Grade 8 bolts ?

[NateDJ]

Will grade 8 bolts make decent punches or drifts? I can not find any information as to the carbon content or the steel type of these things but I am hoping to at least make a drift and a small shaping hammer from them.

Any Ideas?

[rlarkin]

Grade 8 refers to the highest standard strength
achieved in the manufacture of bolts and hex cap screws. Grade 8 bolts are
medium carbon alloy steel, quenched and tempered at a minimum temperature of
800ø F. The carbon content is between 0.28 and 0.55 weight percent with no
specification for boron. Grade 8 fasteners are heat treated to achieve a
hardness of 33 to 39 on the Rockwell C scale. Grade 8.2 fasteners are low
carbon martensite steel, fully killed, fine grain, and quenched and tempered
at a minimum temperature of 650ø F. Grade 8.2 bolts have a carbon content of
0.15 to 0.25 weight percent and a minimum of 0.0005 weight percent boron.
Grade 8.2 fasteners are heat treated to achieve a hardness of 35 to 42 on the
Rockwell C scale.

[orgtwister]

well i don't know persay if they would make a good punch or any thing else i can tell you you can't weld them if you do i makes them week and they break off i worked at a place were they insisted on welding them against my concern on a pieace of equitment and like i told them they all broke off so then we just ground down the welds and bolted it back to getther and it worked fine

[orgtwister]

for punches i would just order some h-13 from speedy metals a 12 inch pieace of 1/2 is like 4.50 i think that would be the best thing to use

[metalmangeler]

If the punches and drifts get hot they would be better made from h-13 as stated, I would think that if you can heat treat it close to right then it should work fine for a shaping hammer as would truck Axel or heavy coil spring.