Any 5160 forging tips?

Mark Williams

Mark Williams

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I'm gonna get out and work some 5160 tonight and wondered if anybody has any tips on 5160 versus the 10xx steels. I'm planning on making something along the lines of Tim Lively's big bear.

Mark
 
Mark,
Works a little stiffer for me than 1084. Moves alot like O1 just keep it warm it doesn't like to be wacked cold. You'll probably like it just fine. A good source if you're looking for big rounds at rock bottom prices....the old solid dumbells and barbells (not the hollow ones) and stay away from the chrome ones. Look to be a good size for hawk heads. I'll bring one with me to Trackrock next week and we can play with it some.
See you soon.
Carl Rx
 
Gouge
here are some heat treat specs. The copy and paste did not go so well
they got a little out of alignment. I have made a couple of big bowie's forged ok.

5160 (leaf spring steel)
Carbon........................................... 0.56 - 0.64%
Quench ......................................... oil (vegatable cooking or old car engine)
Hardening....................................... 1450 - 1550 degrees F ( 790- 840 C)
i.e bright red Tempering....................................... 300 - 450 degrees F ( 150 -230 C)
RC hardness .................................. 55 - 62
 
Just a reminder to normalize the blade at least 3 times to reduce the grain size before the HT. I have done some breaking tests on simple carbon steels and you would be amazed at how large grain can grow with just forging temps. Enormous at welding temp! Large grain=weak steel
 
Thanks Guys,

I didnt notice a whole lot of differance between the 5160 and 1095 as to how its moves.
I'm going to have to make a gas forge soon. Its not worth building a fire just to normalize a blade. I guess if I spent more time at the forge I could have a steady rotation of blades to make it worth while. My neighbor works for a heating and A.C company and can get me all the scrap koawool that I want.


Hey Carl, I think I would like to make a hawk and a big knife of some kind my projects for the w/e at T-Rock.

Mark
 
Originally posted by Bruce Bump
Just a reminder to normalize the blade at least 3 times to reduce the grain size before the HT. I have done some breaking tests on simple carbon steels and you would be amazed at how large grain can grow with just forging temps. Enormous at welding temp! Large grain=weak steel
Click to expand...

This speaks volumes...

A while back I was present where a fellow was taking his JS cutting test. The blade went thru the rope like it was sitting still, it chopped thru a 2X4 twice like butter and it "almost" passed the bend test. The cross section of the edge was hard and had a real fine grain but the grain in the rest of the blade was about the size of 36 grit. It was not ever normalized.
 
When normalizing is it really important to point the blade to magnetic North or is this just Blacksmith hoowie?

Mark
 
It also helps to do a little dance to the right and then to the left. Dont neglect to hang the chickens foot within 36" above the quench tank.
 
Gouge does she have any dried emu leg bones? i am looking for a bone to make a katana handle from, that i can carve. :D
 
If emu legs are like ostrick legs, they are very thin an may work if you could fill them full of good epoxy.

When forging the 5160, do it like you do the rest, hit it till the hammer starts to bunce. 5160 has a 5 second nose to get it hard. And yes, no matter what the carbon steel, always do the normalizing.

I would definitely swing it in the N & S direction with a little soft shoe and words of endearment. :) I don't take no Chances. I only have the memory of the chicken leg but it still works.

If you got time to forge it, make time to normalize it. It is as important to forging as putting a handle on it when your done.
 
I always point mine away from me so I don't get a flaming cut if I bump into it! Burns are bad enough. In actuallity, I've tried it in several directions and could see no difference in final blade performance. Besides the moon has more magnetic pull effect on the earth's surface than magnetic north. Otherwise all the high tides would end up in the artic and freeze and we would have more beach front property in Georgia! (Whoa....this could go to far to fast we'll have to discuss this around a good campfire next week)Of course there's always the "black cat bone" to try out. (Sorry Chuck, no intent).

Carl Rx
 
The magnetic north

When I was an apprentice electricial we did an experiment we spun a length of coper wire through the air. Messured with a very sensitive meter a slight charge was produced. I think it is one of those theoretical benifits rather than actual detectable.

You would get much more partical alignment by strocking a magnet down the back.

By the way if I told my wife she had chicken legs I would get a slap. :)
 
Here in the great frozen wastes of Alaska we make sure the northern lights have been turned on
before normalizing.:)

The tricky part here is finding the switch.

Virgil
 
Originally posted by IRBI
Here in the great frozen wastes of Alaska we make sure the northern lights have been turned on
before normalizing.:)

The tricky part here is finding the switch.

Virgil
Click to expand...

Im confused!:confused:
Now, if you are forging right smack dab in the middle of the South Pole then it won't matter which way you point it. I guess this means that you can't forge anything on the North Pole since which ever way you point the silly thing, it ain't north but you may not have as much a problem with warping up there!

I just dance a little jig, thats all. Some folks I know of out west wear a loin cloth. We don't do that in these parts...too many mosquitos.
 
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