I have a bet with a guy at work that I can make something useful from our discarded Snap On sockets. I would prefer to make a small knife or such from it but I could always make a coat hook or something too. Anyone know what kind of steel I may be dealing with? I assume tool steel of some sort. They are pretty hard. Thoughts???

Cheers
Les

Greetings Les.

 

First off .. Snap on sockets should not be discards..  If they are unserviceable they can be turned in for new..  As for sockets in general ... Stay away from the chrome ones ..  If you must forge one I would only try a impact style..  Be ready for cold shuts..   I have posted some useful tools on this thread that use old sockets.. Do some reading..  By the way .. Fill in your profile so we can see what area you live in and such.. I wish you luck..

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

Thanks Jim. We have kind of a weird set up with SnapOn...because of the volume and price we buy these sockets in, we can't exchange them. At least that is what I am told. They are the black steel impact sockets and not chrome. I did se searching and saw some good ideas...I just didn't see much on steel type.

I will also update my profile now thanks!

Cheers!
Les

Welcome aboard Les, glad to have you. The oil hardened impact sockets should be safe enough to forge but I'd probably be experimenting for a while to figure out for what.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Generally tools are made from a medium carbon steel so they will be tough and not brittle.  Try a small knife and see how it hardens.

2 sockets end to end slightly flattened w/ spacers for a knife handle.

Steel grade I would guess at would be something like 8660 (Chrome vanadium).

I don't know if you'd call it 'something useful' but sockets make good body sections for insects like dragonflies. Your black steel ones would be better to weld than chrome. Those chrome fumes are nasty.

Put them on ebay, make money. Money is useful.