BrianH

I had a fun learning experience planned out, but then realized that I didn't know if it was even possible. First, the main question: Can one forge heavily rusted (not quite falling apart, but past "100% pitted surface") "mystery steel" using a wood/charcoal forge? If so, are there any special considerations I need to worry about? Just guessing, but I'd reckon (at least) one of 3 things would happen: 1. The hot carbon could actually Reduce the rust back into un-oxidized Iron/Steel; 2. The rust (which probably trapped some sort of dirt/minerals) would just turn to Scale and fall off (or get pounded into the base Iron as Inclusions if I didn't remove them properly); or 3. The Iron would just fall apart (from heat expanding all the rusted micro-fissures) before I could forge them back together. Here's the "why do you ask?": I wanted to do a "Building From 'Scratch'" learning experience. Walking along the beaches in my area (along an inland sea with partial access to Pacific Ocean), I noticed just how much metal there really is "just laying there". Most of this is in the form of very large bolts (1 inch diameter by 18 inches long or 2.5 by 45 cm) going through old "barrier logs" or broken dock pieces, or bits of Rebar protruding from pieces of broken concrete. Occasionally, one might find an old gate post with several large nails and a rusted/twisted hinge still on it. I'm fairly handy in the woods, but I'm no Les "Suvivorman" Stroud, so I plan on "cheating" on several aspects: having a tent, a cooler/backpack of food, a fishing pole, a canoe, and probably even my truck parked nearby. xxxx, I'll probably do this over several "visits"/camping trips that might be weeks or months apart. I know of some REALLY rural/desolate islands/beaches within easy reach of a few good "car camping" locations. As for the Forging aspects, which is the point of this particular exercise, I want to keep it as basic as possible: Only start with the "tools" I'd normally have on me any time while hiking/boating: a pocket knife, a lighter, a multi-tool (includes small hacksaw and general purpose "SawzAll" blades), length of "paracord", Magnesium fire-starter/"FireSteel", a leather belt, a roll of electrical tape, and of course my clothes. Those are actually all part of my "EveryDay Carry"... Everything else, including stock metal, will have to be found/scrounged "on-site". My "Mk 1 Forge" will be a driftwood campfire in pit in the beach sand, mostly surrounded by large rocks. If I found some natural clay to make basic cobblestone/cob, maybe make it slightly "beehive"-/"volcano"-shaped to hold in the heat and create a natural draft. Additional draft would be from hand-fanning the fire with something large and flat, maybe a piece of scrap plywood that floated ashore. "Mk 1 Anvil" will probably be a Granite boulder with a fairly flat top, or maybe a smoother Chert stone on top of said Granite boulder. "Mk 1 Smithing Hammer(s)" will probably be a roughly "grapefruit"-sized rock, either held in my hand or maybe tied between some sticks. Probably multiple rocks unless I manage to find a good one with a rounded end (AKA, "Ball-Peen Hammer"), a flattened end (umm... 'normal' "Sledgehammer"), and maybe even a straight "line" edged part (like a "Cross-Peen Hammer"). Basic idea is to "start with (next to) nothing and make tools to make slightly better tools to make better tools and see how far I can get with only items found on a stretch of beach and some woods." That said, considering almost all my metal would have floated through salt-water, if one can't really Forge heavily rusted steel/iron, my plan is broken from the start. Brian H.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-3-8-in-Drive-3-in-Extension-Bar-H3DEXT3/202913552#specifications It does say that it is Chrome plated "Carbon Steel"... That's so simple, I wonder why I hadn't thought of it. There is a difference between (not providing info that is at all helpful) and (not directly answering the original question, but still providing the info that is needed for the situation). You guys have done well at providing the latter, but still very welcomed, catagory of "not answering the question". Thank yous. Yes, a "Brace" is the tool I am talking about. I wouldn't mind using a "Speed wrench" for those uses but I'd rather have 1 multi-purpose tool and a pile of bits/sockets than have 2 very similar tools and the same pile of bits and sockets. For the record, this is to be used in a vehicle-accessible off-the-grid cabin. There is a small solar panel with a single old RV battery but it doesn't have enough juice to power any power tools. A pair of 2 CFL bulbs will drain the charge from an average day's charge over an evening. Holy crap, I want a Cole Drill/Vice... That looks awesome! I already have a sharp draw knife and most of a hand-built shaving horse for making pegs. :) My socket set already comes with a 1/4 drive -> screwdriver bit holder addaptor.

Has anyone tried to smith/forge things from "Cr-V" tools? Are these commonly the same grade of steel, and if so, does anyone know the grade number off the top of their head? Are there any things I should know about before trying? I'll be hand-hammering using a wood charcoal forge. My thoughts were that I have an old hand-drill (shaped sort of like a big "C", one cranks on the middle section) which accepts bits with a tapered square shaft on the end. I want to take a spare 3/8ths ratchet extension bar from a socket set, draw out the end, and square/taper the tip. That way, I could use my hand-drill with a socket set to tighten long bolts quickly while off the grid, which I might be doing a lot of this summer. P.S.: would these need a different forging heat range vs either mild or 1080 spring steel?

And a blacksmithing forum is about the ONLY place that I'd accept that some one actually knows what being hit with a 20# hammer might actually feel like. :p

If you are still interested in doing roundwood/rough timber framing, check out this forum over HERE Lots of people there have been going it for many years and have been building very solid buildings in the process. A lot of good info for the reading and plenty of experienced helpful folk to as questions to, if needed.