Anyone know of a good easy forgin steel?

T

Thunter124

Well-Known Member
I need to look at getting me some stock for working into hand tools and hardy tools. Anyone know of a an easy forging, simple tempering(like using a forge for heat, wont have a tempering oven for awhile) steels. I need something that could be used on something like an axe or hammer as well, I need to start working on building some specialized hammers and axe shaped cutting implements for working the steel.


T. Hunter
 
For tongs and things that will be exposed to flame I would go with something around 1020-1030 so it wouldn't harden if gotten red hot and then quenched. Something like 4240 would make good hammers, anvil blocks, and hot cutters without being too hard. As far as a tempering oven goes, smaller items can be tempered in a toaster oven or even a torch could be used, though I would recommend the toaster oven. See if you can find one used at a garage sale. Just be sure to regulate it with a thermometer and not go by the settings on the dial. I think that I would avoid the higher carbon alloys for forging tools. For something like cold chissels or other tools for use on pearletic steels you might want to look at something in the S series, one that's not air quenching.

Doug Lester
 
I use 4140 steel for most of my tools. It is also known as spring steel. I got my stock from Brian Brazeal when i visited him and made tools. He found a suspension shop with left over "drops" and had a bunch on hand. It is an oil quench steel, very tough. My first blacksmithing hammer that i made with Brian Brazeal is made from 4140. It is hardened and tempered in a forge. If you want to do alot of hot work, say punching holes for hammer heads, there are other alternatives like h13, but 4140 will hold up as long as you cool your tool.
 
Second thread I've had on here that I didn't expect to see again. I have gotten a good supply of 1045 steel, about 3 pounds of which I formed into a hammer with brian(its kinda nice living nearby and being able to be a part of the mississippi forge council), the main thing I'm suffering from right now is a lack of a heavy hammer(I got nothing greater than 5lbs) and stock to large to work without it. I'm looking at getting a good air/hydraulic system rigged into the bottlejack press I got for christmas and figuring out a way to rig in interchangeable dies, so with any luck I can get that working sooner rather than later.
 
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