KYBOY Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Im sorry Im not sure if this the right place to ask but we are having one heck of a time finding 1050-1060 carbon steels in larger bar form..Like 3/4"-1" thick by 1 3/4"-2" wide stock..No one wants to sell it in small orders..Pretty much every supplier wants you to buy loads at a time...1045 and 4140 arnt that hard to find but thats not what we need...Any help would be appreciated.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 How much do you want to buy? Round bar is often easier to buy in higher carbon steels, can you forge it to size? EMJ would probably have it but you would be looking at a $500 minimum order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r smith Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Here in California, I get "tul-bar" 1070, It comes in square sizes from 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 It for agriculture tools like discs etc.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 For "small" amounts you might check with local machine shops to see if they have any left over from a job that they will sell you reasonable. You can also check with knifemaking suppliers like njsteelbaron.com Or like Mr Smith mentions find something local that is made from that alloy and "re purpose it" I have some much larger chunks that were part of a University's welding college's sample library that I got when they moved to a new facility and junked a lot of stuff at their old building---I grabbed most medium to high carbon stuff especially the simple alloys. If you are looking to create hamons look into some of the W steels or Aldo's low manganese 1084 too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 I have an account with EMJ and just checked the computer stock list and turns out I was wrong. The highest carbon they seem to have in plain carbon steel is listed as 1045/1050 in round bar. You might want to try phoning Admiral Steel and see about getting it cut from plate. They have heavier stuff than is listed on their web site. The other option would be to order W1 tool steel which is pretty much plain carbon steel but often higher carbon than you are looking for. Cinncinati tool steel seems to have good pricing for tool steels. That tul-bar sounds interesting. I often find sourcing higher carbon steels frustrating as pricing can be all over the map, and often difficult to find particular alloys in the sizes needed. It is particularly frustrating as there is a steel mill 2 blocks from me that primarily produces higher carbon and alloy steels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Mcmaster has it in larger sizes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 We have a hammer but really need flat/rectagular bar..Already talked to Aldo, he dosnt have any..We use W2 and 1086M for hamon stuff this is for Axes and hatchets..Using 1018 and welding in a bit is no problem but our customers are wanting hardened polls so its easier to use a block of mono steel.. Ive tried Admiral but they want an arm&leg to shear it from plate.. Sam, thanks for the tip but mcmaster dosnt have what we are looking for.. Machine shops are a bust around here..We only have about two anywhere near me and they do primarily work for the mining industry..They dont use anything like im looking for. One of the few downsides to living in such a rural, remote area... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 Id like to add I may have found a source for small orders in Peerless steel..Ill post what the quote is when i get it later.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 4140 would do pretty good I think, and they have it in flat bar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 I'll see your "rural, remote area" KY and raise you "rural, remote area" NM I drove 550 miles over the weekend just to go camping, stayed in the state and stayed in the SW quarter of the state. Got an implement dealer near you? Do they have a bone yard? I've used some implement parts that tested out around 1070. (Got my eye on an 8' section of 3"x3"? at the scrapyard when I can get enough money to buy it and enough time to take all the plows and things off it.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 5160 also I would say, and that can be had in larger sizes, mcmaster has it in .5" thick by 2" and 3" wide bars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 I dont have to drive anywhere to camp :D ..Anyway no implement or farm machinery suppliers either..Noty enough flat land to substain that type of farming here..We ran the biggest tobacco farm around for years and it took more than a mile of hollar to make enough flat to farm just 10-12 acres.. Theres just no industry in Eastern,Ky outside of mining and most mines use contract workers for almost all of their metal work now. Its all equipment work and all the equipment is already contracted to scrappers..That and coal mines dont let pickers in period..They dont even sell coal out of mine sites anymore..If your not an employee or an approved visitor you dont make it past the guard shack now..It sucks really.. I'll see your "rural, remote area" KY and raise you "rural, remote area" NM I drove 550 miles over the weekend just to go camping, stayed in the state and stayed in the SW quarter of the state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Try Alro they are in the process of setting up retail stores where you go in and sort through what they have. They sell most things in 12 ft lengths or drop pieces Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r smith Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 That tul-bar sounds interesting. JNewman, I called our local steel house and they only stock it in 2 1/4 sq solid in 14',28',32', and 42 foot long bars quoted at $13.50 ft. over the phone. Made by nucor. smith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Took an old friend from OH out to the Gila wilderness to camp and see the cliff dwellings, hot springs and the cat walk "The wilderness is approximately 27 miles (43 km) from north to south and 39 miles (63 km) east to west." Went over the Emory Pass, 8228' elevation, Where I live *grass* won't grow unless you irrigate and that's pretty much limited to the valley floor; one of my neighbors has a nice sized place it's about 11 x 16 *miles* unfortunately it takes several sq miles per cow. I could camp on it but wanted to see the old wrought iron still in use at the cat walk for myself---it was originally set up to help maintain a pipe carrying water to a ore mill back in the silver mining days. Since farming and mining are dying out I find both kinds of stuff at the local scrapyard on a regular basis---I've seen enough mine trolly rail to build my own track into town! Sounds like you need to make some good friends in low places! I know of a fellow who accidentally pulled through a gate during lunch hour and was almost run over by a front end loader that stopped so suddenly that a load of coal in the scoop fell off and *filled* the back end of his truck! Boy he was embarrassed, bought a round for everyone the next Friday to try to get them to forget such an incident! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 JNewman, I called our local steel house and they only stock it in 2 1/4 sq solid in 14',28',32', and 42 foot long bars quoted at $13.50 ft. over the phone. Made by nucor. smith That's less than a buck a pound which is pretty good. I will have to keep that in mind, although California is a long way from here. Most of the jobs I am doing right now I am using 4140, 4340, and W1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r smith Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 That's less than a buck a pound which is pretty good. I will have to keep that in mind, although California is a long way from here. Most of the jobs I am doing right now I am using 4140, 4340, and W1. I am not sure but nucor metal may be available outside of Calif. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn S Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Yes there are a few more than California, I just happen to work for one in Texas lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 KYBOY: do you get metal at Sandusky over here in Columbia ever? I know they don't carry it, but they may be able to order it in small quantities. I've talked to them about ordering other types of specialty steels before. I've got no clue what it would cost! Here is there number! 270-384-4716 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavpilot2k Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 Resurrecting this thread. Has the situation gotten any better? I'm looking for 1"-1.5" bar stock (preferably square but I could live with round) in any decent blade/hammer steel in hobbyist quantities and coming up with nothing. Even simple high carbon or even 1060 I'd be happy. Any thoughts? Extensive google searches and I found one supplier where I can get W2, but I really don't want to work W2. I'd be happy with 1060, but I can't seem to find it either. Please help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 did you look at the supplier list in the knife section? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavpilot2k Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 1 hour ago, Steve Sells said: did you look at the supplier list in the knife section? I looked at most of them. NJSteelbaron, 1080 in 1" square, which will do for some applications. Most online suppliers I've seen, like Peerless and Online Metals, don't even list pricing, presumably because they sell commercial/industrial quantities, not hobbyist quantities. What do guys use when they are making their own smith hammers? 2" square stock seems like a unicorn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 I prefer 1 3/4" square stock for hammers.....almost anything 1045 - 1080 carbon steel can be used....also O1, 4340, 4140, as well as other alloys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavpilot2k Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 9 minutes ago, rthibeau said: I prefer 1 3/4" square stock for hammers.....almost anything 1045 - 1080 carbon steel can be used....also O1, 4340, 4140, as well as other alloys Yes, but where do you get it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 If you are doing this for fun and have the cash to buy known (not junkyard) steel just buy a hunk of your preferred alloy off ebay. Small odds and ends, drops, various sizes, sometimes lots of a particular alloy, sometimes a dearth. But usually everything you would want, and if you are patient you can find good prices. As an architectural smith who forays into tool making occasionaly for job specific tooling or custom orders I will first go to my known alloy junk pile (Sorry, I mean onsite tool steel inventory) then look quickly at ebay for today's offerings, then call one of the reputable steel dealers. The price goes up for each step. I get most of my crazy cheap tool steel from local blacksmithing meets. After labeling it goes into the alloy junk pile (Sorry, I mean onsite tool steel inventory). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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