July 19, 201114 yr Since I am brand new to blacksmithing, I don't know much (but am learning). I have an opportunity to get a LOT of free rebar. My question is: is it worth messing with? I don't know if that is tempered steel....or carbon content is too high? I haven't even picked up a hammer yet; still trying to get all the necessary equipment together.
July 19, 201114 yr In my opinion free rebar is a good thing. I have had alot of fun with rebar. Just remember not to quench it if you can avoid it. If it has some harden steel in it you will have to hit it a little harder. When your starting, out any free steel is a good thing to have. ;)
July 19, 201114 yr YES, for free. Just expect a host of possible problems such has hot shortness and easily burning because of higher carbon content. Test samples and grab another stick if it does not act right. Phil
July 19, 201114 yr Yes, it is absolutely worth messing with. You can make all sorts of tools out of it such as hold-downs and spring fullers (it is a little more springy than mild). I got some free rebar a while back and have used it for all sorts of stuff. I have even used it for edge and punching tools in a pinch and had no problems even though it really isn't great steel for that. Plus, as said before, its free!
July 19, 201114 yr If you get way too much give me a holler! I like it! I am in the Saint Louis area. Maybe we could trade something? Need any furniture? I have a whole barn full of furniture that I need to sell... big sale October 1st... horses want their barn back.
July 19, 201114 yr Author If you get way too much give me a holler! I like it! I am in the Saint Louis area. Maybe we could trade something? Need any furniture? I have a whole barn full of furniture that I need to sell... big sale October 1st... horses want their barn back. I'm looking for a 150# blacksmith anvil. If you have an extra one, maybe we can work out some kind of trade for some rebar. When I get all the rebar moved from my friends' property to my house, I'll then be able to see how much I have. If there's a whole lot, I'll definitely remember you.
July 19, 201114 yr oh yes absolutely, at the low low price of free in three easy payments it's great. it is what i have been using to practice with in stead of going and buying some nice expensive stuff. it is a little hard to work but that builds the muscles and is helping to teach me hammer control. it also helps me learnt o watch the xxxx fire or burn off the tips of the relatively high carbon re-bar. any free metal is something you could use mess with, or just have plain fun with. i like to make my forge keeping tools out of the stuff, it comes in pre-cut sections (when i buy it) that are great of handling in the fire and out off. and now i guess i've gone really far into it but to answer your question, in my humble and mostly useless opinion, YES it is.
July 19, 201114 yr In my opinion free rebar is a good thing. I have had alot of fun with rebar. Just remember not to quench it if you can avoid it. If it has some harden steel in it you will have to hit it a little harder. When your starting, out any free steel is a good thing to have. Why not quench it?
July 19, 201114 yr rebar is not made to spec for alloy, just performance. It is mostly made from scrap, and that could be anything from mild to ball bearings in the mix. Quenching will be a hit, or miss depending on what you have in hand. It may get very brittle. Yes, get all you can for free.
July 19, 201114 yr generally high strength rebar and ( with an extra line down one side) or welding rebar (w on it) are much more controlled than "normal" rebar. I love the stuff. Rob
July 19, 201114 yr Re bar is great to start with. I have used it for years. Twist it to make a branch. I have made chairs out of it. I went to a building supply business that was closing My wife called me and said they were selling re bar cheep when I got there she was right the broker sold me a bundles for $25.00 I bought 2 bundles thought I was getting 50 pieces hay a $1.00 a piece was good for 5/8". to my surprise he brought me out 50 bundles of 10, 500 pieces for $50.00. now that a good wife she did some wheeling and dealing. I got a punch made from re bar from a friend it works great.
July 19, 201114 yr Why not quench it? I was wondering the same thing. Ever see steel shatter like glass? Quenching will harden carbon bearing iron, and since rebar is specification based, the performance of the product matters more than the chemistry, each batch is different. Some may be rather high carbon, even suitable for tools and blades! Phil
July 19, 201114 yr The only headache with rebar is it's inconsistency, sometimes even over the length of the same piece. When it is being made, there is little to no work done to control the specific alloy or carbon content, so it is one of the worst mystery metals out there. But, for free, if you just plan to use it for screwing around, and you don't mind the inconsistency: Free metal is free metal...
July 19, 201114 yr The big problem with rebar is that its inconsistency scares beginners. But, hot rolled can be pretty inconsistent as well. If you are starting out, the best thing to do is go to a local conference or hammer-in and keep your eyes open. They will probably have a beginner's workshop, and steel will be provided. This will probably not be rebar. When I started out, my forge did not get hot enough. I had a little 25 lb RR track anvil. I did not know how to spark test. The local construction crew dropped a piece of 5/8" rebar, which I started with. It was discouraging. After I took my first lesson, which involved making a punch out of mild steel, on a real anvil, then destroying it punching two holes, things were a lot clearer. Now I knew what the rebar was for and how to embrace its difficulty.
July 19, 201114 yr Rebar ranges from quite high quality stuff used for Nuclear Reactor containment vessels, skyscrapers, major bridges, etc to stuff that the steel company just wanted to get out of their hair so they rolled it out as the lowest quality rebar. (You can look up the time that high level radioactive scrap was included in a batch of steel that was made into rebar in Mexico...) As mentioned the better stuff is usually marked. I tend to use "gifted" unknown quality rebar for tent stakes and toss it out onto the desert to normalize it.
July 19, 201114 yr Early re bar was made from wrought iron, either square or twisted.......I can't fathom what earthly good that would be now.......:P
July 19, 201114 yr makes great decorative twisted elements,IMO. That doesn't even look like rebar anymore! Early re bar was made from wrought iron, either square or twisted.......I can't fathom what earthly good that would be now....... If you see a house of building being taken down (or foundation repair/replacement) from the 1800's or early 1900's you may be able to score some of that old stuff. Phi
July 19, 201114 yr That doesn't even look like rebar anymore! Phi that's one of the coolest parts. I've shown a short piece of it(wire brushed and waxed) to guys that work with rebar ALL DAY.........they didn't recognize it and couldn't wipe the grin off after I told em......
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