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. :)

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.

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

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.

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

thanks everyone :)