Daniel: It works like this: The most significant aspect of forging for performance is the degree of reduction by forging. The greater the degree the greater the potential performance qualitites of the forged blade, providing you have done nothing to reduce the potential of that steel while forging.
We start with 5 1/2 inch round stock, all from the same pour. Doc forges it down to 3 x 3 x 14 inch stock so We can handle it with my Beaudry. From that point on it is all low temp forging, nothing above 1625 degrees f. All hammer blows are to the cutting edge of the future blade and the sides. The spine of the blade is only hammered to straighten or lower the future tip. When the steel quits moving quit forging and re heat.
Thermal cycles are planned and incremental full normalizing heats are now experimental. I have five blades that are all from the same billet, each blade has received an incremental increase of thermal cycles and full normalizing heats. The last blade received 5 times the theremal cycles and 5 times the full normalizing cycles than the first. The results will be in this next month.
We have consistently found that the more thermal cycles in conjunction with forging at the right time and temperature increases performance. Years ago Rex did a chemistry on a round bar, Doc forged it down, then I forged and heat treated blades and sent them to Rex for another Chemistry. Rex found no measurable loss of carbon and no measurable retained austenite in the cutting edge. Rex also found that we go into heat treat with a four point reduction in grain size in the lower third of the blade than in the spine, a result of the forging and thermal cycles.
Performance is not the result of any single event, it takes all events in harmony to put it together.
Participants at our seminars on the high performance blade have all done well!
Blades that have strong and tough tips, can make 20 edge flexes with no chip and 400 cuts on our rope, this is using load control shafts, round stock of 5160. So far nine men have participated and entered what we feel is the high performance realm with their blades.
Our plan is to continue the seminars, so far those participating are individual's who have been highly motivated to attend for years. All have done their homework and progressed beyond my expecataioins. It can be taught and it works!
If you have any further questions I would be pleased to answer them and thanks for asking.
Take Care
