Recommend a good starter steel.

E

exitium

Well-Known Member
Been away for a little bit with some household projects (some may have seen my 2x72 grinder wip in wip forum) but I have my grinder built some files, belts, sandpaper, and handle material and some basic designs. For me, half the fun is making my own tools etc so with that in mind I was looking at making a small propane forge. I was hoping someone could recommend a good beginner steel, ideally one I could possibly HT myself. For starters looking at doing just basic stock removal but someday I would love to try my hand at a little forging and perhaps even damascus.
 
If you're gonna send it out for H/T then use whatever you wish. If you're gonna do the H/T yourself save yourself lots of misery and get some 1084 from Aldo.
 
If you want to go stainless and send them out my ole time fav is 440C is cheap, available and makes a darn fine knife.
CPM-154 is second choice for a stainless.
I made my first few with files from files then 1084,1070 and then moved over to 440C and other stainless steels.
If you are going to go the 10XX series 1070, 1084 that you may be able to HT yourself.
 
Another vote for 1084.

Check out "DIY Freon Tank Forge" pretty easy to make and they work well for basic forging:

http://fredlyfx.com/freon.htm"]http://fredlyfx.com/freon.htm

rps20140526_185049.jpg

Nicknamed this one Miss Piggy, my grand daughter did that is! As she would say.
 
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Sadowski said:
I'll sugest O1 steel.
:)
Click to expand...

With all due respect :) :

I don't know where the idea that 1095 and O1 are good beginner's steels came from. If you're wishing to do your own heat treat, they both require careful heating(especially 1095) and a heat source that offers some control for a fairly long time(especially O1). That is, if you want to get the maximum potential out of them and make the best blade possible. And why wouldn't you? If you are going to do a marginal at best heat treat on either of those steels, you might as well use something else.

Go with 1084 or my personal favorite, 1075. :)

Again, no disrespect to you guys that mentioned those steels.
 
Im a noob at this, but i know the simple stuff is 10 series like mentioned above, O1, 5160 spring steel)
But all these have a tendency to rust specially if you live in a humid area
I think if you stretch your HTing skill a bit you can try D2, you can HT yourself (several ways to do it, air, aluminum plates, oil. Ask the experts :D) and it has higher tendency to resist rust. I have my HT oven on its way and my main focus would be towards D2 and 5155
 
I'd vote for 1084 or 80crv2 (that's 1080+ from Alpha Knife Supply). Stay away from the really high carbon steels like 1095, 52100, O1, and the high carbon W series. They take heat control and a longer soak at temperature than most people can achieve with a forge.

Doug
 
I agree with 1084 or 1075. 15n20 is pretty forgiving too, but it does it's best with a precise short soak at about 1480f. The nickel ads a bit of toughness.
 
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