kashmire Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 (edited) i found a really old crow bar at a junk sale last weekend. its made out of 1" sq stock. i was thinking to make a sword out of it. but there is no markings on it. i was wondering if anyone had any idea how old it would be and what steel they used at that time to make things like pry bars and stuff. i had never seen a pry bar made out of sq. stock before i bought it for $2. but i couldnt pass it up! Edited September 15, 2009 by kashmire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweany Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Blacksmithing and junk yard steels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Well they could have used *anything* they had and that could be anywhere from 20 years to over 100 years old. What did it spark test as? Most crowbars would be a bit low in carbon for a european style sword though many will be close to what a japanese sword often was (about 1050) Spark testing should give enough information to see if it would be suitable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Quite a useful tool as it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryce Masuk Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Either way the metal is worth more than the price you paid and likely better quality than you can buy right now, If you can decide what to do with it just let it rest and eventually the purpose will come from no where, you could also make some great punches/chisels from it if its a mid carbon steel but dont rush one day as a crowbar it might get you out of a jam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 +1 on leaving it a crowbar. Very handy tool to have around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBower Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Either way the metal is worth more than the price you paid and likely better quality than you can buy right now, Why is that, exactly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3lbhammer Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 I m new to this forum!!!! I have made a number of good crowbars from oilfield sucker rod. It makes good chisels and such but I think it would make poor sword. Look for some leaf spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Well he may already have a stack of crow bars 3' tall; I tend to pick them up when they are that cheap to use as medium to high carbon stock. Recently I found a miniature rock breaker at the fleamarket cheap---about 3" long instead of 5-6' and sized down to match---I've been thinking of making a sheet metal stake from it---sort of like a needle case stake on steroids Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 I m new to this forum!!!! I have made a number of good crowbars from oilfield sucker rod. It makes good chisels and such but I think it would make poor sword. Look for some leaf spring. Ayup, sucker rod steel is usually right in range for good tough use tools like crowbars and such. Have you made a cold chisel for steel working from sucker rod? Welcome aboard 3lbhammer guy, glad to have ya. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 I collect crow and pry bars for stock if they're cheap enough. Sucker rod isn't at all common here abouts or it'd be it picking up too. The oil patch here typically uses 4140 as rod drilling but you almost never see any for salvage. Coil spring is a good salvage source for medium carbon tool steel as is leaf spring. Both types of modern spring stocks have enough carbon and chrome to make good knives and tools while having good resilience and toughness if heat treated properly. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3lbhammer Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 Frosty, I have made chisels, crowbars, punches from sucker rod. I will post a photo this evening. I made a crow bar at a demonstration at our church Bible School last evening. I was not paying attention and got the bend backwards!!!! Sucker rod is easy to temper with just a quinch and you have it. the steel in the rod will draw the temper from the tip of the chisel or crowbar. It is hard to forge but make rally tough tools. These are some of the objects I have forged piece of sucker rod at top. My personal forged hammer included with a poorly done crowbar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edge9001 Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 as i am new to blacksmithing as well as this forum, I have to ask a stupid question. What is sucker rod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 It is the connecting rod in oil well pumps, google "sucker rod" and you will shocked at how much there is said about it. Phil http://www.glossary.oilfield.slb.com/Display.cfm?Term=sucker%20rod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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