kevsauce

Oh boy - yeah you guys gave me a lot to chew on Well my father owns a machine shop so he has good amount of scrap metal always kicking around. Unfortunately, I have absolutely no idea what is what. No idea if what I'm picking up is 1020 or what. For instance I was just making a hook to hang a tool on last weekend and felt the metal I was using was like silly putty...it mushed down really easy...too easy actually...made it hard to keep a square shape when drawing out to a point. (My father thought it was 1018 maybe) That's why I thought it would be good to start with samples from McMaster Carr so I can know what's what and feel the differences in the metal. You mentioned not quenching a high-carbon steel with water...is oil the the thing to use? Or does one just not quench whatsoever? I am definitely going to quickly pursue making punches or chisels...

Thanks for the help guys - unfortunately I can't get at the anvil as it's at my father's and I can only get up there once every 2-3 weeks. I know...it's a sad thing but a tink tink of an anvil wouldn't go down so well here in my town. I will definitely get some pics when I can. I *was* thinking of just having a hardy tool of just a steel block for good edges so that's a good point.

PS I'll also need to make my own hardy tools...not sure if that metal should be the like of tongs or something harder.

Yep I couldn't see any kind of boundry from just looking at the side of it. I will have to etch into the side indeed to see. Thanks for the help...I was looking at the welding articles (and have browsed through them in the past) and that looks far too advanced/hard for someone like myself. I think I will stick by your guideline and if there's plenty of tool steel left, just mill off a portion.

Hey guys, Just getting started here and was wondering what type of metal you guys use for a lot for whatever reason (for making tools, knockers, hinges, etc). I was reading through the Art of Blacksmithing and read that 1020 Hot rolled is supposed to be fairly common? Though I think when I was looking through McMaster Carr for metal to order there wasn't a whole lot of choices for 1020. I'm going to start out making the basics (tongs, for one becuse that's what I need badly) and move up from there. Thanks! -Kevin

Phil, I'm assuming you are asking about how much steel is left on the face? This I don't know - I'm assuming this is a standard iron anvil with steel face on top....but eh, I don't know how one tells where the steel ends and the iron begins.

Guys and gals, Newbie here...just got a forge and avil stand built and set up in my barn. I bought a 150 pound Hay Budden in fairly rough shape....the face is uneven, and there aren't really any good edges left on the side. I figured I would just stick the anvil in one of my father's milling machines and mill off the surface till it is completely level and square....and at the same time that should square off the edges a little bit as well. Is there anything "wrong" with doing it this way? I don't imagine I would need to take much more than 1/8" to 1/4" off the surface. Thanks -Kevin PS I guess I'm not *totally* new...I always lurk around forums looking at everyone's setups and hand-made items and get jealous and angry that I don't have any time to devote to this but once every few weekends. :)