another cracked blade

1400 in my shop to my eyes is dark red, the steel still moves and does not bounce or ring. You might want to call it 1450 f. The blade will be magnetic.

1625, non-magnetic, scale comes off is small flakes.

When the scale comes off in sheets you are too hot to benefit from grain refinement from forging. From what we have learned. With 52100 and quality 5160
 
This is where I try to maintain my forging on 5160. I heat to a bright red and forge to a dull red,then reheat.I've had good luck with this method and get a respectable blade. I spend a lot of time in the forge but it beats throwing out a blade after two days work!
 
That is the beauty of learning to read your steel.
The magnet always works.
The slag comming off the blade indicates temperature very accurately once you learn to read it.
When the steel quits moving, go back to the fire.

It doesn't matter if you are color blind, in the sun or forging at night.
 
Forging at the same time of day or under the same light conditions can be a real benfit to the novice forger.

This really holds true for people with less than a year, "practicing", at the forge.
It takes a while to recognize the "sound" of the steel relative to it's color.

How does the steel "feel" and "move" under the hammer when its at the "correct" temperature/color.

It takes some time to get the "hang" of forging

A magnet can only tell you so much.

Its more a matter of feel than magnatism anyhow. IMHO

Fred
 
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