NRunals Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Ok so I just found a place that sells "new and used" iron and steel. In the used section they had tool/alloy steel for the same price as the mild (40 cents per pound), so needless to say I got quite a lot. I found a bunch of really good stuff that I'm familiar with (4140, O-1, etc.). I also found an 8 foot section of 1/2x1 D-2 , and a 2 foot section of 2x2 6150. Now I knew D-2 was air hardening, and I have no experience with air hardening steels, but for the price I couldn't let it go. Ideally I'd like to make some punches, drifts, and chisels for hot work out of this. The 6150 I assumed was a 50 point carbon steel with a fair amount of chromium. I saw the piece and all i could think was.... 5lb sledge hammer with cross pein. Please if you have any advice, or comments about forging/HT D-2 and the 6150 I'd like to hear them. Also if the steel is not well suited for the tools I've listed please let me know. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NRunals Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 Well i just realized that D-2 has 1.5% carbon.... meaning punches, drifts, chisels are not ideal for this steal. Anyone have any good ideas for uses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Well I knew a fellow who made a lot of lovely swords out of D2. Biggest problem with it is that you really need a *great* heat treat furnace to get all the goodness out of that alloy. (He had a ramping computerized inert atmosphere custom built for swords electric furnace) "blacksmith methods" just are not going to get the best out of that steel. Since it is a *die* steel (tough, hard, resists abrasion) I think you could use it for long wearing tooling *if* you get proper heat treat. Definitely not a steel to get started with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NRunals Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 Yeah I don't really have any desire to make swords, nor do I have the resources to get the best results out of the steel. I guess I'll play around with it and see what happens. The whole 8 foot section cost me about 4 dollars. How about the 6150 good hammer head material? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 The D-2 may be good barter material for some future transaction. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NRunals Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 very true. how much would you say 8 feet of 1/2x1 would be worth? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 Where did you find this steel at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 http://www.speedymetals.com/pc-3203-8295-12-x-2-d-2-de-carb-free-tool-steel.aspx 4 ft of 1/2 x 2 is $110, but speedymetals is not the best price around, and not quite the correct dimension (same weight at least). A36 is about $20 for the same size. To the right person it would be worth it. To you it is a $4 stick of steel. How long till that right person comes along is another question to ask yourself. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NRunals Posted February 12, 2010 Author Share Posted February 12, 2010 I got it at Central Iron and Steel in Grand Rapids. And Phil I think you've got the right approach here. I'm gonna cut off about 6 inches to see what it feels like under the hammer and do my best to follow the HT instructions with "blacksmith methods" and save the rest for a trade some day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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