dickb Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Every blacksmith makes a few knifes at some time. This my first effort, forged from a 3/4 inch crowbar. A few details, coal fired forge, water hardened and tempered at 400 degrees for an hour. Length 9 inches. Came out ok and holds an edge very well. I'd like to use some less mystery metal for the next few knifes. Can anyone tell me the pros and cons of using 1040 , 1050,...... 1095 for this type of project. I think these may be easier to find than others. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Special Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 First link, not as specific to those particular steels as you might want, but very useful. Also well worth checking out the other classes in the knife making series. '?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>> You probably will also want to check out the link at the end of that knife making forum, which discusses metallurgy for bladesmiths in great depth, and mentions some aspects of different grades of steel. Very technical, and jargon heavy, but well worth sorting through. http://www.feine-klingen.de/PDFs/verhoeven.pdf Good luck, and good forging! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 May I commend to your attention "The Complete Bladesmith, The Master Bladesmith, The Pattern Welded Blade" all by James Hrisoulas and all should be available by ILL at your local public library. Of the alloys mentioned: 1095 would be the only one I would use for a high grade blade unless I was looking to use the japanese differential hardening technique and then 1050 might work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielC Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Why wouldnt you differentially harden 1075, 1095 or the W series? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 If they are low enough in Manganese you can get the hamon; but as this is a person new enough to ask the question they did.... BTW I didn't say you couldn't differentially harden other alloys just that I would not go as low as 1050 unless it was for that reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielC Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Ah ok, I misunderstood what you were saying. I knew the answer more or less, I was just unsure if you really meant that or not, since I know that YOU of all people know, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dickb Posted July 9, 2014 Author Share Posted July 9, 2014 I am switching from mystery metal to carbon steel to make a few knives. What are the pros and cons of 1040 steel versus something higher (1060, 1095, etc). The attached image is a knife I forged from a crowbar. It takes a good sharp edge and holds it very well. Details. 9 inches overall length. Coal fired forge. Water hardened and then tempered at 400 degrees for an hour. Thanks PS I tried to post a similar message yesterday, but must have done something wrong because it never showed up. repeat post merged with the existing thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 It showed and when I do a search on 1040 in forums it shows up with 5 replies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 1040 is not really a knife steel...to low carbon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Keyes Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Dablacksmith is correct, 1040 is too low in carbon to make a good knife, in modern terms. I'm sure a smith in 1800 would have been thrilled. 1040 and 4140 make for good prybars, hammers and those kinds of tools. For a good basic knife steel, I like 1080/84. 1084 may not be easily available, but 1080 is. When you're forging, you are losing carbon to heat, even if you're careful as to your temps, by the time you get done with forging 1040, you're probably below the carbon content needed to get a hard edge. 1080 give you some room. On thing, don't water quench 1080, unless you like cracking blades. Oil quench, I like food grade mineral oil but lots of things will work, vegi oils, ATF, that sort of thing. Mineral oil has a high flash point and leaves very little residue. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Nope by 1800 they even had crucible steel as well as blister steel and shear steel; now back in the early middle ages it was more of a wide range of materials; but even then they tended to forge weld a higher carbon edge to the blade for knives. I'll see if "Knives and Scabbards" has a listing of carbon contents used in the London area over several centuries in medieval times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EduBacha Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Hello, In my point of view, the 1040 and 1050 steel don't have enought Carbon in the structure and that's why they are not very common on knife making. They can be quenched, that's for sure but after you harden it, the edge still a bit soft and tends to lose it quickly. Here's a chart for a good result with some steels: Steel------------ Quenching temperature ºC-------------- Quench in 1040------------------ 830ºC ---------------------- Water 1050------------------ 830ºC ---------------------- Water 1060------------------ 790ºC ---------------------- Water or Oil 1070------------------ 790ºC --------------------- Oil 1080------------------ 790ºC -------------------- Water or oil 1090------------------ 775ºC -------------------- Oil 5160------------------ 875ºC -------------------- Oil Quenching temperature is the temperature that the steel needs to reach right before you drop it in water or oil for quenching. I don't know if there is a specific term in English to say that. If you follow this chart you will probably end with better results. But as I said with you are trying to make top knotch knives, there are better steels than 1040 and 1050. Thanks, EB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.