1089037
>>How can I have the metal more heat (omg Im sorry for the bad english Im from mexico and I dont know shit about how to say some things)


two options:

1: charcoal/coal forge: make a bucket-like bowl of steel, with a hole in the middle. Put a grille over the hole, and a " --˧ " shaped pipe. attach a hairdryer to the long pipe to the side, the hairdrier set to only blow cold air. the bottom part of the --˧ shape should be closed with an unscrewable cap. when ash falls in there, unscrew it to clean it out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uellcyt4OMA

you will need charcoal (coal isnt as good - it can cause problems with your steel, especially cheap coal - it contains phosphorus, which makes steel brittle.) for this version.


2: your second option is to make a box or tube (an old gas cylinder works well for a tube) with fire-proof insulating bricks all around, and attach a propane gas burner into it, shooting the flame into the enclosed space.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3uJxidyO5U

you will need propane gas supplies for that version.

either of those will give you the heat needed.

>>1089037
>How can I refine even more the blade of the knife? something like a mirror finish

1. you need to use the right sort of steel.

"steel" covers everything from shitty recycled rebar, to blade-quality tool steels.

I cant give you a mexican supplier, but go look at "New Jersey steel baron" for one source of carbon steel.
newjerseysteelbaron.com

As a beginner, you want to use "1084" steel.
Do not use scrap metal. the most important part of a knife is the steel used for it, and its carbon content. You do not know what the content of scrap is. it might be 0.18% mild, it might be .50% spring steel, it might be 1.0% tool steel. you can not tell without an engineering lab to test it. So dont waste your time with scrap.

1084 is a good carbon content steel which means it can be hardened by heat-treatment. Heat it up to glowing orange, and then touch it with a magnet. if its hot enough, its no longer magnetic. if the magnet is still attracted, get it hotter. Once hot enough, "quench" in oil - a basic cooking oil will do. DO NOT USE ENGINE OIL. (unless you want cancer.) when quenched, it will be hard as glass, and a file will slide right off it. to make sure it wont break, put it into an oven, and cook it at about 220C for 30-45mins. that will "temper" the blade, making it resilient.


2: you need the right tools. your cheapest tools are good quality files - bastard and 2nd cut files can be used after forging before heat-treatment to refine the shape. a better option for making stuff a lot is an angle grinder with discs, but it can be easy to grind too far and ruin the work. The best option is a grinder or linisher - the sort with a big sanding belt powered by a 2hp motor.

once rough ground and heat-treated, then you need to use either a grinder with fine belts, or hand polish, using emery papers, from 150 grit up to about 1200 grit at least, polishing by hand to remove all scratches.

>>1089119
Find used book (Ebay, Amazon?) by Wayne Goddard's THE FIFTY DOLLAR KNIFE SHOP which discusses primitive (simple) forges. I give you big "thumbs up" for merely beginning -- you have desire, and that will get you moving on the path to growth.

>>1089396
>THE FIFTY DOLLAR KNIFE SHOP
http://minhateca.com.br/AD_Producoes/CURSOS/Cursos+Profissionalizantes/constru*c3*a7*c3*a3o/CUTELARIA/Wayne+Goddard*27s+50+Dollar+Knife+Shop-Origional+Edition-PDF,928327353.pdf

>>1089104
thank you my man

>>1089409
>>1089396
>>1089124
>>1089119
Man holly shit I'm used to /b/ /pol/ /gif/ here on 4chan and I never post a thing because I think its useless, but you actually helped me, thank you guys, I'll show you my knifes in the future too, I'll put all my efort to make the charcoal forge the right way and I'll just download a torrent for the waynes goddard book.

>>1089432
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVV4xeWBIxE
this might give you some ideas or inspiration

>>1089034
is that a car stereo?

i haven't been this confused since i watched Marko Repairs coffee time in english, wondering why he had a PSU in his sink

>>1089485
this guy is a fucking genius I watched all his feed, he actually have a blog where put his projects in a very detailed way

>>1089117
damn, thats pretty

File: complete.jpg (261KB, 567x425px) Image search: [Google]

261KB, 567x425px

Like 15 years ago, I've started with blacksmithing, things didn't work out for personal reasons and I never became an accomplished blacksmith, but I managed to build a good propane gas forge, just found some old footage, which might interests you?

File: wfront2.jpg (135KB, 567x425px) Image search: [Google]

135KB, 567x425px

>>1089844
the corpus was made from sheet metal, welded into a hexagonal drum, and a side mounted venturi burner, the inside is lined with ceramic wool and refractory cement. The floor has a refractory brick (can't really see that) which makes it easier to redo the lining if the borax starts to eat trough the floor.

File: brennerganz.jpg (245KB, 567x425px) Image search: [Google]

245KB, 567x425px

>>1089845
The burner, the venturi nozzle was done on a lathe, the rest is just stainless steel plumbing parts, a 0.8mm welding nozzle and a couple screws and stuff I found on a pile of old metal.
You can regulate the pressure, the deep of the gas needle and the airflow. So adjusting pressure, heat and mix (lean or rich) was pretty simple

File: mount2.jpg (189KB, 567x425px) Image search: [Google]

189KB, 567x425px

>>1089847
this is how i mounted the burner on the forge corpus

File: mountclose.jpg (205KB, 567x425px) Image search: [Google]

205KB, 567x425px

>>1089849

File: brennerzerlgt.jpg (250KB, 567x425px) Image search: [Google]

250KB, 567x425px

>>1089851
details of the burner with the gas needle taken out of the burner head

File: ruek2.jpg (216KB, 567x425px) Image search: [Google]

216KB, 567x425px

>>1089854
door on the back side, it is handy to have an opening on the back if you have longer pieces to work on, but close it when heating up or working on a smaller piece to conserve fuel

File: toolrest2.jpg (249KB, 567x425px) Image search: [Google]

249KB, 567x425px

>>1089856
Also, retractable tool rest and carrying handle

File: ofenfertig.jpg (254KB, 425x567px) Image search: [Google]

254KB, 425x567px

>>1089857
This is the whole setup ready for use

File: wrpower.jpg (84KB, 567x425px) Image search: [Google]

84KB, 567x425px

>>1089858
The forge was fairly powerful, welding temperature was reached after only a few minutes

File: amboss.jpg (242KB, 425x567px) Image search: [Google]

242KB, 425x567px

>>1089859
And a last one, the Anvil I had back then, 150kg old german steel, theydontmakethemlikethatanymore

File: knife.png (653KB, 635x790px) Image search: [Google]

653KB, 635x790px

How to
> build a forge
> make blacksmith tools
> heat thread
> find steel
>Make tools (drill hoe tongs hammers Etc.)

https://murdercube.com/files/Knifemaking/Basic%20Blacksmithing%20-%20Local%20materials.pdf


All from above but special for knifemaking

https://murdercube.com/files/Knifemaking/The%20Complete%20Bladesmith-Forging%20Your%20Way%20to%20Perfection-Jim%20Hrisoulas-PDF.PDF
Don`t worry about the name its a file dump from /k/
Pic is from link two

File: Photo0037.jpg (122KB, 480x640px) Image search: [Google]

122KB, 480x640px

>>1089034
Fuck that dude I'm from Serbia an even worse shithole and I scrambled together a better forge than that.

I use a piece of railroad as anvil

>>1090696
Is that a literal hair dryer.

>>1090696
Where did you get a piece of railroad track in our shithole?
I've been searching for months.

>>1090846
Ask the local gypsy.

File: Photo0038.jpg (117KB, 480x640px) Image search: [Google]

117KB, 480x640px

>>1090731
yes and it gets welding hot

>>1090846
a friend gave it to me. I bought the firebricks at the local otpad, they are from some dismantled kotlarnica

>>1090854
I got material for the forge that's not an issue, anvil is, i'm using a big vise as one at the moment

File: Albion_Castellan_Medieval_Sword_(pommel)[1].jpg (18KB, 370x436px) Image search: [Google]

18KB, 370x436px

>>1090846
>>1090854
A bit unrelated, but does any of you two know where the hell I can get something that I have a 3D model of (fittings for a sword, basically a pommel and crossguard) made in ex-Yu (Slo/Cro/Serb)?

>>1090859
Come again?

>>1090857
It was a problem for me too at the beginning. What I did first was take a 4kg macola head, dig a hole in the end of the log and jam it in there. Still better than nothing. You can find one at the local buvljak, the bigger the better ofcourse.

>>1090859
???

>>1090857
>>1090862
If you buy one, try to get an old one, they where much better made in the past than the ones you can buy today.

File: amboss.jpg (1MB, 2048x1536px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 2048x1536px

>>1090863
Yes old Austrian anvils are a thing of beauty but I don't have the money to buy one. Remember it's a shithole country and you don't just find money laying around. I cut wood in the forests for a living and it's hard earned money that I don't spend easily.

This is a nice anvil

http://www.kupujemprodajem.com/nakovanj-39887501-oglas.htm

>>1090865
I got this one >>1089860
in exchange for 12 bottles of wine from my uncles vineyard. They simply didn't want it anymore and I just had to pick it up.

>>1089034
>them weird knees

>>1089069
hes running CAD.
its one of those Mexican Auto Forges

File: 54cb5ab355d2d_-_german-knives-072710-xlg.jpg (40KB, 614x273px) Image search: [Google]

40KB, 614x273px

Can I ask a forgeing/smithing related question here?

I wanna make a kitchen knife with this type of bolster (top image). I want it to be a solid part of the blade, because it's useful as a can opener and other rough cracking jobs, but only if it's real solid.

Does anyone know how this bolster is usually made? Do they grind a blank down from the width of the bolster? Could I hammer out a bolster like that, somehow?

can i use a yaki-ire diy alternative and should i bother with it? its for a file knife

>>1091014
Well you could weld them to your steel blanks and proceed to forge and grind

Or you can do it the way blacksmiths do it, which is with a die. Like this guy (kinda amateurish tho)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXD0X8ilJ2g

>>1091014
>>1091062
maybe you can get a better idea from this other video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGZBCAgPQQs

File: 20161128_140122~2.jpg (1MB, 3790x2223px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 3790x2223px

>>1091065
This is exactly what I needed. Only thing is, I'm making a much larger knife. 8 inch blade and 3 inch heel. Would I need a large diameter rod for that? It's a kitchen knife, so the majority of the spine is only going to be about 1/16 inch.

>>1091087
well you can upsett it at the handle if you need to, but it is hard work and you need the right tools.

>>1091094
> hard work and you need the right tools.
What are you talking about? You only need a hammer to upset something. You literally just heat the portion you want to upset and then hit it.

>>1091104
>then hit it.
Then hit it some more and then some, at least if he wants to draw it out to the measures he posted and doesn't use a power hammer.

>>1091108
You can just isolate the 1" you want to upset, you don't need to do it to the entire bar of steel.

>>1091109
true, but then a die would be helpful.

>>1089099
I like this meme

>>1091115
dank meme

File: FG3ITWDIM5WIV62.LARGE (1).jpg (96KB, 1024x576px) Image search: [Google]

96KB, 1024x576px

But howe is an anvil built? It seems from my studies that cast will shatter and welding will break? How are these thingstill made to beat on for hundreds of years? Any anvil I find worth a fuck is over $2,000. Survey I can build one of similar quality cheaper? Pick related. My future burners.

>>1091357
The foot is cast, the upper part is steel, and was forgewelded to the foot.

>>1091357
>>1091363
http://www.ernst-refflinghaus.de/die-ambossherstellung.html

>>1091364
Nice! Looks like I'm starting with a railroad tie.

>>1091357
HOLY MOTHER OF CHRIST PUT A FUCKING CLAMP ON THE RUBBER HOSE

>>1091357
> It seems from my studies that cast will shatter and welding will break?

depends on the material.
cast iron will break. cast steel will make a world-class anvil.

old anvils were wrought iron, with steel faces welded on, which are solid.

modern welding of pieces isnt as strong. but old wrought can "slump" over use.

File: Screenshot_4.png (30KB, 125x127px) Image search: [Google]

30KB, 125x127px

>>1091111
OMFG THIS QUAD HOLLY SHIET HOW NOBODY NOTICES IT?

>>1091357
probably cast and then forged to shape in an advanced smithy. Also remember that in the old days it wasn't necessarily all about peasants hitting things with hammers. They had machines, they had hammers powered by waterwheels and windmills

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAv3hkOQZjg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVmF6Nsf77Q

>>1091402
who cares

>>1091381
LOL.

>>1091418
I watched some youtubes. Hammer the size of a bus and a team of 5 guys beating the piss out of it.

I'll pay the $500 for a used one until I can get a club started so we can make our own.

>>1091465
Where I live I can find a decend old 50kg anvil for about 200 euro

>>1090865
>I cut wood in the forests for a living and it's hard earned money that I don't spend easily.
In that case one advise, learn ho to make tongs, besides hammer and anvil they are your most important tool, and a blacksmith is judged how well he can make them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H4h79Sflik
As long as you can make your own tools, money is not that an issue, you can make tongs out of old rebar as long as you know how to. If you know what to look for, old bearings, old flat springs etc. you can find all you need on a junk yard.
You will find a good anvil for a good price some day. stay away from newly made cheap ones, they are not worth it.

>>1089074
why is there garbage in your yard

>>1091486
I make tongs from 14mm rebar. I made 4 of them.
What I feel I'm missing with railroad is two things.
One is the edges. If I had square edges to forge on the tongs would look much better.
The second is the ability to hold the piece on the anvil. How do I drift a hole on a piece of railroad? I don't have a hardy hole or a hole for a holfast. Maybe I should invent something for this purpose, like welding locking pliers to the railroad. I forged them flat then drilled with a normal bit which also works ok.
Also rebar is pretty ugly by itself.

>>1091481
Cool. Well I have considered just getting a steel cube and heat treating it along with about anot 8 inch diameter leight of round bar and having my machinist taper one side. For the price and hassle though I may be better off using my dad's beat up railroad tie until I can find a good deal.

>>1090859
I'm neither of those two but does this help you?

https://www.3dhubs.com/ljubljana

>>1091561
Maybe weld some vise grips or an actual vise to it? Weld some thick walled pipe in Lue of a hole. Hit 1 side with a grinder for an edge?

>>1091846
Look what this guy does at 2:40

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW8XUdjz5Aw

File: Screenshot_20161130-103152.png (643KB, 1440x2560px) Image search: [Google]

643KB, 1440x2560px

>>1089124
>newjerseysteelbaron.com thank u for this and the tips anon. Tried 2 days buffing my trash knife thinking I was doing it wrong.

>>1089432
Do it.

Kast-o-light 30 LI and propane are master race

File: Screenshot_20161130-110403.jpg (728KB, 1418x864px) Image search: [Google]

728KB, 1418x864px

>>1089485
/diy without autism. Good lord what we could accomplish. But no. Let's talk shit oneeded each other and find creative ways to make cocks... lol. Did he make metal in that vid? Pic related. Sent my brother a care package and my wife made some extra cookies...

>>1089489
Shit. 13 million hits on that vid. He probably makes a living doing this shit. If not then it looks like he doesn't even need monies. Fuckers would do a voice over with more info he would be a star.

>>1091880
Yasser! I'm gonna have so many pin on accessories ima need a fucking rack. This is useful as I can beat on shit between trucks.

If I don't fuck up my loader I can use the bucked to beat on larger shit. Fuckit. Big ass forge incomming. Who need a anvil!

>>1091977
wtf did you just say dude

So im gonna be building my forge this weekend. Im gonna be turning an old air tank into a propane forge with a venturi burner and I was curious to see if any of yall use venturi burners and what you think about them

>>1092239
see here >>1089844

>>1091561
How about you get a 1" square bar and drill a hole through it?

>>1092380
I was thinking about a larger block lik 5x5 with progressive holes and dies in it. I found a rich friend who is a policeman and hobby machinist. He has a fully equipped machinist shop with lathe mill drill press brooch plasma cutter etc.

File: images (30).jpg (9KB, 259x194px) Image search: [Google]

9KB, 259x194px

>>1091990
LOL. I talk or type and edit my phones bullshit. Looks like I got in a hurry and forgot. After many youtubes and hours planning I am building a forge large enough to heat treat iron blocks for a makeshift anvil. It is going to be mounted on my trailer and propane. So I can chain a large weight or fill my loader bucket with 6 tons at work and fucking beat on it and roll it around until I somewhat approve of the shape. Then i can take a hammer or air chisle and grinder to it.

Near free 6 sided cube to beat on.

Hillbilly beginner anvils for all!

>>1092239
I'm about to. Will let u know

File: IMG_20161201_171626.jpg (1MB, 1944x2592px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 1944x2592px

I finished this today. Those are poles for old tugboat railing. The angles vary because the deck is terribly uneven and it wont me mounted near the smitty so the guys can pick and maybe have it easier for bending to final angle in order to the pipe that will run throught the holes to be straight.

It is a bit rough smithing as the guys requested.

File: 1480163822856.png (516KB, 425x567px) Image search: [Google]

516KB, 425x567px

>>1089860

>>1092531
nice job

>>1092531
how do they work? They pound them in the boards?

File: 4933318_orig.jpg (201KB, 949x800px) Image search: [Google]

201KB, 949x800px

>>1091561
to punch and drift a hardy through that thick of a piece of steel you'd have to be mad and have a lot of coal/ fuel.
I would recommend what this guy>>1092380 is saying and try to weld a square angle iron onto it.
You could also make a stake anvil with square edges that is beaten into a heavy log for whatever you want.

>>1092767
kek what I was meaning is "how do i hold a piece of iron on a piece of railroad so that i can drift it" because it's very narrow and round and it wanders all over the place

File: pieter boele.jpg (327KB, 1024x768px) Image search: [Google]

327KB, 1024x768px

>>1092558
The deck is steel and the feet will either be welded to the deck, or holes will be drilled through the feet and the poles will be bolted to the deck. Similar to this boat from holland

>>1089124
Why would you choose to quench it in oil rather than water?

>>1092925
slower cooling, less stress, less chance of the blade breaking, maybe forming bainite instead of martensite.

File: up3_0.jpg (43KB, 480x480px) Image search: [Google]

43KB, 480x480px

>>1092956
You lads think these could make some cool knives? Kinda like the spike or wrench knives? Lots of oil field guys around here. Essentially have unlimited access to 1/2" and 3/4" diameter rods with bad Threads or a bad bend in the middle.

Could torch off a pickup load of ends or maybe even draw out some machetes?

>Google pic related to the point we be tripping over these in Kansas.

>>1092968
Yes, I'm pretty sure you can see that lot as scrap metal for at least $10, which will cover yourself buying some proper steel that you know the composition of, so you can heat-treat it properly.

>>1092925
>Why would you choose to quench it in oil rather than water?

because 1084 is an oil-quenching steel.

Therefore, you use oil. Cunningly enough.


Use water, and you get a visit from the Tink fairy.

File: Farbe02.jpg (54KB, 449x480px) Image search: [Google]

54KB, 449x480px

>>1092968
Any idea what steel that is? You can get knife steel from old files, old leaf springs, old roller bearings and such.

for absolute basic heat treatment, heat the blade to low orange, you can check with a magnet, when it doesn't react anymore, you are about right. try to keep the temperature for some minutes, then take it out of the fire and let it cool slowly.

The steel is now soft, work with a file on it to give it the final shape.

repeat this heating/cooling process once more it reduces stress. Temperature is depending on steel composition, 750-820°c for basic carbon/tool steels. the heat needs to be evenly distributed in the whole blade, and don't overheat.

heat a third time to that heat, and then quench it fully in plant oil.
Afterwards temper in the oven, around 30-45min at 220°-240°C.

The chart is Gluehfarben (glow colors of the steel in the dark) and Anlassfarben (Tempering colors, polished hardened steel takes on color when tempered, go for gold)

forgeweld steel at yellow white, work it on bright orange yellow and heat threat at red-orange

>>1089074
Clean it up amigo, a clean workspace is the best workplace

>>1089485
Holly christ thats amazing

>>1093021
>Clean it up amigo, a clean workspace is the best workplace

Does that also apply to a workspace that's about 3 inches square because the rest of the entire workshop is full of assorted projects, or 23 million tools and similar equipment?

if so, that's me fucked...

>>1093038
Guess you're fucked m8, sorry

>>1089117
10/10 would drop on coyotes

File: 15311584_10212052939864464_248899870_o.jpg (407KB, 1536x2048px) Image search: [Google]

407KB, 1536x2048px

>>1089033
I'm a heavy weapons fighter in the Society for Creative Anachronism and I'm getting into building my own armor. Most work can be done on an anvil and a dishing stump, but I have a small stick welder and access to a small propane forge. I just brought a log and a section of I-beam into the shop--how can I improve my anvil setup?

pic related

>>1094090
By making the I-beam a solid cube. You have almost no mass under the striking surface, it's gonna wobble like a bitch, and I don't doubt it's gonna break. That being said unless you have a real anvil somewhere else not in the pic I recommend getting an excavator pin from a scrap or junkyard rounding one side with an angle grinder and setting it a couple inches deep into the stump, flip as necessary to get a round end or flat end. Or get two. keep the I beam in a strategic location to do a real quick flattening job of needed

>>1094115
I've got a small stack of flat scrap pieces from the same beam, I could probably weld some additional support onto this. My vehicle is at the shop right now, so for now I'm mostly stuck with what I have around. How much do those pins usually go for?

File: WP_20161204_21_36_18_Rich (2).jpg (1MB, 4825x1545px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 4825x1545px

I came across a bastard sword that turned out to be very poorly constructed. The tang was made from a 3/16" partially threaded rod that was ground to be square that was poorly welded to the blade. Needless to say, it broke.
Above the guard is a large section of the blade without an edge. Could I reshape this section of the blade into a new handle with a guard and pommel?

>>1094159
Yes.

>>1094090
An I-beam is too light to be a good anvil, but it will work. armor uses a dishing stump more often than you would think so you should be fine using an I-beam. but focus on getting the dishing stump right
>>1094159
does it tell you what kind of steel it is? The answer to your question doesn't really depend on the steel, but remember stainless doesn't like to stay in pieces over a foot. If it is a decent steel you will ruin the temper unless you keep it under 200F the whole time you work on it.

>>1094164
Found a faded mark, looks like it is stainless steel. So I shouldn't bother with it?

>>1094168
do you plan on hitting it with a hammer?

>>1094169
I was thinking a grinder and probably a drill press for pins

>>1094171
it will be a fine knife, just don't go sparring with it

>>1094173
Thanks for the words of wisdom and encouragement. I hope to one day learn actual blade smithing.

File: raw_materials_for_billet2.jpg (100KB, 800x560px) Image search: [Google]

100KB, 800x560px

hey smithbros

I understand 1084 is considered the easiest beginner's heat treat steel (go just slightly beyond non-magnetic). I live in the UK where 1084 isn't nearly as well-stocked.

Are there UK equivalents with non-stringent and forgiving HT properties?
Many thanks

>>1094291
Yes several, look for EN42 spring steel or CS80 spring steel both should be easy to heat treat and make a decent knife steel.

>>1094305
He should be able to get AISI 6150 which makes for some of the larger blades quite well, it does like a soak though.
CS80 and C85S are essentially 1084-185 anyway in terms of composition, or very close enough to it.
CS100 is pretty close to 1095, will make an excellent blade- its a little less forgiving than the 80 or 85 though, but should be do-able for most folks.

I use a lot of Sheffield O1 from the UK and it makes some nice blades, you do need to soak it and the double-temper does tend to mean it takes longer as a final product

>>1094158
Depends what scrap steel costs wherever you are, and most pins from what I remember are 50-70 ish lbs

>>1092997
Fucking fantastic info. Thanks bro. No idea what steel these rids are. Will have to do some research.

>>1092968
I'm not exactly sure, but I 'think' they used to make those drill extensions out of unharded W1 tool steel.

In which case they'll make a heck of a knife.
To be 100% sure you'd need a lab materials analysis... to be 'kinda sure' you could jam it in a bench grinder and see how many orange sparks it shits out (compare it to some known mild, low carbon steel alloy), if it really lights up then it'll probably work for knife blades.

>>1094320
>>1094305
Thank you very much!

>>1094395
Cool. Have grinder on them a lot. Fucking spark shower. Thanks anon. Will give it a go soon.

>>1094395
>W1 tool steel.
Thats one excellent knife steel, gives a really fine edge if you treat it proper! Old W1 is among my absolute favorites for small to mid sized blades.

>>1094528
Spark shower, like the sparks burst in mid air into several more sparks? If so, thats a good sign. double check with some old rebar, those sparks should not burst and the spray is smaller.

>>1094561
On the W1, DIN# would be 1.1545, EN is C105U (old C105W1 or just W1)
Heres the data sheet, it is equivalent to Bohler K990: http://www.bohler.at/deutsch/files/downloads/K990DE.pdf
This data is for industrial production, you can harden at 820° and get crisp 67 HRC out of it.

If you are lucky and those drills really are old W1 you got yourself an endless supply of top notch knife steel.

File: hamon2.jpg (177KB, 1200x300px) Image search: [Google]

177KB, 1200x300px

>>1094528
W1 should also be able to form a hamon line if you clay up the edge during the quench. (use oil- water is just too harsh for blade and runs a risk of cracking)
People go nuts for that because its pretty, but the softer spine and harder edge is also quite desirable for some types of knives.

Congrats of having an arseload of free steel!

File: Capture1and2.png (98KB, 1297x1100px) Image search: [Google]

98KB, 1297x1100px

hello, dont mean to intrude but this seems like the most appropriate thread as i cant find a qtddtot.

I have a project to do and i dont think we are doing everything correctly and want a second opinion.

Firstly am i wrong for thinking that cutting into this at such a shallow angle with a hacksaw is silly

Secondly would you say that trying to file the entire slot without drilling is incorrect, I am under the impression that the file is used for removing small amounts of material

pic related. thanks in advance

>>1094805
You can saw with a bit of a curve to have a sharper angle of entry.

File: slide-03.jpg (84KB, 950x375px) Image search: [Google]

84KB, 950x375px

>>1094576
Sorry. I mean they are sucker rods. They take the drill pipe for reuse.

>>1094851
I do work at a quarry tho. I know out drill steels are hardened. Will have to talk to the driller.

>>1094851
Drill rods would be W1, sucker rods are likely something in the AISI 4120 range and not that suitable for blades.

>>1094859
Cool. Thanks anon.

what should i look for while scrapping for knife steel?

>>1095046
old files, old leaf springs, old roller bearings, sometimes old chisels.

File: jnkstee1.jpg (189KB, 958x1283px) Image search: [Google]

189KB, 958x1283px

>>1095046

>>1095046
Anything will do.... Aluminium, Copper, brass, steel.

to sell as scrap metal.

if you're trying to make blades from scrap metal, you're a fucking idiot. you do not have x-ray vision, you can not tell if its riddled with microfractures, you can not tell the carbon content of the steel from colour or taste. you do not know if its water, or oil, or air-hardening.

using Mystery Metal is a fool's game.

you can get a metre of good steel, straight, unused, of a spec which is known so you can heat-treat it properly, for $20. You have to be an utter idiot to waste your time on scrap. the only point where scrap is relevant is if you're searching for antique wrought iron, not steel.

>>1095113
I think you are pretty alone with your opinion.

>>1095275
only when in the company of fucking amateurs.

I am fortunate enough to know the company of many competent professionals, and not one of them goes around collecting scrap metal to use, because they actually know what they're doing.

But, if you enjoy playing mystery metal roulette, getting shit heat-treatment that is suboptimal, having your blades fail because you got some springs out of a truck that's been down 1/4 of a million miles of logging roads hauling trees and they were riddled with microfractures, or any shit like that, be my guest.

This is an anon board, so I'm happy to say you wont come running to me whining like a fucking muppet when you finally realise I was right.

>>1089033
That machete/sickle thing is actually really cool.
Good job man.

>>1095282
Change your tampon friend, your getting obnoxious again.

>>1095113
>>1095282
It is cool that you are this super 1337!!! pro and everything, but we are just backyard smiths on a budget.
Old files are fine, heat treatment in oil is fine, checking temperature with a magnet is fine and if if we do not get the last bit of hrc hardness out of them, so be it.
Also, check your language, this is a comfy thread and you are making a complete ass out of yourself.

>>1095113
>>1095282
You're so cool! C-can I touch you?

Thing with scrapping is that its fine to practice on, learn how to get enough heat into the steel or iron, move the metal around with your hammers and generally fuck around until you're comfortable with doing whatever you're wanting to do with it. I made heaps of junk blades when I was a teenager, its fun but nothing serious and most of it pretty fucking terrible.

Later on, you get this thing called 'time'
Basically you have less and less of it where I'm dodging the wife's accusing glares that I might be goofing off, have to go to work, make dinner, change the bubs nappy etc
So what I'll do is find a steel and master it- O1, 1095, 15N20, 1085 are steels that I can work with and don't need to guess anything. Stuff like the W1, W2, A2, couple of the stainless steels I'm not as intimately familiar with like my primary specialities, I know a little bit about them, but not off the top of my head and might need to hit the books/internet to find out how to work them.

My advice for people starting out and getting serious- find a material you like to work with and stick to it for a while and learn from it.

>My ideas for saving 5 bucks mean I think I know more than your decade of professional experience: the thread.

Have fun playing with scrap. I'm done here.

>>1089117
If you have a decent tree stump, you can actually use that as a dish.
You just spend a day or so hammering down the center to compress it into a bowl, and then boom, you can now dish steel.
It will maintain shape for a very long time, because it can only compress so far, but it will quickly become useless if you let it rot.

>>1089033
If I buy a Harbor Freight cast anvil, am I going to have a bad time? Should I just hold out for a proper forged one of an appropriate size? I'm mostly cold forging armor, but I'd like to make some shit out of glowing hot metal to feel like a badass at some point.

>>1095543
the hobo fright anvils are shit, cast iron will crack, deform, and break under the stress you will be putting to it with a hammer. get a piece of rail for less money and more bang for your buck.

File: stake.jpg (20KB, 480x360px) Image search: [Google]

20KB, 480x360px

>>1095543
for armour your better choice would be a nice stump, and get some 3/4 inch internal diameter square steel tube, weld it onto a flange, and mount onto your dishing stump.

then take good steel balls and similar, and make stales for working down onto, rather than an anvil. an anvil is pretty limited use in armouring.

this, unlike blademaking is an area where tooling can be made from scrap - specifically, the tool bits from old diggers, etc - bucket teeth, for example are replaced when worn but can be perfectly well repurposed with grinding with a bit of water to keep them from getting hot, to make stakes, creasing stakes, etc, all of which can be welded onto a few inches of 3/4 inch square stock, and will fit into the stake holder described earlier.

File: stump.jpg (45KB, 800x600px) Image search: [Google]

45KB, 800x600px

>>1095611
if you do that method, you've got a slightly oversized mounting for stakes, when you can finally afford a decent anvil, the stake bodies can be ground down a little and will fit perfectly in the hardy hole.

>>1095113
i live in a thirdworld shithole i cant buy proper high carbon steel
>>1095059
>>1095055
thank you

File: DSCN00262.jpg (3MB, 4124x3096px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 4124x3096px

I just tried making a knife

>>1095820
for a folding knife?

>>1095837
yes i'll make the handle next

>>1095838
I look forward to see that, the blade looks ok! What steel did you use?

File: d63440e708f6fc97fefbb4393cee4706.jpg (23KB, 640x480px) Image search: [Google]

23KB, 640x480px

>>1095843
scrap, it's from a pair of knipex nippers that i broke some days ago. decided to practice making a knife out of them
I'm not sure about the temper, it should be somewhere around ok as it skids a file

File: IMG_5609.jpg (157KB, 722x1280px) Image search: [Google]

157KB, 722x1280px

I finally got my new forge all set up and lit it today, and it works extremely well if I do say so myself, gets to welding temperature on 1/4th inch mild steel within 2 minutes from cold

File: IMG_5608.jpg (2MB, 3264x2448px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 3264x2448px

>>1096579

>>1095275
Although he sounds a bit faggy, hes correct. By all means use the shit outta that scrap to get comfortable making practice knives to get better, give em to friends, family, etc. But if you plan on selling to the general public or anything like that, buy known steel because the last thing you want is your reputation ruined because you sold someone a piece of shit.

>>1095848
NIGGA HOW THE FUCK U BREAK GOD TIER PLIERS

>>1096612
This

>>1096820
apparently they are not really that god tier
I was cutting the head of a nail using only my hands and they snapped right above the rivet. I was pretty disappointed because they were also pretty expensive

>>1089034
I'd be way more impressed if you would clean that Mexican looking trashed up yard then if you made a katana

>>1095055
Make sure you grind all the files you use smooth, or you risk weak spots at every ridge.

File: ForgeDesign.png (21KB, 1510x682px) Image search: [Google]

21KB, 1510x682px

So my boss gave me a piece of pipe and I want to turn it into a coal forge tell me what you think of this. Its a heavy piece and I never intended to build a coal forge first I am trying to find a cheap air tank to make a propane forge.

Also excuse my MSpaint skillz

>>1094305
>>1094320

UK friends,
Am I right in thinking that one of the reasons 1084 is recommended is because it's so easy to heat treat at home? Just go a hair beyond non-magnetic and then quench?

Any advice on whether CS80 / EN42 / C85s / CS100 can be home HT?

Thank you!

>>1097581
maybe an end-on air source rather than side on?

>>1097581
If its galvanized make sure you strip it before using, zinc fumes are serious shit

File: highcarboncomparisons2.jpg (60KB, 600x327px) Image search: [Google]

60KB, 600x327px

>>1098009
CS80 is roughly the same as 1075, CS85 is pretty close to 1084-85 and the EN42 is somewhere in the 1075-1085 range
Most tend to contain a bit more silicon than the ASI equivalents though which makes them a little tougher, but harder on the tools when forming. When you buy a decent steel they should send you the heat treatments, but it can't hurt to ask that they send it to you- if they dont/won't then I'd be wary of them.

Not based in the UK, but I tend to buy some steel from the UK as it has good quality controls (as does US, Japan, Australia, northern Europe and German produced steels)- so I know what I'm getting and not some crap that a Chinese fella has just lumped together.
Leave the Chinese steel to the mass-manufactured blades that Cold Steel, Gerber and other junk uses.

>>1098024
Many thanks kind anon! That is very helpful

From your experience, do they send heat treatment info in terms of oven temperatures and quenchant?

I'll need to purchase a small toaster oven then I'm guessing, rather than just making steel non-magnetic and dunking it edge first in clean veg oil?

Do you know any UK suppliers of small-quantity c85s?

Many thanks again!

>>1098015
it's not, Im a welder so I'm well aware of galvanic poisoning, watched a dude throw his entire guts up and his eyes swell shut because he didnt listen to anyone

>>1098012
like on the back end? does it make a difference?

>>1098009
>>1098024
talk to Andy at Furnival Steel about EN42J

good stuff, excellent prices.

>>1098050
Very grateful for your tip!
Is EN42J a steel that can be Heat Treated by a casual novice or does it need to be sent away to a facility?

Does it take alright to stock removal?

>>1098048
sorry, i may have been wrong.
I meant side vs bottom air supply.

There's a few different opinions online by people way more knowledgeable than me.

>>1098050

For EN42J, is it more suited to hefty choppers rather than small sharp friction folders?

I'd quite like to make both

File: P9020011.jpg (548KB, 1600x1200px) Image search: [Google]

548KB, 1600x1200px

>>1098036
They do, I generally use these guys for my O1 tool steel, but they do other stuff as well-
http://www.westyorkssteel.com/
Mostly because I was making some knives with anglo origins, so I felt it would be true to their historical era by using an English steel and while so people go all out on the machinery and tools, I tend to spend my money on the best quality materials I can find.
This means I-
>Don't make a lot
>Takes fucking ages
>Ain't cheap
As complicated as I get are a bench grinder, angle grinder, rotary tool and a drill press, everything else is hand tools, sweat and the odd bit of blood.
...then I went completely "art fag" for the last couple of weeks making this thing. Its about 80% done, still needs a final edge, final hand polish and a bit more work to the handle coats. (Yes, putting a fuller in a kitchen knife is kind of weird and yes it did drive me slightly insane)

>>1098059
>>1098062
Should be completely fine to do at home, it's mostly suited to the mid-range knives like a bush knife, machete, butchers knives and other stuff. It will take a fine edge and with the right temper will be immensely tough.
For the insane, cuts like a laser, the 1095 and O1 tend to be a bit of both with O1 being mechanically a tiny bit better for edge holding and strength.
Generally for the long, tough blades like swords (or axes) people go down into the 1075, 8660, 5160 steels

I mentioned up here- >>1095324
Find a steel you like, can work with and master it.

>>1098101
>>1098062
for O1, (and stainless) you might like to look at Groundflatstock,com - far better prices for supply of O1.

EN42's one of my two preferred options for swords, En45 being the other. you dont really want a carbon content much over 0.7% for swords, its better to have a little more resilience and less overall hardness. 42 works brilliantly for seaxes. however.

>>1098230
>>1098101

Absolutely wonderful, thank you immensely!

HT is the biggest worry of mine, it's the main thing holding me back from making a purchase of one of the steels you've recommended.

Is there a low-effort HT method for novices trying to get into bladesmithing/cutlery?

File: cf3218434a1c5a94750690d9c2f0cd33.jpg (52KB, 640x480px) Image search: [Google]

52KB, 640x480px

>>1098230

Are you the same helpful anon as
>>1098101

What's your opinion on EN42 for a handy friction folder? Not suitable steel for a fine edge-retaining blade?

>>1098101
Forgot to say, gosh that's beautiful!

>>1098248

Basic HT is straightforward:

Get this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Electronics-Photo/Signstek-Channel-Digital-Thermometer-Thermocouple/B00HA22XEC/

And get this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Home-Kitchen/WRNK-1100C-Thermocouple-Probe-Temperature-Sensor-3x200mm/B00GN7VV8O/

(I assume you have a forge of some sort.)

Use O1 for your first try or two, its pretty idiot-proof, even if 1085 is even more idiot-proof. Make just a basic shape, with thick edges, no detailed handle work to practice

copy the info here: http://www.cashenblades.com/steel/o1.html

use the digital thermometer and probe to check the core temperature around your blade as it heats up, get it over the phase point, and leave it sitting at about 815c for 10 mins.

use a basic kitchen cooking oil for a quench (DO NOT USE MOTOR OIL), later on you can start looking at Houghton quench oils (or if you can find it, Parks' 55). Heat the oil up to about 60-70C before use - best way I find for small amounts is just to use a big steel bar, heat it with the forge till its dull red as the blade's soaking, then plunge it in the oil, and stir it, dump all the heat into the oil, and that will preheat it to about right.

then quench, vertically, and slowly let the blade move through the oil back and forth as it cools - not side to side.
dont even bother with straightening if you've got it warpy, yet.

with that in place, just use your normal bog-standard oven. I use a Scotchbrite maroon pad to clean up the oily shite, and if I can, polish it up a little with a second pad so you get back to clean metal. Then pop it in the oven at 240 - slightly softer than some, but good for learning. you can try harder later on. I'd generally do 2 passes like that, 30 mins each.

once you've done that, clean up the blade, and break it. bend it in a vice, test to see if its springy, and if its got any problems.push it past the limit, and then check the grain in the break. should be bright and small crystals.

File: MPRondel.jpg (723KB, 1600x1200px) Image search: [Google]

723KB, 1600x1200px

>>1098252
No, I'm the crotchety old bastard from earlier in the thread who was telling people not to dick about like idiots with mystery metal.

I wouldn't use En42 for a razor, and DESU, I wouldn't use it for a fine folder simply because I get O1 in whatever thickness I want, and its got better edge-holding for a small blade - whereas I tend to get EN42 in 6mm or 9mm sheets 5 foot long x 18 inches wide for swords and the likes.

That said its as much a case that the performance differences are minimal for the sort of work I do, I probably could make a fine folder from EN42 and have it be 99% as tough as O1 would, but the important factor for me is it saves me forge time - I have severe RSI damage in both hands, which makes excessive forge-work extremely damaging to my already-wrecked hands - I prefer to do light forge-work to shape when I have to, and the rest on the belt grinder. If you don't have any such physical limitations, that might not be an issue for you.

(BTW, if you want to buy a belt grinder, I can UTTERLY recommend https://downlandengineeringservices.com - their Maxi Grinder Direct isnt cheap, but its easily the best machine I've ever used. Serious bit of kit for when you're working as a professional, though.)

>>1098261
Absolute magic, many thanks!

The very helpful folk earlier suggested EN42J, EN45, CS85; is O1 better/just as good in your opinion?

I was hoping to avoid building a forge by going the stock removal method, but on second thought i'll need a forge to get my steel to HT temperatures won't I?

For the very last stage:
>once you've done that, clean up the blade, and break it.

Do you mean, leave myself with a broken blade? Is this just so that everything until then has been for practice, and then make a new blade?

>>1098268
>DESU

Oh great, another fucking wordfilter.

And DESU , I think I said. (testing, testing, 1,2,3)

"And to be honest, I wouldnt use" that should've been before the filters cocked it up.

>>1098268
Pretty annoying tendonitis in both elbows and hands myself, was hoping to mostly stock removal, maybe even avoid hammer hitting if possible and keep thing simple.

I realise this thread might have been the wrongn place to post for stock removal, but I figured the blacksmithing thread usually ends up a cutlery thread regardless.

O1 is one of the easier to source steels online in the UK, like the anon linked to earlier.
Is it as good as any other steel for the novice with minimal equipment?
Just do exactly as instructed >>1098261 ?

File: tasak.jpg (640KB, 1600x1200px) Image search: [Google]

640KB, 1600x1200px

>>1098269

yup. Break it. snap it in half (get yourself some safety glasses btw.)

Your first blade or two, dont even bother with finishing and shaping and sharpening - just get a rough shape (oh, safety again, if you're grinding, protect your lungs. did you know that 80% of sheffield grinders in the 19th C died before their 50's, specifically of lung problems? grinding dust will fuck you up. I recommend you get this sooner than later:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/3MTM-6800-Reusable-Full-Respirator/dp/B0012ZA1WE/

that and some dust filters will save your life.)

Just learn to heat-treat and be sure you're getting a nice blade with a crisp grain in it. Roughing out a blank from o1 stock with just a little bevelling on the flats shouldnt take more than an hour per blade, I can do it in about 20 mins for a steak-knife sized cutlery one. just make a set of those, and practice your heat-treat.

once you have that down and you're comfy with it, then, and only then, start thinking about making knives to use. there's no point in spending ages carefully designing and shaping your blade, drilling pin holes for scales and deburring and putting in all that work, if you cock up the HT on it. And your basic first few, to break and test will hurt you a lot less than that firstfinely crafted knife with a sharp edge, when it breaks because you accidentally had the thermometer on ferenheit not C, and only got it to 800f, and so it never got HTd, or something stupid like that.

I'd say o1 is better for small knife blades, simply because of ease of supply. you can get that in any thickness for a tenner or so. compare that with EN45 for swords - I have to get a minimum of 5m of the stuff. that's one hell of a lot if its just for a few folders...
En42, great stuff for swords, but that's not what you need for just getting into it.

And yes, some sort of forge for HT is needed. at a push, you can use a heath-robinson affair of torches and firebrick, but that limits your size.

>>1098272

I see no difference between forgework and stock removal. a good quality blade will require stock removal after forging and HT, a good quality stock removal knife will require stock romoval after HT too. stock removal is an integral element of making blades, and dont let anyone tell you otherwise.

I joke about being a cheater, when I'm hanging around with guys like Owen Bush and Peter Johnsson, but its just that, joking. there's no difference in what we do in the final thrust of it.

If you have tendonitis problems already, do not risk pushing it further. I used to work in the videogames industry, making AAA titles. (and ZZZ ones too. oh, the shit I worked on...) and I utterly fucked my hands. I quit in 2008, and every day I still wake up in pain, with hands that feel like dead lumps of fire. (and truth be told, even typing this hurts.). Do not push yourself to further damage by doing more than you have to. That would be fucking stupid.
Use the minimum of forgework you have to get the shapes you want - use lighter hammers and a small anvil, use it to do upsets or scrolls that are impossible by grinding. Use it for forgewelding and take it to the belt after that. I would stock remove half the bevel and just draw out the last little bits on the anvil and then put in my makers' mark, because your hands are irreplaceable. its not worth it, for the tiny little extra bragging right of having it forged right down to the last .5mm.

>>1098275
You've been absolutely brilliant, thanks again

Are the folk here:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1138204-Is-O1-Steel-a-good-quot-Beginners-quot-Steel

overstating the difficulty or are should what they're saying make me think twice? It's just that, as you'll probably know, their ideal 1084 just isn't so easy to source here (although the anons earlier recommended CS85 as a similar composition substitute)

File: P8280003.jpg (550KB, 1600x1200px) Image search: [Google]

550KB, 1600x1200px

>>1098230
I've used their stuff for quite a few things as there's a local supplier here that gives me free shipping, so when you're talking many kg's of the shit it can save a lot of money. Never ordered direct off them.
Might have to do a bit of a hunt around for some EN42 for a full length seax, I've made a few little hadseax utility knives with their O1 as they're just handy and I'm not really catering to the people that need a knife to fend off an evil ninja clan... though the smaller I make things the longer it seems to take. I'd like to get back into stainless again but my mum's nicked my nice electric kiln for her ceramics and doesn't look to be giving it back anytime soon.
(never lend tools kids!)

>>1098252
>>1098253
Go a 1095 or O1, there's also quite a few of the steels like A2, W1 and W2 you can get which are quite good but becoming less common that make really good small, very sharp blades.
15N20 might be worth a look in as well because its mildly-resistant to corrosion and can live in someone's pocket for a while as a folder with few ill effects, I quite like it and its a very under-utilised steel that polishes up like a mirror.

I'm mostly using O1 at the moment for my current run of little projects, the big ol kitchen knife thing actually looks a lot better but the reflections and gloss tend to make it hard to photograph, did the final polish on the blade and brass, its going to have a rest for the next 1-2days while the coating on the handle hardens up enough to polish. Handle is a mix of purpleheart and ebony, brass and stainless wire and also some crushed malachite I thought would suit as highlights.

>>1098268
Swear knifemakers are the walking wounded.
My hands and arms are mostly ok, right shoulder is fucked, back is sometimes stuffed, left knee is often a wreck, close up my eye sight's going, 50% in one ear, 75% in the other.
If I was a dog, someone would have put me down by now

>>1098280
>every day I still wake up in pain, with hands that feel like dead lumps of fire.

heck, you must have a real love of the art, to keep going as you do.
Thank you kindly for the advice and encouragement!

>>1098281
all steels are a little tricky, but the main thing to learn with o1 is just to have a soak time. do that, its pretty straightforward.

Even if you get it a little wrong, you're likely to have a passable basic knife. In fact, I occasionally deliberately heat-treat it with a shorter soak, so its a bit under-performing, so that it will wear down more like historical steels did. (I do historic stuff, rather than bushcrafting survival etc, where pure performance is needed.)

1084 is a better steel for a straightforward HT, I would agree with what's said in the thread in that regard. But that's not to say 01 is bad, far from it. With the headache of supply in the UK, I'd say O1 is the best simple choice, especially for a beginner.

Well, that, or you're going to have one hell of a postage fee from the NJ Steel Baron...

>>1098290
You'll be sick of hearing it most likely, but thanks yet again!

Getting this "roughly right" with magnet testing isn't good enough for O1 or anything serious is it?

>>1098285
Does knifemaking with stainless follow the same principles as other steel?

File: metal color temp chart.png (25KB, 744x613px) Image search: [Google]

25KB, 744x613px

>>1098293
Magnets are mostly shit :)
Its true, there is demag at certain temps, but the best way is colour. For O1 you want a bright-cherry, going onto salmon colour so I mostly do the heat treating at night where I can see where its at.
For a soak, if you don't have temperature control I'll generally finish the blade off to about 280-400 grit and then make a fine clay slip to cover the blade. When it goes in I'll get it to the bright cherry for a while and hold it there, if its getting too hot, pull it out and let it cool down a little, then run it back up to temp, do that 2-3 times and its generally enough for the soak on something the thickness of a knife blade and full magic to have happened.
Clay I've found is really handing when soaking as it stops decarburisation of the steel (burning off carbon from the upper layers) and makes clean up a much easier process.

The double temper is essential though, 2hrs + room temp cool down and then another 2hrs does seem to work best. You'll also want to get that blade straight from the quench to the oven as quickly as you can to prevent any cracking, quick clean it up and make sure theres no cracks or other shit happening and then straight in.

>>1098293

grab the digital thermometer I linked here - >>1098261 and you shouldnt even need a magnet. it'll cost you less than 25 quid, with the high-temp Thermocouple Probe. I dont think I've ever use a magnet test with it, in all the years I've done this. and yes, you can spend hundreds on ultra-high-tech thermometers, but for what we're doing, there's no real need. get it into the right range, +- 5 degrees, keep it there 10 mins, 20 if its a big heavy thing like a seax, and you'll be fine.


I am generally adverse to the "stick it against a magnet" approach. like using mystery metal, it opens up variables, and that means you get inconsistency. For a beginner, that's the last thing you want - you need to be able to use accurate measuring, and have hard numbers to measure and that way, you can eliminate uncertainties, to know your processes are working perfectly. Once you're more experienced, then you can start to think about using odd materials, and doing it differently, with the knowledge you now have of what's right. Till that point however, the most reliable, consistent method is to use accurate measurement, documented source material, and to follow the steps by the book. Anything else is just dicking around with hit stuff, really.

>>1098298
>>1098297
Thank you fine fine gentlemen(?)!!

>>1098294
No, much more involved process.
I used to use a bit of 440C and it makes for a tough blade, generally not as hard as my carbon steel stuff and runs around the 57-58HRC, whereas an O1 blade I will generally make to about 60-61HRC for utility/kitchen use.
Mostly the heat treatment which requires exact temperatures you really can't get with gas or coal forges, so the kiln is essential, plus its really easy to fuck it up and you're out of pocket and time. Whereas most carbon steels tend to have a fair bit of leeway in their temperatures, you can half-arse by 100-150C it and probably still come out shiny, stainless has much tighter temperature ranges, so if you're out by about 50C, its all shit.
Add in a cryogenic cycle with liquid nitrogen between tempers and its quite complicated.

>>1098302
sheeesh
some really intensive metallurgy knowledge involved there, it sounds like

>>1098297
2hrs on a small blade is surpsisingly long - I tend towards two 30mins cycles myself.

any measure on the HRC you're getting after that?

(and that's not a crticism at all - just interest in the difference your method makes.)

>>1098305
Sort of a by-product of being an electrical engineer and accumulating all manner of esoteric/mostly useless shit in parts of my brain, but have done a little bit of structural stuff over the years as well.

>>1098307
I did a couple of prototypes with that particular O1 getting to know it, the shorter tempers of 1hr + 1hr where a bit too brittle and I don't think it was getting the depth/length of heat needed. Plus I was aiming for a HRC of around 57-58, that had some weirdness like chipping on some (that might be due to decarb/too hot in the hardening), too soft on others with an edge rollover.
Was getting pretty cranky for a while! The rage was real!

The 2+2hr seemed to be a consistent result and it 'liked' being the 60-61HRC much better than a softer temper for what I was doing on a really tiny bevel edge backed up by full flat grind.
On something with a thicker spine like a scandi or sabre grind I reckon it'd be a lot more forgiving and wouldn't need as much time.

Any rough rule on blade thicknesses for knives, swords?

File: IMG_6689.jpg (2MB, 3264x2448px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 3264x2448px

So because of an ankle injury I haven't been able to forge for atleast 3 months. But I finally got the time and will to do so tonight, so i forged a crappy little knife out of plain steel. It's not great, but I'm still proud of it.

File: fire brick forge.jpg (31KB, 640x480px) Image search: [Google]

31KB, 640x480px

Hi metalsmiths

I live in a flat (aka apartment) and i'm pretty certain my neighbours wouldn't appreciate me firing up a coal forge for heat treating.

Brick forges and coffee can gas forges seem like popular builds.

Could anyone tell me if they've had success using these before? I'm really just needing them for HT.

>>1098514
good to hear you're back at the forge :)
nice WIP!

>>1098516
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNL4H5fC6AY

>>1098531
posting this video was a clever metaphor, and I am not a clever man.

are you saying, if you're going to use a forge, do it properly and use a proper sized charcoal forge?

>>1098514
>So because of an ankle injury I haven't been able to forge for atleast 3 months.

buy a fucking anvil, you idiot, dont keep sticking the blade on your leg to hit it with a hammer then!

(sorry. Couldnt resist)

Folk seem to be saying that small firebrick/can forges might be suitable for forging, but unlikely to be good for heat treating?

What the reason behind this?
Not enough room to get the entire blade heated at once?

>>1098323
Depends on the blade type, filleting knives and small folders get down to 1.5-2mm at the spine, swords can be 6-7mm thick on some varieties, others like a sabre might only be 4mm

>>1098516
They work ok for heat treating a lot of the smaller blades, for longer stuff you generally need to manually distribute the heat through them like-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bunCG6W6dA
He does some good introductory vids as well

>>1098562
It is probably that and that it will be hard to hold a consistent temp

>>1098568
brilliant, thank you very much!

Some people were critical of the brick forge design, but if i'm there to physically keep the heat even (and also work on things smaller than swords) then should it be manageable?

>>1098573
thanks very much for the advice!

File: bbq grill.jpg (416KB, 1000x1143px) Image search: [Google]

416KB, 1000x1143px

I think a Tim Lively style washtub forge is the right way to go. I'm slightly terrified of dying via galvanized steel fumes and can't find any washtubs/troughs etc on ebay uk that aren't galvanised.

Would this bbq grill work? Line the inside with refractory, add in an air supply, just like a lively forge.

>>1089124
Old files are a good, cheap place to source steel

>>1098585
you can strip zinc with vinegar apparently, though I haven't tried it myself

>>1098585
Get an old kitchen sink made out of something like 304 SS, (demolition places have them by the 100's for a couple of bucks) that'll do the job and its roughly the right size

>>1098593

Are grills and bbq like in the poor choices for forges? They don't seem to have much in the way of diy posts on forums.

Unfortunately I live in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, and getting anything remotely useful here in terms of scrap materials is a shitemare.

I can't even think of an old building site that I can swing by to pick up a sink, nevermind specifically 304.

>>1098602
like in that pic* poor choices for...

>>1098602
They're not great, simply because they're cheap and kind of flimsy for the most part.
Your other option is to get a section of 1mm, ungalvanised sheet steel, cardboard box as a template and pop-rivet/spot weld it together. Old toolboxes are pretty good too.
Doesn't have to be super strong or heat resistant, but as long as it holds together the weight of a couple of kgs of refac cement/tiles it'll do the job just fine.

Ebay should have sinks for sale, I just thought it would be a good fit as they're strong, have a hole in the bottom already to run air through, take standard plumbing fittings and are fairly common.
Even if its an old iron one with ceramic coating, should do the job as the refac will keep the heat off it

File: forge idea.png (1MB, 1435x1214px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 1435x1214px

>>1098609
many many thanks!

So, of the options in this pic, the sink is probably the best choice? It's 0.8mm apparently.

I have extremely non-existent welding or even riveting experience, so I'd like to minimize the fabrication (and chance to ruin) as much possible.

One last thing from a thread on another forum about sinks (http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/12685-best-way-to-make-an-outdoor-coal-forge-from-dual-cast-iron-sink/):
>There is a neutral zone in a coal fire where you want to be heating your iron in...above that neutral zone is a carbonizing zone, poor area to be heating metal in. If I understand how these work, a sink will likely have a pretty huge carbonizing zone.

Is he just being overly cautious, do you think?

>>1098635

sorry, wrong link

http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/8407-cast-iron-sink-forge/

>>1098635
Probably a bit too much over-thinking, if you raise the area up with a metal plate/bbq grill so that its shallow it should be ok
Plus sinks come in all shapes and sizes, the really deep laundry ones might be a bit much, but the kitchen ones should be fine. There's plenty of shapes out there which will do the job- old steel wheels, brake drums, 10gallon drum cut down to a 1/3rd etc

>>1098660
you've been so patient with me despite my daft questions, thank you kindly.

one final thing before i stop nattering away, would you say the sink is the best choice of the 4 things pictured in >>1098635 ?

>>1090859
I could 3D Print it for you if you're interested, my company is an Additive Manufacturing firm but the prices are good

File: 10G barrel.jpg (56KB, 759x880px) Image search: [Google]

56KB, 759x880px

>>1098667
Depends how big and ugly you want to go, I reckon a 10 gallon drum is probably your best bet
You can figure out if you just want a small one like the BBQ grill or a longer one for forging stuff like swords, spear heads, general blacksmithing and the like

Plus, those drums are everywhere, most companies will just give you as many as you want provided its not been used to store anything toxic.

>>1091968
He got a small amount of metal from fucking river slime. Imagine when he starts putting out videos of him working with iron.

Honestly it's looking like his videos are going to progress to higher levels of primitive technology, so hopefully he'll start ironwork soon. Maybe he'll even make a shirt lmao

>>1098703
the long half drum version is what I was aiming for with the half-barrel bbq ;_;

>>1098275
Nice shit anon. U do this for a living? Building my forge and buying some railroad track next month to get started beating on shit.

>>1098514
>ankle injury.

I know that feel anon. Was laid up for a year. Glad u up and around again. Fml what a bitch life can be

>>1098704
Kek. I can't wait until he catches us and his youtubes are just him talking shit on 12 year olds with his windmill powered call of duty setup

>>1091542
es mexico

How many times must a man forge a set of tongs before he gets it right?

File: Horus.jpg (616KB, 1610x1652px) Image search: [Google]

616KB, 1610x1652px

>>1099176
Used to try make those when I was in high school- back when metalwork technical classes where a thing and kids could dismember themselves on various saws and break things on lathes.
Hated it. Every kid managed to fuck theirs up in the entire class, our teacher just looked at us with complete despair and made us churn out nail punches for the next 2 weeks. Most of them we fucked up too.

Finished and sharpened up this thing last night, battoned it on a length of pine, chopped up a chicken and pretty happy with it's edge holding, nothing fell off or otherwise failed.

>>1098285
>>1099200
Is that you, anon?

Your engraving is characteristic :D And you handle style is really really neat

File: bbq grill forge.jpg (61KB, 614x461px) Image search: [Google]

61KB, 614x461px

I've not done any knifemaking before, and I'm thinking of stock removal and then heat treat.

In order to achieve that, will i need to build a forge to get the steel (O1 in my case) to the right temperature and keep it there for the ~15 mins required? as per http://www.cashenblades.com/steel/o1.html

Would the pic related work? It's an old bbq grill lined with refractory cement, with a pipe running lengthwise through it for air supply. It's basically a tim lively washtub forge in bbq shape

>>1099234
Yep, same fella
I tend to design a bit around the handle, after all its the thing you're holding on to so I'm very conscious about its function to protect the hand when they are using it.

The other thing and this is personal philosophy so you can tune out right now if you're not interested, is that as a hobby knife maker who does all this by hand is that if I'm going to make something, then it may as well have nothing to do with anything you would buy in a store and everything to do with me and how I see things. There's also no real point in competing with major manufacturers who have 40ton presses, make things to a time scale, budget and to make a profit. Which is fine, they do that to fill a vast market with things people need and no one likes spending money for the most part, so they do it as cheap as possible. As an 'artisan' I guess the legacy is to make something which stands out from the crowd and is aspiration to people that ties into a very small niche that likes unique things.
There's not really any money in this as a craft, known 1-2 people that managed to pay the rent with their knives but anything else means getting a real job :) If we where really after easy money, we'd sell drugs or become politicians!

>>1099244
Quite a bit in the posts above this that deal with that type of forge.
For the O1, "generally" its 10min per inch of thickness, so most of the time we're down around 1/4 of that thickness and if you can get a temperature held for about 3-5minutes (minimum) you'll get nearly always full austenitization of the steel in a knife blade.
When you shape the blade, make sure its still got some thickness to it towards the edge (1mm or so) as it will minimise the risk of it warping. Tips on quenching by another anon here >>1098261 Do that and you'll also minimise the risk of warps

If that's a bit annoying, 1085 and 1095 are a lot easier to live with as they're just straight to heat, quench and temper with no soak time needed

>>1091357
>that hose
How are you retards alive

>>1099363
Hi, i'm the one asking about bbq forge and O1 steel.

thanks very much for replying. I just wanted to your opinion on it since you've made some really great looking pieces and had experience. Do you think yourself that a sink would make a better charcoal forge? Both would need to be lined with refractory cement regardless right?

About the actual heat treat: What worries me is maintaining the blade at the right temp for 5ish or more mins. It seems like it would be extremely easy to under or overdo it during that time, even with a temperature probe consistently checking the temp, air flow and moving the blade around in the coals to get an even heat seems really difficult. Is it just a case of getting it "as close as i can", and practice?

thanks anon

>>1092968
You could look up different companies to get a specific idea of common steels. Looks like good stuff:

http://smt.sandvik.com/en/products/bar-and-hollow-bar/hollow-drill-steel/

If you know what a thing does, you can find who makes similar things to find what they use. Not rocket surgery.

>>1089033
Piggybacking on OP's thread;

I'm a newfag to this board, but I'd love to smith or coldforge some stuff as a project. I'm particularly interested in making my own armour; I'm working on a butte chainmail shirt right now.

Any resources or infographics that might help me out? ANy good youtube channels?

Thanks brehs

File: 7fafcf178831e8ab4626bf811cdf0500.jpg (114KB, 800x531px) Image search: [Google]

114KB, 800x531px

>>1101620
Shit, just realised how vague I'm being. Right now I'm interested in forming some sort of low grade metal into plates to bolt onto leather to cover my forearms and legs. Like pic related.

I'm also interested in making a shitty knife or something like OP just to see if I can.

Working on forging a knife for my dad for Xmas out of O1 Tool steel. Wish me luck!

File: IMG_6769.jpg (2MB, 3264x2448px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 3264x2448px

>>1102488

Here's the forged blank. Now to grind and file it into shape and quench and heat treat it! I'll post it again when I'm finished.

>>1102626
thing you got enough tang in there?

>>1102771

It's a little over 4", so yes.

>>1099422
Calm your tits. There is probably a check valve on the tank. If not it's a 1 foot flame thrower not a fucking rocket engine.

For a forge use two bricks set up at 90 degree angles from each other so they look like a V. Put a pipe with holes drilled in it beneath this brick trough so that air blows through a 1/4 inch gap between the length of the bricks. Note the the brick should be laying length wise. Rig this up however you can, I have mine welded up with a steel frame.

For the polishing of steel I recommend going to your harbor freight or the equivalent of that store and getting an assortment of sandpaper from 120 grit all the way up to 1200. Sand your steel with each grit making sure to remove all scratches from the previous grit. Once sanded the steel will still have a matte finish. I suggest a polish called "mothers mag and aluminum polish", you can get this off eBay. After applying the polish and a good dose of elbo grease with a cloth you will have a fairly satisfying mirror shine. If you wish to take it a step further, polishing pastes can be bought from China via eBay. They claim it ranges from 10 to .5 nm in grit. They come in colorful syringes, you'll know them when you see them. After the mag and aluminum polish I suggest only using the 1 though .5 polishes. A little goes a long way with these so just apply a rice grain sized amount to each side of the knife. Once you finish polishing, wipe the polishing compounds off with dawn soap and water. PS this should be done between every application of different grits and polishes.

File: IMG_6782.jpg (1MB, 2570x1532px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 2570x1532px

>>1102626

Ground with 120 grit. Not really pleased with how it is turning out, really should have forged in the bevels.

>>1103070
Well if you've got the first 30-45 deg bevels in, just drop your angle and run the grind up the blade a bit until it suits.
I'm of the opinion forge thick, grind thin seems to be the best way of avoiding the majority of self-induced, fuck-ups

>>1090849
Kek

>>1098280
>>Messrs bush and johnsson

Mate were you at the forge-in this year

>>1104613
not this year. Someday, I'll manage to co-incide it with another assault on the MoL or Wallace Collection.

last time I was with them all was the opening of the Solingen "das schwert" exhibition, in 2015. Peter, Owen, Petr Florianek, Jake Powning, J. Arthur Loose, Fabrice Cognot, JT Palikko, Dave Stephens, Lukas MG, one or two others. It got rather silly.

however, to get to Owen's is a 10 hour trip each way for me. Its quicker to get to it from the US, than the Highlands.

Hey dudes and dudettes,

got a problem. It's winter now and my propane forge doesn't get hot enough. Luckily I have a stone coal forge, but it still didn't get hot enough.
I assume it's the air, only using a hairdryer fan right now.
Might this get better with a better fan?

>>1104909
Propane drops its vapour pressure the colder it gets, then less pressure = less heat out the end.
Try putting the cylinder in a warm water bath

>>1104923

Thats why I use coal now, but the air is just not enough. But the idea of the cylinder being heated is actually quite nice.

>>1104933
Yeah years ago I had a dual-fuel old 70's tank of a car that was LPG and petrol, so one morning at -10C (it can get that cold here!) it was wanting nothing to do with the gas.
On some of the smaller cylinders you can get some freezing which affects the pressure as well along with the internal regulator inside the bottle if you run them for a really long time.

Its gunna be 38C tomorrow here, so it'll be a good day to do up some plans together for a small run of knives I had an idea for and generally stay away from anything hot

does heating up steel make it easier to drill?

>>1105313
No, it makes it easier to melt drill bits

Just like anything cunty, use lube

>>1105313
You can anneal steel which will soften up hardened steel but drilling into hot steel sounds like several kinds of headaches at the same time

does annealing with sand do the trick?

>>1105456
whatever slows the cooling process down as much as possible will work

what the FUCK is wrong with my burner? is there a difference between american and australian propane? i literally have an identical setup as >>1091357 and yet all i get is a pissy yellow flame out the end. i have to use a blower motor to make it hot at all and when you have slightly too much air it flashes back into the tube before completely extinguishing itself.

File: 15267713_1832744193678125_383201554070712953_n.jpg (59KB, 578x526px) Image search: [Google]

59KB, 578x526px

whats the difference between Precision Roller Flattened and Ground Flat Stock 01 tool steel? can i make a knife from PRF?

File: 20161228_135006 (1).jpg (3MB, 4032x3024px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 4032x3024px

just finished the firepot for my forge at work today, and finishing the rest tomorrow, I'm pretty hyped yall

>>1105538
Your fuel-air is all kinds of fucked up
Basically, you've got no oxygen being consumed and I suspect something is wrong with the adjustment as you shouldn't need a blower with propane

http://ronreil.abana.org/troubleshooting.shtml

>>1094090
>I'm a heavy weapons fighter in the Society for Creative Anachronism
A what? I'm kinda frightened. Am I supposed to pledge an oath to you now, or something?

>>1095282
>riddled with microfractures
Does that matter once the steel has been reforged?

>>1098704
Well he's only just come back from that quest for fire...

>>1105567
Roller flattened is just that, sent through the mill, cut and stacked. If you ever get a chance to see a steel mill in full swing its actually really impressive to see massive bars and plates of yellow-hot steel getting processed out.
Ground stock- same thing, but its been finished with another set of abrasive rollers to mill it down to an exact thickness.

Both work for blades

>>1105538
your propane tubes are too wide

File: 31-king-arthur.w529.h529.jpg (91KB, 529x529px) Image search: [Google]

91KB, 529x529px

>>1105777
cheers mate, that'd what I assumed I'm just p blown away w the end price of less than a quid per 250x40x3.6mm piece

>>1105596
as you should be, that looks sick

>>1105887
Yeah its mostly down to finish, which depending on what kind of machining you're doing will often save a lot of labour when the metals pretty much 'half done' in terms of surface appearance. Plus it is very uniform without any ripples.
Doesn't matter so much to us, we hit it with hammers, set it on fire, grind the shit out of it and later on, maybe make it look shiny.

>>1105763
>Does that matter once the steel has been reforged?


Unless you're taking the spring bar, folding it 3-6 times, at yellow heat, forgewelding the folds each time, yes, it matters. Even then, you wont get rid of them.

if you're taking a bar and forging it straight into a blade shape, those microfractures are still in it.

in fact, unless you're working in an oxygen-free reducing atmosphere, microfractures will get worse when forging out a blade from an old spring.

>>1105763
jesus dont listen to the microfractures jew
steel is steel those fucking leaf springs are LEAGUES ahead of the swords our ancestors used

>>1098667

I had absolutely 0 experiance welding and did a job that looks like shit but does its job. Read up on safety, read up on welding, do it by heart.
Calculations are for nerds 8)


Anyways, got a SX-101 for christmas, along with a radial fan that's usually used in oil ovens (the heating kinda oven). It's 60 eurobucks and a lot cheapter than those you can buy at blacksmiths places - 45 for the fan, 15 for sx-101. Pics will follow.
It pushed a good amount of air. According to the labels it seems to be from Foest.eu

Finally can finish my barrel forge. All I need now is some metal sheets to weld together so I don't incinerate my neighbours house (sadly, the good neighbours are a lot closer than the bad ones).


I don't have a brake drum though. Any other suitable kinda junk one might use? Drilling holes through firebrik seems tedious to me.

File: IMG_20161229_212038.jpg (1MB, 2448x3264px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 2448x3264px

Thats the fan. Gonna hopefully place it tomorrow.

>>1105888
Thanks I'm very fortunate because the shop I work at lets us have all the scrap we want and I was given a handcrank blower by an old timer friend of mine so I'm getting a heck of a deal for my forge.

>>1091402
this is not /b/ boyo

>>1092531

Did you punch a hole in them or hammer it and forge weld it together?

nice job by the way,

so I'm pretty pissed guys, I went to my grandmas house to get the handcrank blower so I can finish up my forge this weekend, and it looks like my meth head dad and his friends sold it.

I grabbed the vice and bench grinder that my grandpa left me and took them to my storage unit so the same doesn't happen to them. I've looked online and it seems like I'd have to spend 150ish on a brand new one that's decent.

>>1105596
Looking pretty good

>>1106205
Guess if you're pressed you could make one, old truck turbo (compressor side), 10speed bike gear + chain, flywheel off a sedan and kludge it together

File: SDC10303.jpg (207KB, 1024x768px) Image search: [Google]

207KB, 1024x768px

>>1106264
thinking about doing this to the bottom of my firepot and using any old electric blower until I can get a decent one

Dumb question for you all. Do you know of an top quality bench grinder/polishing wheels that i can also mount one of them nifty belt sanders to? These disposable chinashit ones are getting old.

I've been using coal in my wood burner and occasionally after a fire there are these really light (in weight), coal looking lumps. Is this klinker? It'd make sense because I've read they're a heat sink and I've been finding it difficult to start a fire when I try to re-use the 'coals', whatever they are.

Is Klinker impurities in coal?

>>1107135
Clinkers are when you get a material in the coal that wont burn- metals, silicates and other stuff, which sort of glue together and look like its been shot out of a volcano

>>1106274
Well, I've seen people DIY belt grinders on to just about anything. Lathes, radial arm saws, even drill presses.

As for good grinders, the old Tombstone style Craftsmans are common as your mother in laws opinions and they are quite well thought of.

File: 20161231_153358.jpg (3MB, 4032x3024px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 4032x3024px

Made some more progress on the forge tonight had the brake press guy at work bent my sheet and I welded the corners and added a grate to the fire box. My apologies if the pictures are rotated no matter how I edit them on my phone the always end up the wrong way

File: 20161231_153354.jpg (2MB, 4032x3024px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 4032x3024px

>>1107302

File: 20161231_153350.jpg (3MB, 4032x3024px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 4032x3024px

>>1107302

>>1107135
it most likely is, i'll upload a picture of some for you tomorrow if you would like.
>>1107302
>>1107304
>>1107305
I like it! what thickness is the steel you used for the firepot? what are the dimensions of the pit? (I'll show you mine if you show me yours)

>>1107329
Oh bby
its 3/16 since thats what my shop uses for everything its 36 inches by 54. A little big but id rather have too much and not use it than too little and not be happy with it.

>>1107329
>>1107339
Sorry forgot the pit dimensions its 10×10×5 the bottom opening is 4×4 and the hole is a dip can lid in diameter (about 2.5)

>>1107339
nothing wrong with wanting a big forge table, mine is 31x42.
And the firepot is only 3/16th? you might want to add some sort of refractory to that so you don't accidentally melt it when you try to fire weld.
It is still really nice though, wouldforgewith/10

>>1107342
the firepot I use is 12x14x4 with a 3"dia. tuyere made of 1/2" plate steel walls and a 1" thick bottom to it.
And one last question, what kind of fuel are you planning on using? charcoal, coal, coke?

File: Screenshot_20170101-010041.png (365KB, 1440x2560px) Image search: [Google]

365KB, 1440x2560px

>>1107350
Coal from this place, the kelly ranch one is the closest one to me

File: IMG_5526.jpg (249KB, 768x1024px) Image search: [Google]

249KB, 768x1024px

>>1107342
this is a picture of my forge running,>>1096579 and this is when I was welding it together

>>1107366
How thick is your firepot? Looks like at least 1/4 inch to me

>>1107369
see
>>1107350
sorry if I didn't make it clear

>>1107384
Thought you were a different anon my bad. Ill try to find some half inch at work and make a new one. Ive read online that people have used 3/16 for their firepots before so i figured id give it a whirl, but i knew itd burn up eventually

>>1107388
it would be fine to use with 3/16th, it just won't last too long without a refractory layer, there are some really simple ways to make refractory cement out of cat litter and cement

>>1107389
Cool ill look it up since i am incredibly cheap besides cat litter and cement, which I might be able to swindle out of some family members my cost for everything is at 0 right now and its kind of become a game for me it keep it that way. Thanks mang

do you temper a pommel for a bowie knife? same for a guard

>>1105956
Forge welding it would get rid of those microfractures because they'd be welded. How do you think most iron and steel was reclaimed? It was forge welded together.

>>1107642
stop replying to the steel industrial complex microfractures jew

>>1107615

most bowies use copper-alloy guard and end-cap, in which case tempering is definitely not what you want.

on steel ones, I'd use a carbon steel instead of mild, and I'd leave it half-hard. too hard can cause problems in peining and settling, you want a little deformation into the tang, but too soft will bend easily.

so, mid-30's HRC.

>>1107642
>Forge welding it would get rid of those microfractures because they'd be welded. How do you think most iron and steel was reclaimed? It was forge welded together.

Oh god. why do you talk about stuff, when you patently have NO FUCKING CLUE how things are done?

reclaimed steel is not "forge welded together" for fuck's sake. Reclaimed steel is smelted down in vast industrial arc forges, a hundred tons at a a time melted back down to liquid, the carbon content adjusted by use of lime or other additives into the smelt, then cast as huge ingots of steel to be drawn out by rollers with 30,000psi pressure.
It is absolutely not "forge welded". That's the most absurd nonsense I've heard. well, all year.

Wrought iron was forgewelded together. in 1850. IT IS NOT 1850!

Your yellow heat steel bar with a hand hammer, or even with a 50lb power hammer, does not even come CLOSE to matching that. And your hammer work does not remove them because they're tiny fractures too small to see - hence the name. you dont know where they are. are they lengthways, crossways, in one area, etc? You cant tell. Are you opening them up further by folding it? you cant tell.

Stop trying to defend the use of shit material. you don't do leather-work by buying a tatty old jacket to cut up. you don't unravel a jumper to start knitting. you don't buy a $500 banger to turn into a GT race car.
Buy the new, proper stuff, not some fucking scrap.

Nice work,nigro

Just got a big block of 4140 to use as an anvil. What should the first thing I make be? (Have a forge that can get hotter than forge welding temps)

>>1109409
make tongs

>>1109409
well obviously you start by making a damascus stainless steel sword