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Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: R H Clark on August 29, 2009, 09:50:00 AM

Title: What is the easiest steel to forge for a newby?
Post by: R H Clark on August 29, 2009, 09:50:00 AM

I want to do some forging on my home made coal forge.Maby a better question would be which is easiest to heat treat with primitive methods.

Title: Re: What is the easiest steel to forge for a newby?
Post by: tomh on August 29, 2009, 10:11:00 AM

short answer is 1080 or 1084. I am sure others will chime in. Just make sure you have a known steel from a good source and it will save you a lot of frustration and trial and error.

Title: Re: What is the easiest steel to forge for a newby?
Post by: longbow55 on August 30, 2009, 10:55:00 AM

Sept 11-12    American Forge Council Conference at Tannehill state part. Bet there will be lots of good info at this. Would love to attend this one day.

Title: Re: What is the easiest steel to forge for a newby?
Post by: chris amos on September 07, 2009, 02:13:00 AM

Any of the 10 series steels are great, I like 5160 myself. Tomh is right, be sure you know what you have, otherwise your heat treat and temper will be different every time. Good luck and enjoy!

Title: Re: What is the easiest steel to forge for a newby?
Post by: R H Clark on September 07, 2009, 11:54:00 AM

Thanks everyone.I have some leaf springs from a 70's Chevy truck I'm going to do some practice work on but will get known steel when I practice hammering a little.

I will assume the springs are 5160.Where do I get info on heat treating?

Title: Re: What is the easiest steel to forge for a newby?
Post by: Lin Rhea on September 07, 2009, 01:10:00 PM

The first one, top left side. I draw my 5160 at about 350-380 degrees depending on the use of the knife. Lin
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