Material for Punches and Chisels

[Fox Creek]

Very witty and gentle Uri. Namaste! Just think what that one or two tools made of the solid carbides or high speed air-hardening steels in action would have looked like to the Medieval smith with his wrought iron and semi-steel? MajiK, no doubt! I had never thought through the task of cutting hammer eyes; I dont make hawks, but read much from others of the travail involved and the varying methodology. The carbide chisel sounds like it might be a real break through for the hawkforger-people. They must be expensive for sure. You imagine you would have to have a well set up shop order the blank and grind it for you. Big nasty job. How much performance would be lost if one settled for a good high speed steel chisel instead? Your pick of steels. Thanks,
Fox Creek

[Nolano]

Wow, solid tungsten tools cant be cheap. that stuff is really expensive.

[ApprenticeMan]

You know, I was talking with a metallurgist about forging tungsten, and he was saying along the lines of how you would have to have an airless vacuum, as well asn an airless fire, and you would have to get it HOT, like hotter than regular stuff.

[Old Sneelock]

When I took the class at Tillers International we used tire irons to make chisels. I still have mine from the class and it works fine. They are cheap and easy to find.

Don't use yours from the car you may need it :-)

[Nolano]

Apprenticeman, the heat is one of the main issues for forging Tungsten. Its used for TIG welding because the welder simply will not get it hot enough to melt, while its easily melting steel. Tungsten has a higher melting point than any other element, and it doesn't melt till about 6,600 degrees F, if I recall correctly. To contain a fire like that, your forge would also need to be tungsten!