Copper Questions

[Matt Gleash]

I was cold forging some copper yesterday for use as a possible guard or butt-cap for a knife I'm working on... Someone please refresh my memory on how to anneal copper after cold working it?

Another question: When working down a bar of copper, mine is about 3/8 inch thick by about 1 inch wide, should I be annealing often or just at the end?

Thanks for any help guys, I'm not too familiar with non-ferrous metals and their characteristics. -Matt-

 

[Dan Pierson]

Heat to dull red and quench in cold water. Just the reverse of steel -- the cold quench softens it.

 

[Mark Behnke]

Anneal often.

 

[Matt Gleash]

Thanks Dan and Mark...exactly the info I was looking for. -Matt-

 

[Archer Moon]

I would like to get more info on this. I like to use copper for my pins, but the flat stock is to much money. I would like to try making my own flat stock. Thanks. James Clair, Archer Moon.

 

[Carey Quinn]

James,

I don't know that I understand what you are trying to do but I would think you would have to start with something pretty large to make flat stock out of it.

Carey

 

[JYoder]

well, depending on what size flat stock you want (and what thickness as well I suppose), just get the appropriate diameter copper pipe, slit it, and unroll it.