MAD MAX Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I am looking for somewhere to aquire some 5160 in 3/4 thick 1 1/2 wide bars. I am making a run of Tomahawks and have been using mobile home leaf springs as stock. I can find 5160 but not in this thickness. I use mostly all scrap for what I do but in this thickness even scrap is tough to get. These springs work super good and I am only guessing that they are 5160 but I thought it would work well. Finding ANY high carbon steels in this thickness seems tough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I'm sure we can find you some sources in Australia or South Africa and of course here in America I'd check with Aldo the NJ Steel Baron. Since *many* blacksmithing questions do have a location component---like yours, either stating where you are at, placing a general location in your profile; or telling folks you are quite ready and willing to pay international shipping so it won't be a waste of their time to post their local sources would be a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Look at over the road trucks, dump trucks and cement trucks, those that aren't running air bags have very thick spring leaves. Train cars have very thick coil springs, Gm pickups use thick torsion bars instead of front springs. Heavy gauge rail provides a lot of 90 point steel. (The web is 3/4" the foot is close but already has part of the taper started, and a 3/4" slice of the rail top gives you a 3x1 1/2x 3/4" piece of stock. Not to mention other options, say a piece of file to weld two pieces of spring to gather, or as a bit on a piece of truck axle... So many choices.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Come and Get It. Where is that, that you leave a shadow?? :) :) Profile, Profile, fill out your Profile, Please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 When they torched up an old earth mover for scrap they left part of a coil spring made from 1.5" diameter stock! Waiting to get my powerhammer on-line for that one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 have you tried the suppliers list in the knife (and spear and axe etc) section? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Have you tried the phone book? Any steel supply you call will either sell you what you need or tell you who carries what you're looking for. Just shouting questions to a crowd without even the most basic info is pretty useless. Fact is I must really be bored to spend this much time replying. I think I'll go shim the hinge on the front door. Do something that will put a smile of Deb's face before Judge Judy is on. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicole Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 fold and forge weld? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAD MAX Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 fold and forge weld?I guess but I don't do any forge welding at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caintuckrifle Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 learn to forge weld and make your hawks out of mild. Use what you got for a high carbon bit. Just my $0.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 There are many ways to skin that cat, one can split the back, and wrap and weld the pole, you can slit and drift the eye or you can wrap and weld the blade. True, historically the bit was a piece of steel welded into a wrought iron body, but with access to steel in the modern world, why? Nothing is gained in a using axe. If you are forge welding a raped pole, welded blade, spring is just fine, a piece of low alloy high carbon will solve the welding difficulties. And If by "low carbon" your referring to A36, might as well use junkyard steel any way. Lest you think the wedge or axe eye is natural product of the wrap and weld method, be aware that early viking axes and hammers exhibited a wedge or axe eye, but were either split and welded on the pole or slit and drifted. I hypothesize that it's easer to make the tool handle by splitting it out in a wedge and k and round the edges, than shape it either round or oblong. As the amount of work to make the eye is not really dependent on the shape, the handle was the deciding factor. Why you might ask? Because the tool heads are very valuable and take up less room when packed with out the handles. And as green wood doesn't make great tool handles, but seasoned wood dose. The fastest way to get seasoned wood is to cut and split standing dead wood. Medieval people were often on the move, at the higher statuses, one traveled to cost, visited vassals or to and from summer and winter abodes. Lower classes still traveled, either in service to there lords or as intense rat workers. The Gallic and viking cultures traveled to annual courts as well. So being able to pack up your valuable tools was a good thing, and as a pack horse could carry 200-250 # a compact heavy package was better than a bulky one. Think of wood as the Iron Age disposable material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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