Forging 52100

Greenberg Woods

Greenberg Woods

Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
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Hey guys, the title says most of it. A place next to my work has a TON of old bearings and races they have salvaged from assorted things. Recently I have been collecting bearing races from old WWII gunboats. They have a few bearings from the USS Iowa, from the main gun battery. The bearings are MASSIVE, maybe 7 inches across.

but either way, I know the races are 52100. he guy who runs the shop did analysis, but I have heard 52100 is the carbon that acts like stainless, but I also know people forge out ball bearings and races.

Any advice? I have heard people say only forge it hot, and I have heard other people say forge it cooler cause it over heats. Just looking for advice

Have a good one!
 
No it does not act like stainless. It will rust quickly. Not as fast as O1 or 1095 but it will rust. You need to stay within a pretty narrow parameter for forging. IIRC 2100f for normal forging but do not forge below 1700F. I would try and keep it above 1800f while forging. Working outside these parameters either direction can cause cracking. Move it slowly, do not take too big a bite with your press. It moves slowly under the hand hammer for sure. Here is a great source of info. Thanks to Kevin Cashen.

http://www.cashenblades.com/steel/52100.html
 
Just found a local industrial bearing supply house that will trade old stock, and other unusable parts for beer (and one guy is a knife guy).

This thread is relevant to my interests. I will be following this.
Thanks (and PM inc).
 
Just hand power for now. I've heard the stuff is really tough under the hammer. If need be I've got a big sledge and some friends willing to help
 
Great steel, build muscles in the arm :) Keep it hot in the range Chuck gave, and use the edge of an heavy hammer over the edge of the anvil
I have a ton of those big bearings, and to be completely honest sometimes i also have dressed down the stock by grinding, after straightening...

o2, after knocking down one of those 52100 monsters looks like silly putty.
 
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