Material for Punches and Chisels

[Bruce Beamish]

Another source of cheap tool steel is your local hire shop ask if they have any broken Jackhammer bits or ones that are too short to re-use or reforge.
The smaller ones say 5/8" to 3/4" would be ideal for punches etc. The 1" and 1 1/4" and bigger are ok for anvil tools, hot setts, hammers. Most of the time they are S1 or equivalent, so no real heat treating dramas. When they find out your a 'smith they might want some good ones sharpened and Heat treated. Cheers, Bruce

[ThomasPowers]

Actually a lot of jackhammer bits can be just 1050---as reported to us by a guy who used to resharpen them as his "day" job.

Thomas

[Bruce Beamish]

That's interesting Thomas. It is certainly not my experience of Jackhammer bits in Australia. I believe that the ones I have come across over the years (nearly 30 since I started my apprenticeship as an Engineering Blacksmith) whilst they may not have been all S1 they would've most certainly been harder and tougher than .50% straight carbon steel (1050).
That is what I baased my comments upon. However if they bits that are available are made from 1050 whilst they are not ideal for punches and chisels, in the larger sizes they can still be used for general anvil tooling, swages, flatters, bickerns, and the smaller sizes can be used for drifts etc.

My comments about the potential for a little work to come your way is still valid in either case. I know this for a fact as I have been doing Jackhammer points and chisels for several local hire firms for years.

Cheers,

Bruce.

[Nolano]

Well, I made a cold chisel out of 1 1/4 inch jackhammr bit. Quenched it in water, no tempering. Hasnt cracked or dulled yet!

[Hofi]

I Do Not Think That Pro's Or People That Use Many Different Tools
Can Depend On Broken Jackhammer Steel.
I Use Mainly S 1 And H 13 . I Have Punches And Chisels That I Forged 15 Year Ago Still Going Strong ,to My Opinion Both Of Them Are Very Similar From The Heat Resustance Point Of View With A Little Adsvance For The H13. If You Can Get M4 And M2 They Are Even Better.

Uri Hofi

[Bruce Beamish]

I agree with your points Uri, I took the original request to mean a cheap source of tool steel for someone starting out. So rather going and buying new steel at fairly high prices a new starter could gain some experience by using some cheap recycled materials.

Cheers, Bruce

[Hofi]

HELLO BRUCE
IF WE BUY GOOD STEEL FOR A CERTAIN JOB THAT WILL COST US APPR
2-3$ and the tool will hold 10-20 years insted of 5 THEN THE PRICE DO NOT COUNT AND TO WORK WITH A GOOD TOOL IS ''TO WORK WITH A GOOD TOOL''
MAKES A BIG DIFFERENT. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO TEACH !!!!!!!!!
HOFI

[Nolano]

Right, and I agree with you, Hofi. But for someone who is unfamiliar with working tool steel, it might be a good idea to make the first chisel or two out of something cheap, to get the idea of how it works. I agree with you totally, though.

[cheftjcook]

A question about the S1, H13, M4, M2, steels. I have not to my knowledge worked/played with these, but would like to make punches, chisels ect from them. I worked a few files for knives or openers.... one just fractured as I was working it the others worked out well. All were quenched & tempered but one just did'nt make it! I assume to brittle?!
I am going to find some tool steel at the scrap or steel yard and would like to have reliable results.
The punches & chisels I worked are from mild steel and quenched in water, vegetable oil and even tried the "super quench". I only quench the working end and leave the hitting end air cooled soft. Also tempered some and others just quenched, most work very well & some pretty good.
Learning by experimenting!!!!

Question is do you air cool or quench or quench & temper, these tool steels? Is there a rough guide or rule of thumb to follow for the different grades?
Will a tool steel be to brittle if quenched and be unuseable to the point of cracking or coming apart durring use?

Thanks for the help
TIM

[Nolano]

It all depends on the steel. Machinery's handbook has an excellent section on tool steels and their heat treating. I reccomend getting one, I got my 19th edition for $11 shipped.