Forging S30V?

A

Archer Moon

Well-Known Member
I was given some S30V that is just a little too narrow for an upswept blade. Can this be fixed by forging the point up?
 
I'm not positive but as far as I know stainless steel is not good for forging because to do it it needs highly controlled conditions.
 
I have forged an S30V blade before. If you can control the temp and keep it under austinizing temp (1900+) it works OK. Too hot and it can crack or crumble. It moves slow but it does move. I actually used my electric oven and forged between 1600-1800f with good success.
 
I would be concerned that forging would mess up what makes the particle metallurgy stainless good. IIRC, the theory is that they have to use the technique to get alloys that you would not normally be able to get using old fashioned methods and I would worry that forging might "undo" much of what the steel is designed to do. I know that Sean McWilliams use to forge T440V which, IIRC, was the predecessor to CPM S90V, but it was supposedly a real PITA.
 
jmforge said:
I would be concerned that forging would mess up what makes the particle metallurgy stainless good. IIRC, the theory is that they have to use the technique to get alloys that you would not normally be able to get using old fashioned methods and I would worry that forging might "undo" much of what the steel is designed to do. I know that Sean McWilliams use to forge T440V which, IIRC, was the predecessor to CPM S90V, but it was supposedly a real PITA.
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I wouldn't think that would be a concern. Forging it as Bruce suggests isn't any different than rolling the billet at the mill. The primary advantage of the powdered metallurgy process is the even distribution of things like alloying and related carbides, which aren't going to move at that temp. I'd worry about grain growth, but not in that temperature range.
 
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