304 stainless questions ???? help please

Bruce Evans

Bruce Evans

Joined
Sep 26, 1999
Messages
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I have run up on a big flat sheet of 304 stainless that will be perfect for guards and also some thinner stock to use for other things like sheaths,throats and tips..
I know that the collecters don't like Brass is this material OK to use.
Now does it solder to a carbon blade very easy,is there any way to anneal it before drilling.Will it bend cold or will it have to be heated and if so how hot should I get it before I try to bend it.
I also was given some 440c scraps and would this make good guards.I am not used to working with stainless and this is why i am asking here.
I was also given a small piece of stellite 6-b anybody tried working this stuff?
Thanks for any and all help everybody..
Bruce
 
Except that it's a *&%#@%(%@ to work with and most engravers won't touch it, it's a good stainless for guards. Way back that was what most makers used. It work hardens at the blink of an eye. When finished it looks pretty much like 416. At least I can't see any difference.
 
I had heard that it was a pain to work with and would work harden that is why i was asking if anyone knew how to soften it again.Heck the price was right to give it a try,I was wondering about the engravers,Guess I shouldnt use it for anything that is going to be engraved...
Thanks Jerry.
Bruce
 
Bruce, the 304 that I've used silver brassed(hard solder) very well to itself, high carbon, brass, etc. when it starts to get to hard to work I heat it bright cherry and burry it in sand for 10 min. I've not had to heat it to bend it, unless I didn't get it right the first time and needed to unbend it.(see coment on work hardening) I've never tried to forge it.
I've located a flux for stick welding high crome steels, borax 95% florine 5% use lots of ventilation the fumes are toxic. but it will disolve the cromium compounds that keep stainless from welding. this may allow to you to use 304 and 440c in your demascus.
I hope this is helpfull. Eric
 
Hi Bruce. I did at the request of a repeat customer some work with this material. Initialy, I thought I was going to have some interesring material to work with since he supplied extra material as well as what was needed. In the end I found that it is difficult to sharpen, and does not in my opinion offer any special edge holding, as well as the fact that once it is overused some it is very difficult to resharpen unless it is something you do on a regular basis. If you want some good stainless Of course not like the 6-b, use one of the common ones or go to David Boyes dendritic cobalt which is non magnetic, real stainless, extremely fine edge holding, and unbelieveably easy to sharpen as compared to any quality knife making steel. Regards Frank.
 
The piece of 6-B is a half of a bushing and I am wondering how to work it.Can it be heated and straigtened,can it be forged? is there any type of heat treat needed for it as a finished Blade?
It was given to me and I just thought that I might try a piece for something a little different,not to use all the time.
Bruce
 
Bruce,

304 can be very gummy, it has no carbon to speak of so the work hardening thing is kinda weird to me. It should solder well with the 400 deg silver solder that is readily available. 303 or 416 are better alternatives to 302/304.

I read an article on stellite being forged in Blade? It seems to me that it was next to impossible and the forger wasnt in a big hurry to ever try it again.
 
I tried a piece of this stainless on a blade tonight.It soldered great with lead solder as I was putting it on a Damascus Blade.It cut fine on my Bandsaw and drilled real easy,well as easy as the bronze I have,It also filed out real well.It did spark a little when I hit it with a 140 grit belt and does spark when cut with a cutoff wheel.It is definately non magnetic.In conclusion I believe that i will be able to work this stuff pretty easy.
As for the stellite I may cut a section off the bearing and try straightening it in the forge and see if I can work it a little,But that will be a project for later on..
Bruce
 
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