wooginator Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 I want to make a punch (I think that's the right word for this kind of tool) to use as a hardy tool for poking holes in steel. So I figured I should buy some tool steel. But this website has six different kinds of tool steel and I don't really know one from the other. http://www.speedymetals.com/c-8303-round.aspx Which kind of tool steel should I buy? Edit: Just realized I put this in the wrong section. Sorry guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpotter Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 S-7 or h-13 would be best they are designed for that type of work. They are both air hardening and are shock and heat resistant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 some people use car springs the round type, if you want to experiment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samw1 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 If you read what the website has to say on the differing metals it will tell you general applications on what the steel is used for. In H13 it says hot punching, Now if you wanted to make a really good punch, reallllllllyyyyyyyyy good punch, forge weld H13 and S7 together and you will have a super punch lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 I my self use spring steel 5160 or 4140 both are oil hardened I have found them to both be serviceable. For me the are much more available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 Actually trying to forge weld H13 and S7 together will probably result in a very expensive learning experience... or to quote Admiral Ackbar---"It's a trap!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBower Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 As I believe I said in another thread, I'm personally very skeptical of the idea of starting out with tool steels like S7 and H13 with little or no experience and very limited equipment. They're hard to forge, hard to heat treat properly (by which I mean you follow the recommended heat treating procedures, rather than a simple blacksmith's heat treat), and expensive -- in the case of H13, very expensive. There would be no real point in forge welding S7 to H13. H13 is extremely tough steel in its own right. It's also more heat resistant than S7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpotter Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 If you are going to go to the trouble of making your own tools you should make them so they are good. The right kind of steel will be a huge step in that direction. Labor is far more expensive than steel. Steel is only a few bucks a pound. What can you buy that is only a few bucks a pound? Hamburger costs more a gallon of milk costs more. S7 and H13 are air hardening I have done them in a forge and in a heat treat oven, with good results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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