Forging: recycling steel

Joined
Oct 14, 1999
Messages
553
Hello!
After reading some threads from O-1 Fan and others about forging blades i wondered if there are some forgers on the forum interested in sharing their knowledge about high quality steel things from the scrapyard that could be recycled and forged into quality blades. Kind of a Who Is Who of the scrapyard.
I'll start out with this:

FAG roller bearings are made of 52100.
Stainless FAG roller bearings are made of refined 440C.

Achim
 
Off the top of my head.......
Chevy coil springs........9260
older ford car trunk springs.....1095
axles................1045
PTO shafts...........1035
Most leaf springs....5160 (no brainer)
disk blades..........1050
push rods (large cat engines) 440B and C
More to come......
http://www.mtn-webtech.com/~caffrey

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Ed Caffrey
"The Montana Bladesmith"


 
spring tooth and hay rake tines...1095
most crane cable and elevator cable..1095
Railway freight car coil springs. I don't know what they are, but if you anneal, forge and heat treat like 5160 you will get the toughest blades you can imagine.
All American made files...1095 or W2.

That's all I can think of to add right now.

GaryB
 
When reusing material to make blades try to get the more recent items.Use springs from a 1992 car over a 1972 for example. The reason for this is because of the tremendous advances in steel making over the last 20 years. This has resulted in much cleaner steel with fewer inclusions and flaws. The big 3 automakers have also required tougher specs from their steel suppliers. Be careful of any scrap coming in from other countries. There has been several cases of low level radioactive scrap coming into the country. I believe most of this came from medical devices but have heard stories of worse.
 
Thanx achim,and all
This info is really handy and i can get my hands on most of this stuff for quite a low cost.Keep it comin i`m thirsty for blade knowledge especially damascus,or cable damascus.i`m goin out right now to try to fint some crane or elivator cable.

Thanx,
O-1 fan

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That which does not kill you, only makes you stronger
 
well i`m back,i went to our local cable supplier,asked for crane or elivator cable,and if he knew the specs on the stuff.But all he knew was its called "improved plow"cable,anyway he just gave me a 3 foot piece just to try out for free!!Bonus deal i say!
if anyone out there knows what steel that might be it would be appreciated to hear from u,cause i`ve had my forge blastin all day just waitin to start
biggrin.gif



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That which does not kill you, only makes you stronger
 
Hey,

I wouldnt normally post info like this, but i am sure that if i am wrong there are more than enough people in the know here that can correct me..

anyhow ..
i was told that "improved plow" is just another name for 1075 of the series steel.

anyone want to correct me?

D.
 
On Cable..........
Extra Improved Plow steel.......1060-1075
XX improved plow steel..........1080-1085
XXX improved plow steel..........1095

It's getting tougher to figure these things out, as the steel compainies have broadened there specs on carbon content over the last dozen years or so. An example is 5160, at one time the carbon range was .58-.60, some of the specs I have seen lately have as wide a variance as .52-.69! That's a pretty wide range when you consider that a little carbon goes a long way. Just one more reason to insist on data sheets with your steel order(s).

http://www.mtn-webtech.com/~caffrey

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Ed Caffrey
"The Montana Bladesmith"


 
Another grade to watch is 52100.ASTM lists 5 different modifcatios.Carbon can range from a low of 0.85 to 1.10 Manganese can range from 0.65 to 1.70 Chrome range can very from 0.90 to 1.80 Molybdenum can range from non required to 0.60. In addition bearings havw been made from 51100 which is close to 52100 but without the Chrome conteny. If you have good results with something try to get as much as you can but be aware that evan this is no guarantee.
 
Agree with Ed, It's hard to get the blade "just right" when you not sure what the steels makeup is. It's OK to play around with some of this stuff when your practicing up but when I put a blade in the hands of a customer we both need to be absolutely sure that it will do the job.

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old pete
 
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