Indianer

Hello again Frosty - thank you for your answer. I did not realize how misleading that pic was, sorry for that. Let me clear this up real quick: In the above photograph, I placed a printing of the knife-to-be over the metal bar. I had to draw the bar out to get the right length. I used the paper pattern to check if I got there already. The bar now is as long is the blade should be - it runs below the paper pattern from tip to tang. The tang of the bar is narrower already, I had to draw that section out more. As of yet, I haven´t done any grinding/ cutting. Does this help? EDIT: Thomas, thx - noted. I like to know what I am dealing with, that´s all. Now I do.

Alright Guys, this is where we are: I finally got it drawn out to the right length. The handle is still ~2-3mm wider than on the paper, it´s just covered in the pic. I am unclear about how to proceed and wanted to check back with you on that. My idea is to cut away the excess around the tip with an angle grinder. I wanted to forge the blade bevels, not grind them. So along the edge I wanted to cut away the excess down to ... 1 or 2 mm over what´s printed on the paper? Leaving the blade a bit wider for now should allow me to grind away any decarburized/oxidized material once the bevels are forged down. Although I don´t even know if that happens in a propane tank forge...? Then it´d be beating it to banana shape over the concave portion of my RR track anvil and then forging the bevels. EDIT: When creating the banana, I assume I shall not try to hammer down any swelling/bulging/thickening of the material along the cutting edge - just let it grow, then make the bevels and correct thickness issues after, right? Thanks for ideas, suggestions and warnings. So long, Indi

Will do that! thx mate!

So, I am getting ahead of the process a bit, but this still needs to be learned. I have been searching for the proper quenching medium for 2235/80CrV2. I came up with this thread, the last post seems reliable. It suggests quenching with Canola Oil (120°F). Any objections or other suggestions? Thank you! Best, Indi

Hello Frosty, by "screw starter fishing magnet" do you mean something like this? I can´t do a direct translation on that one. Today I narrowed the stock down further - nearly done with that. Steve was right, I don´t need much of a jig, the magnet-in-a-mesh hung on a wire worked...crudely, but it worked. During the recent research I discovered recalescence as a useful indicator. Played around with that and the magnet. Turns out, I´ve been higher in the lower temps than I thought during the last session, which is good. Next is forging the bar into a blade... so long.

Thank you guys for the continued elaborations here. I am still following. I am currently fashioning a crude addition to my propane forge - a simple assembly holding a neodymium magnet in front of and below the forge opening, encaged in a small cage of wire mesh. The magnet will tell me when I´ve reached the curie temp. The mesh is to serve as spacer to prevent overheating. When not probing the work piece with it the caged magnet will be submerged in a bowl with water. I really have no idea if that is going to work...might be the magnet still overheats to quickly when probing the steel, which will destroy it permanently afaik...keeping you posted. Indi

Latticino, thank you for your input and suggestions. I will avoid it. Since there are, in contrast to Steve's description, not three ranges, but just the one listed, I assumed ausforging was not advised here. This one also starts above the Curie temp. Did I get my terminology mixed up? For red-short I have noted this (which tells me that, paradoxically, temperatures above red get increasingly detrimental): Red-Short: Quality iron or steel at and above 900°F/460°C becomes increasingly malleable and plastic. Iron or steel having too much sulfur becomes crumbly and brittle though. This is due to sulfur forming iron sulfide/iron mixtures which have a lower melting point than the steel. These alloys form in the grain boundaries. When the steel is heated up further, the FeS begins to melt, separating the steel there. Fabricators add Mn to the steel when it is produced to form manganese sulfide. MnS inclusions have a higher melting point and do not concentrate at the grain boundaries. EDIT: I also noted that, since modern stock is rather pure, the infamous sulfur might be introduced by coal forges, not propane forges. Which means I´d be safe from that phenomenon. Indeed, I go by eye. I am working in a shed, the propane forge standing outside. The world outside the shed is far too bright for my taste...I try to learn to counter-guess it right. The shed itself seems dark enough. I was planning on, from now on, also use a thermometer (one such metal rod thingy, not infrared). I am not quite sure though if the steel might get much hotter than the air inside the forge, which would render that thing useless. Any experience with that? Best, Indi

Thank you!

pnut, thank you kindly. I will keep my eyes peeled for that. For now, I assume the concept of matrix transitions itself is clear enough. If not someone´s gonna tell me in response to the following question: Having done more research I still can´t find one thing: Steve, thank you for the tip that some steels don´t stand ausforging. Now, is there a way to decide whether or not mine, or a steel in general, can? Thank you!

Alright...my bad. I read several sheets, overlooked it here. Thank you. I will not touch it then in the red ranges. Jim Hrisoulas specifically mentioned doing exactly that though, naming it "Aus(tenite)-forging": Working below the critical temp, mostly in dark/dull cherry red. He doesn´t get specific on steels that can endure that. I planned on applying that for the cutting edge. It is supposed to restrict grain growth. If a quick answer is legit: Leave be, or is it ok?

Hello IronDragon. Yes, I did. I also read " Common Basic Mistakes That Beginners Should Avoid". I tried google for information on 2235 forging temp. All I ever find though is the heat treating details. Not quite sure what to search instead without derailing.

Hey guys- I wish to forge a knife, a buplicate of an icon weapon from a favorite game series. With my propane tank forge I started drawing out a bar of 1.2235 (data sheet) I had laying around. It was far too broad (about double of what I needed), yet too short. The thickness was in the range. I built a tentative makeshift device to help draw it out. An expansion tool for the railroad anvil I have. I goes well...ish. First: What makes me worry though is that I already got 4-5 hours in drawing it out, and I´ll do it for another afternoon till the width is down to what I need for the blade. Is that very bad..? On the bright side, the piece is pretty straight and of uniform thickness as of yet...I am pleased with that. Second, I am working a high-carbon alloy. I have seen Alec Steele forge metal that was well below glowing temp - he finished the shape of tips on a rod (here, from 3.20 onward, or 5.25 onward). Now my stock is much more massiv, and probably higher in carbon (0.8). Will it damage the metal if still work my stock at a temp of 1000-1100F? (my reference heat colour chart) It cools rather quickly, and it´s easy to drop the hammer once too often during cleanup after the "let´s draw it out some" part of a heat...much as I try not to do it. Third: Thank you. For this, and anything else you can tell me on the project. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I read Jim Hrisoulas Book "The complete Bladesmith" carefully, and did lots of other research, esp. on hardening theory and practises. Though my focus is largely on making armor. I watched the entire "Men at arms- reforged" series on youtube and screenshotted and catalogue pictures of steel glowing at hardening heat. I also watched some instructional videos of Alec Steele and others on basic smithing techniques. In short: I learned and noted, for years, to avoid errors. Whatever I do wrong now I am sorry about, yet probably unable to correct on my own.

So...has this been solved..? If 78Sharpshooter´s knife was heavier than the test pieces it would have heated the oil up more than these could do. This said, it should be a fast and more even quench with the knives (after Steve sells, if i got him right). Still, he says the knives RC was lower... Would somebody explain this to me, since his case seems important to me? Greetings

Don´t worry, i would never let someone bet his live on my armours...not now, at least. I have never touched a sheet of metal prone for smithing I am working on maille, since there is neither space nor money nor time for actual smithing. These things can be changed, but what i really need is knowledge what to search for, and where to do so. My father did not even show me how to use a drill...never needed to do so. So i search for things and try to learn before i am even able to test it, but it´s okay...somehow i need to get started! I want to make armour because of the armour, not the use. This said, thank you very much Kozzy, and thanks ThomasPowers as well for your tips. This really helps me, and i´ll search for these things now that i heard of

So this sounds like i could never be assured that an armour created for jousting will withstand as it should. i wish there was some way to look into the metal, some x-ray related method or so. thanks for the answer Kozzy :)

So, isn´t there any data on it i could, by chance, read out of a table or a diagram? Of course it will depend on the metal, it always does. This is why i´d wish myself some lecture, a scientific analysis for example to refer to. And, what i still did not find on the ArmourArchive - will heat treating alone, like hardening swords, undo small cracks in the steel? I hope someone here is into metallurgy and knows, if there is some data/examination existing. Greetings!

Hello all! I´m new to this forum, made my account some time ago but this will be my first question to you. First, as an introduction: I´m currently doing my studies in germany, and since my greatest interest is, from childhood on, the armour making, i use it as a counterbalance to the dry theory of my studies I want to learn it all, but for now i am working on a hauberg since this does not require anything i haven´t got in my appartment. My question is this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgzQiO9liNw In the middle of this video the guy forges an elbow protection, he dishes it. My question is, if he would relinquish the use of heat, would this cause the metal to suffer from cracks in it´s macro- or microstructure, which are NOT removable by using heat to harden the piece after work is done? This is, beacause i´d like to know how much i can hammer cold on an armour in general So thanks in advance - glad to be here Indianer