forge O-1

[Bart student]

Hello Folks.

I am a twenty-year old guy who is going to try to forge for the first time. I got a forging fire, capable of melting steel,
an anvil, a magnet and a bar of O-1. For the rest I got the usual tools (files, hammers,
belt-grinder, polishing-machine ). Point is, I cannot check temperatures, nor create a vacuum-enviroment. I just want to get the hang of forging, even without expensive tools, and later on ( I guess the rest of you guys were a lot older when you got your own forge fire ) get some real skills under my belt.
I was wondering, how do you differentially treat a blade - I an dying to see my own temper line.

thanks in advance.

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[goshawk]

build a container to hold your quenching oil
and then make an adjustable platform that
will fit into the container. after profiling
your blade to the shape you want. adjust the
platfform down into the oil so that the
cutting edge is covered about a third of the
way up the blade. Heat the oil to about
160 to 180 deg.f and heat your blade to non-
magnetic and put in the oil tip first at about a 60deg. angle and count to 5 then roll
the blade to horzontal and hold in the oil
upright. count to 15 and roll up on the tip
again and down to horzontal hold til the
color goes compeltly out of the blade them
keep rocking up on the tip and back down untill the oil pretty well stops smoking.
slide it into the bottom of the container and
let it set until the next day and them temper

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http://www.imt.net/~goshawk
Don't walk in tradition just because it feels good!!!!!
Romans 10:9,10
Hebrews 4:12-16
Psalm 91

 

[O-1 fan]

sounds like you got pretty much everything you need!!
I started with a 10 pound peice of railroad track and a home made coal forge,10 pound mini sledge hammer,5 inch bench grinder,4x36 belt sander with a 6 inch disc!!
you can see my first blade that i still carry on my sight.I pretty much use O-1 exclusively....just wait till you try damascus....frusterating yet exciting as you see it come together!!

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http://www.nebsnow.com/The_Dwarven_Forge

That which does not kill you only makes you stronger

 

[Fox Creek]

Gee Whiz guy, you are getting started with a lot more than many, many of us had. Pat yourself on the back for doing your homework and preparation.

Now, you just have to get in there and get dirty!! What sort of forge do you have? Home made forges are fascinating I think. Let us know how it goes.

 

[AchimW]

Hello Bart student!

You have got an anvil? Where did you get it?

When hardening the blade you should heat the edge to a temperature where it doesn't stick to the magnet any longer. This is the right hardening temperature.

 

[Bart student]

I got an anvil, a very big one of about 350 kg, its an old anvil from a ....a.... those things a horse weres for shoes.
But it is too heavy too move, so I intend on
welding me one from the weights from an old fitness-thing. You know, rectangular blocks of iron with two holes in it. Anybody want some, got plenty. 4 kg for the small ones and 8 kg for the big ones.