wooginator Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Before you say this should go in the tools section, my question is about heat treating it. I figured I'd buy some tool steel, forge it to a point and use it as a hardy tool to punch holes. My question is, is there any specific way I should go about heat treating it after I shape it? Aside from the usual heating it up until it loses its magnetism, dunking it in cold water, and then tempering it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 There are many different formulations and types of steel, and many different types of tool steel.. You have a specific job to do. Select the specific steel to make the tool to do THAT job. When you purchase THAT STEEL you can then look up or request the tempering procedures for THAT STEEL and get the tempering right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wooginator Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 There are many different formulations and types of steel, and many different types of tool steel.. You have a specific job to do. Select the specific steel to make the tool to do THAT job. When you purchase THAT STEEL you can then look up or request the tempering procedures for THAT STEEL and get the tempering right. Thanks. I posted another thread in the Tools section asking what kind of tool steel to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Shimanek Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 S-7 or H-13 would be good choices, or some of the air hardening steels would work. There are many other choices also that have their own benefit/deficits. Sounds like you need to do some more research to learn about heat treating before you get too far ahead of yourself. Or you can do some experimentation and expect some failures before you succeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 A lot of the steels that smiths use will crack or shatter if quenched in water. Water is only safe for water hardening steels and even some of them will profit from oil quenching if they are being used in thin section! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 If it's a hardie tool, you may be "working blind" in terms of hole placement. You also run the risk of blunting and ruining your pointed tool. I have never punched a hole with a pointed tool, although it can be done. Hot punches normally have a flat business end, where the workpiece has a forepunch side and a backpunch side for removing the resulting, compressed burr. http://www.turleyforge.com Granddaddy of Blacksmith Schools Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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