Annealing a VW axle

S

Stevemo

Joined
Apr 28, 2018
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Very new to knife making. Friends VW broke an axle. So I decided to make him a kitchen knife from the broken part as a surprise. Surprise is on me. I have only used 1084 to this point. This axle is difficult metal to move. Should I have annealed it? Should I anneal it now?

thanks

s
 
You should use 1084, a metal that you KNOW what it is. There may be a very very very few select group of guys here that have an idea of what steel that is. If they can positively ID that axle steel for you, great. I will defer my comment to them.

But most here, along with my own opinion, will tell you to make a knife out of known steel. If you know exactly what steel it is, you can heat treat it exactly as it should be, and negate the guess work out of a “mystery steel”.

I would use your knowledge of 1084, use that steel, and search for heat treat of 1084. There are a LOT of threads here for heat treatment of 1084.

Good luck!
 
You wrote ”metal to move”, implys you are forging ?
If so, at forging heat its soft as its going to be forging it. Annealing prior is pointless.
 
Last edited:
samuraistuart said:
You should use 1084, a metal that you KNOW what it is. There may be a very very very few select group of guys here that have an idea of what steel that is. If they can positively ID that axle steel for you, great. I will defer my comment to them.

But most here, along with my own opinion, will tell you to make a knife out of known steel. If you know exactly what steel it is, you can heat treat it exactly as it should be, and negate the guess work out of a “mystery steel”.

I would use your knowledge of 1084, use that steel, and search for heat treat of 1084. There are a LOT of threads here for heat treatment of 1084.

Good luck!
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Point well taken. thanks
 
Lieblad basically covered it as far as your annealing question goes. As for whether you should do it or not, I understand, if the guy had a sentimental attachment to his old car. If not... well, I probably wouldn't put too much energy into it. ;)
An axle is most likely going to be hardenable to some degree, though it likely won't have as much carbon as 1084. It's probably going to be closer to 1050, or possibly 4140, which, again, while it can get hard, won't make a better knife than the 1084 you may already be used to working with.

As for it's difficulty to forge, are you heating it hot enough? Maybe you need a bigger hammer. :D I assume it's less than an 1.5" in diameter?
 
knife to a gunfight said:
Lieblad basically covered it as far as your annealing question goes. As for whether you should do it or not, I understand, if the guy had a sentimental attachment to his old car. If not... well, I probably wouldn't put too much energy into it. ;)
An axle is most likely going to be hardenable to some degree, though it likely won't have as much carbon as 1084. It's probably going to be closer to 1050, or possibly 4140, which, again, while it can get hard, won't make a better knife than the 1084 you may already be used to working with.

As for it's difficulty to forge, are you heating it hot enough? Maybe you need a bigger hammer. :D I assume it's less than an 1.5" in diameter?
Click to expand...

It was a gesture more than anything. AND a learning experience. He'll appreciate the thought. Handing him a useless knife is a waste. It's about an 1" thick. 1084 is my new mantra. Stick with a metal I have experience with, albeit limited experience. Regardless, I am digging the hell out of the process of learning this skill. Thanks for the help....
 
The steel is probably "red hard", which means it has to be fully heated to around 2100F before you start hammering, and you have to quit as soon as it drops below 1800F. Basically, forge at yellow, stop at red.
 
1” is about max I would consider “forgeable” for someone new to this craft.
 
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