5160 for Anvil tools?

colu41

colu41

Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Messages
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I'm looking at forging some hardy tools for my anvil. I'm mainly thinking of a cut off and maybe a drawing block, but was wondering would 5160 be sufficient for this type of tool?
 
All the tools I use with my power hammer are 5160, except the piece of roundstock I forge in fingergrooves with. It's a good choice.
 
Ok thanks guys. I was thinking of ordering some 5160 but then while I was at my local steel shop today, the scrap yard is right next door. Got 40 lbs of leaf springs for $8.
Granted it may not be 5160, but I made the cutting tool tonight, and it hardened up nice. Should I temper it? Or you think it will be fine as is considering it will only be used with hot steel?
 
Yes it needs to be tempered. As is, it will be very brittle and prone to breaking when you use it. I personally would prefer a high carbon steel to just be normalized than hardened for an anvil tool due to the reduced chance of it breaking off and maybe a piece hitting me somewhere tender that is about anvil height.
 
JMJones said:
Yes it needs to be tempered. As is, it will be very brittle and prone to breaking when you use it. I personally would prefer a high carbon steel to just be normalized than hardened for an anvil tool due to the reduced chance of it breaking off and maybe a piece hitting me somewhere tender that is about anvil height.
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Good point. I'll figure something out...
 
Brian Brazeal only uses mild steal for his cut off tool since he only hot cuts with it, and that way he doesn't have to worry about accidently hardening the tool edge and making it brittle.
 
I've never felt the need for high-carbon steels for my anvil tooling. The fancier alloys are tougher than mild steel even when they're in their raw state, but I wouldn't bother with a heat treat on any of them. My anvil block is a chunk of mild. My hot cut is a section of railroad clip forged to an edge and left as-is. My scrolling fork is made from a utility pole's guy anchor. Nothing heat treated and all of them working wonderfully for the last age or two.
 
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