forging problems

[markb]

I've been having trouble, all opinions, advice, criticisms, help welcome.

I've been using RR spikes for all of the following, and propane forge(whisper momma) In pic 003 I have a crack, this was a wrinkle that started like those in 009, answer is proly smooth out wrinkles don't pound them in, but not sure.
?

I was forging at yellow heat in 007, looks bad, heavy fire scale. Forging too hot?

Fire scale pit in 002,again forged at yellow.

003 was forged at cherry red to dark red in dim light, and wire brushed at each heat, still seems like alot of FS?

010 draw filing...success in the gallery

[pete46]

Did You Anneal Or Normalize The Spike Before You Started?

[markb]

No, just heated and started pounding.

[John N]

looks like youve got to much air going into your burner. try choking it down a bit (it if doesnt have choke plates cover up a bit of the air inlet to the burner with some electrical insulation tape for a couple of heats, just to see if it makes a difference.)

the big dents look like you have hammered some scale / crud into the metal.

cant really see why annealing / normalising the spike would have the slightest differnece on its level of scaling in the forge (grain size etc after forging yes but no difference once the metal is above critical temp) - if anyone knows better please correct me.

[Dale Russell]

Mark , pix ñº1 knife_problems_003 - Blacksmith Photo Gallery

thats a cold shunt ,, your beatin' too cold iron

Dale Russell

[markb]

thanks Dale thats what I need to know. I guess I went too far the other way, also sometimes I have to get that last hit or 2, need to brake that habit, tired of make'n a junk pile.

John, I'll try choking my burners.

[nitro]

I also had this problem, I found that the scale were getting pounded in, I now use water on my anvil and hammer. The water on the hot spike make the scale pop right off and make for a cleaner forge.
Nitro

[Chuck Richards]

The excess fire scale is from an oxidizing atmosphere. You want a slightly reducing flame. Adjust your fuel air mix so there is some yellow flame coming out of the front. No too much but just some licks. This is a reducing flame. You should be able to keep the scale to a minimum in the forge. It will scale when you remove it though. But not nearly as much as you show. The amount of carbon in RR spikes do not have enough carbon in them to worry too much about annealing but it is a good practice to adopt.

[markb]

I'll try again tomorrow, with water, thanks Nitro, and adjust for a reducing flame thanks Chuck, this speeds up the learning process.
Mark

[pete46]

Chuck Said" Annealing Was A Good Practise To Adopt"!
I Win !