Question on forging titanium

[Spots]

I have gotten some titanium bar stock from a friend. I have several pieces that are .5" x 7" x 16". I would like to forge these into some unique blades, but have never worked with ti. I have searched, and found this:

To forge the blades I took them to 1000C (yellow) and hammered til they were red (about 900-870C) and then I took the Ti piece to the oven again til it was yellow and started all over again til I got the desired shape.

This forging process took me about 3 times the time it takes me to forge 5160 as the Ti gets cold sooner than the steel.

The blades have a 47RC hardness, and I didn't heat treat it after forging, as the Ti got hardened in the process.

I find the behavior of this knives edge wise to a knife made out of 1070 with a hardness of 56RC. After I sharpen them, they get razor sharp and can shave arm hairs. After some use (again, picture a 1070-56RC knife here) they stop shaving hair, and might seem dull, but they keep cutting meat and tomatoes and potatoes with ease.

From what I've read, this is because of the micro structure of the Ti, that makes the edge to resemble a micro saw, so if you move the edge agains the food, it will cut like hell still.

Also, I've read that if you reheat Ti several times, it becomes brittle... This is NOT what I found here, as the blades are almost as maleable and flexible as steel ones.


I find this material to be exceptional for kitchen use, as they are light, so after prolongued use you don't get as tired, they don't give any foreign taste to the cutted food like some carbon steels might, and because with a sharpening rod you can get it popping sharp again in some seconds, so if you remember to do that just before each use, you'll have a REALLY light and super sharpened kitchen knife at your disposal.

Regards,

Ariel

And I've been told to keep baking soda around to dose it if it catches fire. Is there anything else I need to know?

Thanks guys

 

[mete]

I lack Ti expertese .Brittleness can come from absorbtion of things like nitrogen at high temperatures. They usually ht in vacuum to avoid that.

 

[Phil Dwyer]

Not sure why you'd want a titanium knife; maybe a dive knife? Now tongs would be way cool! I met a fella a few years back, Erin Simmons, who forges titanium into tongs and hammers.

I Forge Iron has a forum dedicated to titanium.

You might want to check out Randy McDaniel's material. He might not get much of an edge, but talk about tough (check it out at 8:20 )!!!

[video=youtube;e_uO7PU8l8Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=e_uO7PU8l8Y[/video]

 

[Broomhead]

To follow on Spots' question, what about using Ti for stock removal knives? What needs to be done to be able to work it? Heat treating? Is it worth even messing with?

BTW, Spots' and I know each other and both have access to the Ti.

 

[Spots]

Not sure why you'd want a titanium knife; maybe a dive knife?

I Forge Iron has a forum dedicated to titanium.

You might want to check out Randy McDaniel's material. He might not get much of an edge, but talk about tough (check it out at 8:20 )!!!

[video=youtube;e_uO7PU8l8Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=e_uO7PU8l8Y[/video]

I just want to see if I can build a few knives out of that. They don't have to be shaving sharp, though I have seen a few that were, the trait I'm after is the toughness and the weight. Kind like when he hits it with a 6 pd sledge hammer. That was crazy. I emailed him last night and this is what he had to say:

In forging titanium the main thing is to keep it hotter than you would steel. Hammering mostly at a bright yellow. Don't take it to white. It will burn and then does not want to go out. When it cools down the hammer will bounce right off of the metal. Try to stop before it gets that cold. There is no heat treatment of most titanium.

Take a sample piece and just play with it and you'll see how it works. Careful in drawing out as if you work too far in one direction without the other it will cause wrinkles in the surface that are hard to remove with out grinding.

Good luck and have fun!

Randy



If it starts to burn, do NOT look at it! It glows like a welding rod and can damage your eyes. Just wait for it to cool down some and then quench it in water.

Randy

To follow on Spots' question, what about using Ti for stock removal knives? What needs to be done to be able to work it? Heat treating? Is it worth even messing with?

BTW, Spots' and I know each other and both have access to the Ti.

Is he sending you some also, or do you need me to box you up a few pieces when they get here? According to the above it doesn't need heat treatment, but I have found several different people say it is almost impossible to cut cold, which means you'll need good sharp belts, and to change them often.

 

[Broomhead]

Is he sending you some also, or do you need me to box you up a few pieces when they get here? According to the above it doesn't need heat treatment, but I have found several different people say it is almost impossible to cut cold, which means you'll need good sharp belts, and to change them often.

He said he'd send me a piece or two if I decided to try it.