Is stainless steel a good hammer material? i found some 2" round rods 148" long for $100.00 a piece. Is this good for hammers?

They are 15-5PH stainless

I found this composition if it helps 

 

Carbon 0.07 max.

Manganese 1.00 max.

Phosphorus 0.040 max.

Sulfur 0.030 max.

Silicon 1.00 max.

Chromium 14.00 - 15.50

Nickel 3.50 - 5.50

Copper 2.50 - 4.50

Columbium plus Tantalum 0.15 - 0.45

Yes Excellent or NO HORRIBLE!!!!!! depending on *alloy*

 

Most you find will probably be on the Horrible end of things and not knowing the alloy sort of impedes you from heat treating it correctly making even a decent alloy not so good.

Edited post for comp and stuff

Thanks; that's better.  Now look at the carbon content:  7 points *max*---30 points is the lower boundry for medium carbon steels and stainless steels tend to bind carbon in the alloying element carbides if you are not careful.

 

So not an alloy I would make hammers from; however I might make blade fittings from it...

Ok, would it make OK practice hammers?
Oh, and what are blade fittings XD

"practice hammers" ---Why not just make *real* ones???? 

 

That alloy will not work like good hammer alloys so what are you practicing?  (making mud pies isn't good practice in making apple pies!)

 

 at US$100 a piece you could buy a heck of a lot of good hammer steel!

 

Knife fittings:  guards, pommels, bolsters.  Of course just one of those rods would probably be a more than lifetime supply and not a very easily worked size/shape.  (Unless you are making wheel pommels for medieval swords and even then making 75+ the same would probably be a tad wearing on you even with a good lathe)

what i have gathered... dont buy this steel

thanks :D