CRAFTBENDER Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 I have a lot of chrome moly (4130) steel 7/32 by 1 1/8 wide. Haven't even finished my propane forge yet. Need refractories. Any way, I've been thinking about forging a strip of the CM and a file together, twisting and folding into a billet to make a sort of damascus type of steel. Has anyone forged chrome moly with other steel or even by itself? When I get some photos of my burner and forge, I'll post them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Chrome and Ni steels are harder to forge weld than plain carbon steels. How much experience do you have welding up billets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 From my experience chrome-moly welds very easily. I've made frog gigs with 5160 and made barbs by folding 1/8" onto itself and weld with no problems. Files also forge weld easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRAFTBENDER Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 Chrome and Ni steels are harder to forge weld than plain carbon steels. How much experience do you have welding up billets? Just a couple of days at Birdogforge owned by Bruce Godlesky. I've worked and tig welded a lot of chrome moly but not forged any. I bought some plastech 85 refractory for my forge floor and will try some of the file/chrome moly in the near future after finishing up my propane forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 If you intend to make damascus, use alternating layers of the 4130 and a plain high carbon steel like 1095, that way when you etch it you will get a nice contrast between the two steels. The 4130 by itself is a bit shy on carbon to make a good knife but adding the high carbon steel to the mix will help some. See Steve Sells post on the Knife Forum about carbon migration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Is 5160 a chrome moly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 5160 is a low chrome steel, C .58-.64% Cr .7-.9 %Mang .75- 1%Si .15 to .30% 4130 is a chrome molly steel, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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