forging

[v-6]

well I'm going to try forging, and would like to know how hot do you get your gas forge to make it pound easy, like butter .
i don't what to much, no big hammer all hand hammer.
and I'm 62 so I'm not tough any more.
want to forge 1084
vern

 

[69_knives]

1850 - 2050 F should work well.

 

[JasonSCarter]

69 knives gave a good all around forging temp, but it really depends on the steel. What steel are you using? download the .PDF file for your steel (I usually use http://buffaloprecision.com/data_sheets/data_sheets_cp.htm for my data. Some steels respond well to higher heat and others will crumble where others shine. Worst thing you can do is not normalize 2-3x after your done heating and forging, each normalizing cycle should be done at a lower heat than before. If you dont have a pyrometer thats ok look no further than your kitchen...Table salt melts at 1475ºF the exact quench temp for W1, 1095 etc and start soak temp for O1, just sprinkle a little on your blade (for lack of a better term, like a line of coke) then slowly ramp up your forge till you see it melt like snow, when that happens your there. . . quench

Jason

 

[69_knives]

Vern did say he wants to forge 1084, that's why I went with that temp range.

I use the last 3 or 4 heats to do any final straightening and touch ups as well as lowering the temps to normalize at the same time; the last 2 heats there shouldn't be any hammering taking place to not induce any more stresses.

You should be able to get a PID and K type thermocouple for about $50.00 shipped, maybe less. Use the PID as a temp guage, they're cheaper than a pyrometer.

 

[JasonSCarter]

:foot: how'd I miss that! 69Knives is right...:thumbup: for 1084 you quench @ 1500 so let the salt totally melt before quenching.