forging 3V

NickWheeler

NickWheeler

Joined
Dec 3, 1999
Messages
9,437
I've been working steadily on orders, but took a 2 hour or so break tonight and fired up the forge for fun.

3V is not an ideal steel for forging... in fact, it's a PITA

But Chuck sent me a piece of wide stock that nobody wanted for stock-removal. I cut a piece off of it that was 1-3/8" wide (0.267" thick) and it's almost 7" long (you can see the remainder in the final pic).

This stuff does not move easily, and will just dent mild steel dies in the press... so I had to get out the big hammer! Most of my forging is done with 1, 2 and 3 lb. hammers... this one is 12lb! It will usually squish steel into junk in a minute, but with this stuff it seemed just right! Of course 12 lb. is NOTHING to lift at the gym, but when you put it on the end of a stick and have to aim it... it somehow gets really heavy :p

I ended up with what will be about a 10" bladed by 1-3/4 or 2" wide camp knife.

I know Bailey forges this stuff, I'm not sure who else does... but I can see why not too many guys do :)

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Well, here it is with the profile cleaned up and the flats surface ground to remove scale and establish parallel sides. I like to forge really close to shape, so there was between 0.010-0.040" removal to get to the final shape at the grinder.

I dont' think the raise in the spine shows in the pic of the blade on the anvil, but you can see it in this shot (I think).

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Cool. I'll take it. ;)

Love the blade profile with the raised spine. Most awesome.

Roger
 
Me, me, me, me, me!!!!!

:)

Looks good Nick. It better be wroth it. I like the raised spine idea a lot.
 
Nick,

It looks like you took the leap into the land of the mentaly masacistic!! It looks like you are forging at the higher temp window. I use the lower range as it is less prone to crack up on me.

3V is a real test of patience over the anvil. It will, as Nick said, dent mild steel forging dies. It is air hardening, and can crumble if you work it too cool from a high enough temp to austenitize it. It makes a awesome knife though,a dn for a big working knife, I think it is tops. Whoever gets this one will have a nearly indestructable piece of cutlery.
 
Thanks guys :)

Bailey, I'm glad you chimed in! :cool: I tried hammering on this piece in the lower temps, and it was just putting little dents in my anvil. I think it's probably due to the amount I had to move it though. I ended up hammering it down to 1-1/4" wide and a hair under 1/4" thick... so I was hitting it from every possible direction and trying to stretch it as much as I could. (btw- it looks a few hundred degrees hotter than I had it... but it was HOT in these pics :D ).

I have some smaller stuff coming, and I'll try lower temps with it. Prior to this, I relegated 3V to stock removal in my shop.

This piece was a perfect reason to forge... too thick and too short to cut/grind a knife out of... but enough steel to be persuaded into a big blade. (I am persuaded by hammers much smaller myself ;) ).

Thanks again folks!
 
Great looking blade. I have a 3V bowie from Bailey that is an exceptional knife. The blade is incredibly sharp. bailey told me all about how tough this stuff is to work and I respect any smith with the guts to use it.
 
Your welcome. :D
I wish they would get the data sheets for L6 and O1 working. :(
 
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