Stainless tig wire for pins

N

Nsewell

Joined
Mar 26, 2017
Messages
86
Can stainless 309 tig welding wire be peened? I'm wondering if I can use it for a slip joint pivot.
 
Yes. It's not a very precision form though. It's not perfectly round and may cause some interference issues with your blade, or require more clearance in your pivot hole than you'd normally want.
 
for something as critical as a pivot, I would suggest using precision round stock. Also, reaming the holes with carbide reamers make a snug and solid fit.
 
Actually, I gotta disagree here guys.

Crown ER-410 tig is dimensionally accurate, and beautifully finished, better than ANY pin stock I've ever been able to source. I use it for all my stainless pins. Most TIG rod however, is drawn and not that accurate, and 309 is *NOT* suitable for any pin that needs to be peened. It will crack and splinter extremely quickly and is a bitch to cold form.


I highly recommend using 410 over 416 or any 300 series, because it specifically has high formability as opposed to being freer machining like 416. Yes, 416 is easier to machine, (although in our application I find the difference marginal), but has low cold formability (peening), and will crack and splinter from heavy peening quickly. 410 you can beat on all day, form as large or small a domed pin as you want, and it moves readily.


Crown brand ER-410, I buy it in 1/16, 3/32 and 1/8, it's bright, clean finished, very round, accurate sized, and doesn't have pinched ends. It honestly looks precision ground. I can't recommend it enough.
 
There's got to be some difference in various 309 then. I've flattened it many times to thin out a rod when I didn't have a smaller diameter.

But getting some ER-410 sounds like a plan.
 
kuraki said:
There's got to be some difference in various 309 then. I've flattened it many times to thin out a rod when I didn't have a smaller diameter.

But getting some ER-410 sounds like a plan.
Click to expand...


Maybe I'm thinking of 308-L either way, there's no advantage to using the 309 in this application. 410 is really the best choice for pocket knife work. You can get thin sheet for liners, plate for integrals or bolsters, and matching nice pin stock, all of which machines fine, and forms extremely well. Check it out and let me know what you think.

I hated using 416, and had a lot of color matching problems with it, and would crack the edges of domed pins if I didn't have everything just perfect and had to wail on it a little longer than expected, especially trying to move a pin off flat into a low section of stag or whatever. Don't have any of those issues with 410. Jantz carries 410 sheet and plate for the other parts.
 
The 416 i have is far from precision and I have plenty of 309 that looks a lot better. I'm just about ready to pin my first one together so I try with the 416 on it and try to get some 410 soon. It's a shadow pattern and the washer is 416 also. Thanks☺
 
410 and 416 are HT hardenable to some degree. All pin should experimented with to see if it's too hard and should be annealed . The alloy that is most malleable is 305.
The best for most applications is 416 hardened Q!
 
Well I did some experiment with 309 annealed and 416 annealed and the way it came. The 309 peene d the easiest followed by the 416 annealed with a few cracks. The 416 the way it came cracked very badly. I'm glad I practiced on some mild steel before I did the knife. I used the annealed 416 since it matches the bushings. I think it turned out ok for my first slip joint. I took apart a case trapper to use as a pattern.
EHnFlsG.jpg
pwJ7vId.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top