I like 1050 steel more that 52100 & 5160!

D

DaQo'tah Forge

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Hi this is DaQo'tah

I didnt know what to expect from 1050 steel...

When I got it , it came very very soft. Very easy to work. Cut very easly from the stock and my new belts cut into it easly. Even my files cut into to it way more easly than the 52100 or 5160 that I have used before.

The steel seems to have also been very easy to heat-treat too!

I got HUGE cool looking lines after the water quench. (Just to review, this is my first blade useing a water-quench, and clay. The clay fell off in the forge on my first attempt and so this blade has actually had two different heat-treatments.

After the tempering I saw a few flaws and tried to file them out,,,,MAN, did this steel get HARD!!!!!!...I mean Real HARDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!

I had to toss out two files that went flat in an attempt to just file down a small flaw,,,,I have never seen steel this hard,,,,it's hard to believe...

Then later as I was hand sanding I saw the Hamon lines pop out at me, even without doing an acid etch the Hamon was clearly seen in the blade.

The link shows the blade now just right after the etch...I have not buffed it nor tried to make it look any better yet...

http://daqotah.tripod.com/id5.html

I have had temper/hamon lines on my other hunting knives made out of 52100 ...BUT Nothing like this!.....

I think I grow to really like 1050 steel...
 
Looks like it's coming along real fine. Keep us posted on it's construction please.
Regards,
Greg
 
I know that my photos are poor,,,(I just have a old scanner)
But the temper lines are great!

In the Katana video guide, Mr.Hayes cleans off the clay from the spine of the blade to make that part get hard in the quench., On my blade, you can even see a temper /Hamon line running down along the spine to show that my spine is hard...

Boy, that water quench is Something else!

As expected I didnt get very much Katana-like curve in the blade. Many people on the forum warned me that my 20 inch blade just is not long enough to ge a good curve from the quench. But I still think I got some, and this gives me hope that when I do a full size katana that I will have a good looking curve to it....

today I will start on the handle and the guard.
 
Lookin good, keep up the good work. ( lowest alloy for best hamon )
1050 is good stuff, makes great hamons. Anders Hogstrom uses it and makes wickedly cool knives.
I'm working on a blade right now out of 1060 with a killer hamon and I'm liking it.

Don Hanson lll
 
The blade is not all that sharp yet. Mr Hayes in the video tells me to not sharpen it until Im done as it has to be handled a lot yet to make the guard and handle and sheath.

But before I can do the next steps, I have to be sure that im done with the blade.....But am I??????

The blade is dull gray from the etch,,,what now?

what do I do with the blade to dress it up better?,,,,
 
Looks great so far. I dont think you will want to buff the hamon, i think that would wash it out. if i understand right about the curve, if you leave clay on the spine it will curve more (but may cause cracks in the cutting edge), if you scrape clay off the spine it will keep the blade straighter but keeps from having cracks in the cutting edge. at least that is the way i understood it.
 
Looking good, I haven't done any testing 1050 vs. 52100, but for a sword I'd probably go with 1050 like you.

I would take it to a simi sharp hand rubed finish and then do the hardware and handle then take apart and hand rub to say 1200-1500 or even 2000 grit final finish.

Can't wait to see the finished product, glad to see you've been buisy also.
 
DaQo,

Haven't yet experienced the 1050 but have to say I have become a big fan of the 1075 I have so far used. Wonderful blade steel and a lot of fun to work. Holds an edge very well under heavy usage.

RL
 
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