hobby forger Posted December 29, 2011 Posted December 29, 2011 hello everyone im in the middle of comptomplating on if A-10 steel could be lap welded to make a billet then into an axe do you know how well of a steel this might be to use? and help would be appreiceiated. :) Quote
MattBower Posted December 29, 2011 Posted December 29, 2011 I'm sure it could be done. Folks manage to forge weld stainless steel and titanium, after all. Do you have a power hammer? How much forge welding have you done? Do you enjoy pain? A10 looks very different from what I would normally consider a good candidate for an axe steel. Quote
pkrankow Posted December 29, 2011 Posted December 29, 2011 Rather high carbon, good bit of manganese, nickel, silicon, dash of copper (apparently optional), limited phosphorus and sulfur... http://www.efunda.com/materials/alloys/tool_steels/show_tool.cfm?ID=AISI_A10&prop=all&Page_Title=AISI%20A10 http://www.windsorsteel.com/grades/A-10.htm No reason it won't hand work, it is air hardening, and has 1.35% carbon which will cause brittle tendencies. I would not buy this for use as an axe, but would consider it if it was free, and then more likely as a bit, or for a knife, or tooling. It seems recommended for punches and dies. Axes are rather serious stock size to work by hand without a striker or mechanical assistant, and choosing a material that resists work will just make it harder. Phil Quote
MattBower Posted December 29, 2011 Posted December 29, 2011 I'm sure it can be, but . . . look at a tempering chart. It's still RC50 at 1000 degrees, probably thanks to the moly content. I expect it'd be a pain to deal with, doubly so once he realized that the end result wasn't worth it. If he wants to beat himself up making an axe, L6 would be a better choice. At least he'd get a good axe out of the deal. I wouldn't turn up my nose at free A10. I just wouldn't try to forge weld it into an axe. Quote
pkrankow Posted December 29, 2011 Posted December 29, 2011 Looks like fun stuff. Nice hot hardness too. Now that I see all the particulars to working it I think I would pass unless it is free. Then it might barter better than using it myself. Too much hold at temp for x time, cool at y rate, anneal after hot work... Phil Quote
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