bone_head_1975 Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 As I have said before I work at a smelting plant and can get differant types of metal one is pure titanium. Just was wanting to know what it would be good for if anything. I've seen that razor are made form it but didn't know if it would be good fore a hole knife/sword. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Shepard Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 One of the smiths I am training with has a knife that he uses as a letter opener made from titanium. At first he didn't think that he'd be able to get it sharp, but I guess he has that figured out as well. It cools very fast, so you will need to heat it many times. It makes a tough knife, I don't think you could break it easily. Hope that helps. How much can you get? That stuff is pretty pricey isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerald Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 I saw Randy McDaniel forge some Titanium at a demo last week. It is tough stuff to forge, but it gives a nice "artsy" look to the piece as it displays a grainy look when it is twisted. Hard to work, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bone_head_1975 Posted September 18, 2006 Author Share Posted September 18, 2006 Well, as far as the price it's not to much and it's useually 3 to around 3 1/2 in disk and around 3/8 in think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bone_head_1975 Posted September 18, 2006 Author Share Posted September 18, 2006 last word was supposed to be thick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one_rod Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 I forged these two neck pendants from small offcuts of titanium alloy. It never tarnishes so is great for things like this. I have made a knife with it but it would not hold an edge very well. Needed constant re-sharpening. Strange stuff to forge if you are used to working with steel. As has been said, it cools very quickly so small or thin pieces need lots of heats. It also air-hardens and will go brittle under the hammer if you are not careful. However it is very soft at forging temperature, so it's easy to get shuts in it when drawing down. It is nice stuff to work with once you get used to it. If you are interested I will try to get some pics. of the other things I've made from it. one_rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 Ti makes low grade knives and swords (read the article on it over at swordforum.com) a good high carbon steel will out preform it for that use---*unless* you need something extremely resistant to corrosion or with low magnetic signature that will still have some sort of edge on it---like a dive knife. Ti absorbs O2 while being forged and will become quite brittle after a while so you forge it as fast as possible. (especially in thin sections) CP grades of Ti are much softer than steel at forging temperature Me I have forged a Ti pipe tool, Ti penannular brooch, Ti eating set---knife, fork and spoon (and heat coloured them for the wild Ti oxidation colours) they are dishwasher safe! A set of Ti tongs for my gasser (don't conduct heat as rapidly as steel ones do), etc. It's fun stuff to play with but not some "magic" metal. If you need something tougher than a good steel for a knife---you shouldn't be using a knife! One_Rod, good idea I think I will forge some Ti anvils to hang from my beard braids... Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Pook Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 One Rod those are great pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrous Beuler Posted October 1, 2006 Share Posted October 1, 2006 One rod- Sweet! The type of thing which sets an artist apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bone_head_1975 Posted October 6, 2006 Author Share Posted October 6, 2006 I was woundering if TI wont hold an edge then way are so many razors you shave with made of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 I'm guessing the reason is for marketing. Every 9 months gillete needs a new gimmick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 A guy I know bought some Ti tongs at Tipp City last month, no word yet on how well they work as forging tools. Two things come to mind: Shiny and LIGHT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 B-H; I don't watch TV and as I don't shave either I'm not up on their ads are the blades all Ti or just have a Ti nitride coating for the edge like they do for drill bits? One of the funny things about Ti being the latest "buzz word" is Ti laptop cases---the worst things for laptops is their problems in dissipating heat and so a Ti case is much worse for the computer than an Al one would be! Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bone_head_1975 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Share Posted October 9, 2006 They say on there ads that thay are sold Ti. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irnsrgn Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 I think that the pieces that Hofi uses for punches and most things like razor blades are not pure Titanium, but a Titanium allow steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollon Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Titanium is rather, I guess you could say, overrated. Due to media blowing up it's actual quality with "Buy your PURE TITANIUM KNIFE for only 3 payments of 14.99!", many people think that it is superior to steel in all ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_sandy_creek_forge Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Hey Irnsrgn, I thought Mr. Hofi used solid Tungsten punches. -Aaron @ the SCF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 The Hofi chisel is Tungsten not Titanium. BP1003 The chisel is made out of pure tungsten (out of an armour piercing shell ). The tungsten is not steel it is a different element in nature specific gravity is almost 3 times more then the steel, and it can withstand much more heat. There is almost no friction between the steel and the chisel!! When the tungsten is red hot (we can see it later in on of the photos) the H R C is still 38 and it will go through 1200 degrees steel easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irnsrgn Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 yup got my wires crossed, cause I don't feel good. Solid tungsten is a brittle metal, like the electodes used in Tig Welding, I'm guessing what is in the shell cores, Mr. Hofi uses is probably a Tungsten Alloy Tools steel of some sort. Sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 I'm thinking tungsten carbide as they mentioned at Quad-State they they were brittle and had to put a mild steel hammering end on them. Thomas---have to see if there are any "leftovers" at EMRTC... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_sandy_creek_forge Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 hey all, i thought this might prove interesting to some of us (like me) who are still somewhat confused as to just what titanium is.http://www.deutschetitan.de/video/Titanschmiede_dsl_eng.wmv kind of a neat process ( the video is sorta long) -Aaron @ the SCF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candidquality Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Thanks for the video link. 10 minute(19Mb) video but definitely interesting. Didn't realise there were 40 grades of titanium. Peaked my interest. Going to have to find some to play with now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 How many grades of steel are there? Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GobblerForge Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Hmmm I always only had 2 kinds of steel. Thems that work and thems that don't. Gobbler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le_Bear Posted August 13, 2019 Share Posted August 13, 2019 I was getting into metalwork a long time ago, although I didnt really stay in it long, it was mostly just for a very few years a mostly full time hobby. One of my uncles who I helped quite a bit, as he lived far away, but had land and cattle near here. He also knew I was into metalworking. He had been an airplane mechanic in WW2 and continued that for the rest of his life. For some reason he never was fully licensed but i'm not sure why, all the ones who really knew him signed all his work without question. He came up one time and gave me the biggest mess of metal I'd ever seen, he said it was very hard. It was simply a mess of small tubes welded very smoothly together. I had no idea what to do with it, but accepted the present very kindly. He said somewhere in the conversation "it's titanium, from an airplane engine frame, they use it because it is very strong, and absorbs "shimmy" very well" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.