Metal Question for Making Tools, non edge type tools.

[KnuckleDownKnives]

I've got some old pinion gears, car axle shafts and other odd's and ends from cars/truck that aren't mild steel, mainly drive line internal components. Would steel such as this be decent for forging tools such as hammers or anvil hardys or tongs from?

 

[kuraki]

I think most axles would make excellent forging tools. I think gears might be more work than they're worth.

 

[Boogaloo]

I think a lot of gears are case hardened so you'd likely loose any substantial carbon to decarb & scale.


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[Juha Perttula]

Yes, gears are carburized, and you are going to lose the carburized case during forging. Anyway carburizing steels have about 0.2% carbon and substantial amount of alloying elements; therefore, they can attain about 45 HRC hardness and good toughness after low temperature tempering (350 F). Gears are oil quenched because carburized surface, but I think, water hardening is better for tools, it provides higher core hardness.