Flat stock or bar stock which do you forge?

Fred.Rowe

Fred.Rowe

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
May 2, 2004
Messages
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I have an ongoing discussion with jdm61 as to which forgers use most often;
flat stock or bar stock.
If you forge, which do you do most often; forge a blade out of flat stock or forge the blade out of bar stock?

If you post a response, please indicate whether you forge by hand or if you
are forging with a machine.

Please join in. The more responses the more accurate the poll. Fred
 
Anything that fits in the forge!! :D :D I started off with springs, both coil and leaf spring. I prefer round stock now. I SEEMED to get a little better knives with the coil, but at the time I came to that conclusion, I did'nt know anything so testing was'nt very controlled!! [not to say I know a whole lot now:eek: ]

I've done all my forging by hand but have access to a large [30 ton H frame] press, electric over hydrolic. Very,very fast! Can't wait to make time to play!! :D
 
I use bar stock 5160, 52100, round stock 01 and recently purchased some 5 foot lengths of 1 inch square bar 1086 from Kelly Cupples.

The press, trip hammer and rolling mill do the initial moving of the steel to size and then hand forge the tapers and profiles.
 
I use mostly round stock of 52100 and 5160. I use a press and either air hammer or Mechanical hammers to get the billet roughed in. I then go to the anvil until I'm ready to anneal.
 
I buy 01 in round stock, 5160/1084/1095 in flat, 52100 round or bar. Of course there's the assorted coil and leaf springs along with saw blades. All my forging is by hand.
Rick
 
I hand forge 5160/1080 flat stock mostly, but I have used my 25# Little Giant to flatten some 3/4 round stock before hand forging the test blades.

Pete
 
I use mostly flat stock and forge it by hand. I cant imagine having to forge a blade out of 1 1/2 inch round stock by hand. That's insane.
 
I'm ultranewb, so I'm not sure my opinion matters, but I've forged 01 rods, and 5160 bar stock so far. Turning a rod into a knife has been a very rewarding experience for me.
 
ritzblitz said:
I use mostly flat stock and forge it by hand. I cant imagine having to forge a blade out of 1 1/2 inch round stock by hand. That's insane.
Click to expand...
No one said you have to be sane, only determined, to be a knife maker.;)

Fred
 
52100 in round stock, 3/4" and 11/12 inch diameter, I have done plenty of flat stock and find both rewarding. the round stock is usually more economical to come by.
 
I use mostly flat but actually kind of like sq or round under an inch. I do all mine by hand but a hydraulic press is under construction as is a treadle hammer
 
I use the following for the most part:

  • Flat stock 1084, 1080 and 15N20
  • W2 file steel (I have about 100 of these, that are known to be W2, since I bought them from the supplier and had the specifications.
  • Cable
  • 52100 Bearing rollers (I guess this could be considered round stock) It's definitely not flat.

I guess I'm about 50/50. I do not use any actual purchased bar stock at this time.

Scott (Ickie) Ickes
 
I started out forging 1/4" thick flat stock solely. I now forge both flat stock and round stock equally. I'm forging entirely by hand still so I try to keep the round stock under 3/4". Half inch round stock by the way forges very nicely by hand.
 
I try to get the material in flat bar stock. Whenever I can't I will forge whatever size/shape to get the finished blade. I have forged up to 2-1/8 round down to knife stock. I do use a 50t pres and 100lb beaudry .

Chuck
 
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