What type of Steel would this be

[J.S. Carter]

Ok fellas my son's (age 10) been chompin at the bit to be like his old man and pound some steel in the forge, so I let him and we used a recently changed steering linkage bar from my younger brothers 2003 Dodge Cummins diesel truck I've read that steering arms are 4042 in the junk yard steel list from anvilfire.com.

( http://www.anvilfire.com/21centbs/jnkstee1.jpg )

and 4042 has

SAE
No........ C ...... Mn ....... Mo
4042 .40-.45 .70-.90 .20-.30

So it sucks as a blade steel, but we've got her shaped and flat ground, into a small bowie 5/32" x 1 5/8" x 7 1/2" my concern is the .40-.45 carbon content almost puts it at 1050 and since we did it in a coal forge you think that imparted any more carbon into it? to make it atleast close to 1050? yea i know it's junk steel but it was there and free, and I cant imagine him using it for much of anything except to look cool and have fond memories of. So do think it might be some other kind of steel? I plan on heat treating it and hardening it like a normal carbon steel,
Sorry no pics i cant get my camera to link up with my computer right :grumpy:

any further information ya'll can give me would be great!

 

[A C Richards]

I do not think it imparted any carbon into the blade. It takes a very long time and the correct fire to add any carbon at all. If you are dead set on trying to HT the blade use Brine and aerate it. This will create the hardest edge it will be able to take.

CHuck

 

[J.S. Carter]

well crudsville.... oh well like I said it'll be all show and no go... but uhm. . . please explain aerateing it? Thanx anyway for the advice!

 

[A C Richards]

Get a piece of 1/2 inch pipe and drill a series of 1/8th inch holes in it. Hook it up to an air source, compressor, vacuum exhaust etc, to get the bubbles going. This agitates the brine and increases the cooling rate.

Chuck

 

[J.S. Carter]

awesome thanx for the info I'll definatly do that!