forging on some 3v

NickWheeler

NickWheeler

Joined
Dec 3, 1999
Messages
9,437
I've been working on my 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 Bybee ( http://www.alphaknifesupply.com ) 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 really like that raised spine. Is that going to be a JS test knife?

Roger
 
If you know is it anything like forging D2? It looks llike your forging with the wrong hand by the way is that a special left handle hammer?
 
Hey Nick,
From the picture it looks like you're forging it WAY too hot. The trick with the 3v is to forge it at or below nonmagnetic. (1400 -1600 degrees) I forged 3 knives from 3v this past summer, and the first thing I noticed was the hotter it got, the harder it got. Forging it at lower tepmeratures, I used a 3 1/2 pound hammer, and it didn't take that much longer to forge than 5160. About the same as 440c. If the stuff were cheaper and easier to find, I'd use it more.
BTW, I really like your work.
Phillip
 
WOW, you really do forge, I throught you bought all your blades from Texas knife supply :p :D :D . Sorry couldn't resist. Looks like your going to open up another can of worms for me to look into Nick, damn you. I'll keep that O Mighty Guru busy with more questions then he can imagine. ;) .

By the way, we use ballpeins bigger then that for finish forging and straightening, wuss. :yawn:

Nice job, will be watching for the finished version.:thumbup:

Bill
 
Nick, you really do forge close to shape. Anyone that swings a 12# hammer should be called SIR! Nice work, by the way.
 
Nick, I think you just showing off. You really don't forge left handed, right, right..... :jerkit: kind of like the little man in the demo. I had bought some D-2 rounds shortly after I caught the forging bug. If all steel moved the way that suff did I'd for sure be a stock removal guy. Were you able to aneal that blade? I was able to use a 12 pounder back then but now I can bairly pick it up. You know how us out of shape over 50 guys are. :D You going to make it to Blade this year?
 
You guys crack me up :D :p

Roger, I doubt it... hand sanding 3V is not something I enjoy! And I'm not turning in any Js knives without at least a 600X finish. I might make one up with a similar blade shape though, as this one is something I like a lot.

Phillip, I tried forging it colder at first, and all it did was dent my anvil face. It also looks even hotter in these pics than I really had it. However! I have some smaller stock coming, I'll try forging it at lower heat and see how it goes. :cool:

Oh yea, left handers are retards! :jerkit:

HAHAHAHAHHAHA! :D ;) (notice the jerking emoticon is right handed you suckers!) :p

Kenvia, I really can't say. I've forged a few from ATS-34 and A2, but never D2. I think all of the air hardening steels are a bit of a bugger due to their properties.

The cool thing, was this was an ideal reason for forging it. It was a big fat chunk, but not long enough to cut a big blade out of. Besides, it sure was fun :D
 
Dented your anvil, ouch! Looks like you have a good anvil too, is that a Nimba?
Maybe you're forging it at the same temp I was. It's hard to tell heat colors in pictures.
Do you heat treat 3v your self?
 
Phillip, it was only a couple small spots. They'll work out over a bit of time. I think part of it was how much I had to move this steel. Normally, I try not to hammer on the ricasso area AT ALL. I ended up hammering on this piece from every possible angle, trying to stretch a 10.5" blade and tang out of that 6-5/8" long chunk :)

Oh yea, this is the Nimba Gladiator (450 lb.) My dream anvil! :D Next to my Burr King, it was one of my best purchases in my shop! (well, a favorite one anyway :) ).

I have always sent my stock removal 3V off to Paul Bos... I might try doing this one in a friend's Paragon. If I had a higher working temp salt, I'd just austenitize it in my salt bath and try the interupted oil quench as per Crucible's literature.

I forgot to mention that I just did an "auto level" adjust in photochop, and it made the blade look brighter and the background darker, so I do think I "gained" a couple hundred degrees with photochop! :D lol
 
Hey buddy! I see you have a blade outline drawn on the face of that new anvil. If you would like I can bring over the plasma cutter and we can go ahead and cut it out for you.:)
 
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