Breaking Up Tamagahane

[John Frankl]

We have been playing with steel making over here in Korea. We found a section of beach down south with very high grade satetsu (sand iron), and we are (almost too) successful. That is, the blooms we are getting are over 30 lbs., and we are having trouble breaking them into manageable chunks.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

John

 

[birdog4]

Powerhammer!!

 

[Justin.Mercier]

You could always ship one to me in the states and I'll break it down for you !

(ok that's enough of my wishful thinking)

Probably the best way I can think of for a bloom that size, if it wont break up well enough with a sledge is to use a chop saw bit on an angle grinder. Unless you're very lucky and the carbon content is mostly uniform, then you're going ot need it in small enough chunks to 'roughly' classify by carbon content with spark testing in order to consolidate with like-parts for later use.

 

[delbert ealy]

John,
This is after the fact info, but there are 2 good ways, chopping with an axe when its still hot, or water quenching the whole bloom, will make it easier to break up and it may do a bit of that on its own.
Del
now that you are stuck with a cold soft mass, I would say hammer and chisel, or cut it with a powersaw and an abrasive blade.
Del

 

[John Frankl]

Thanks guys.

We were thinking chop saw, but that's some lost steel.

Will probably build a dedicated forge with a very large opening for these types and other odd size projects.

John