AgileTurtle Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Hello everyone, I'm new to this site, but everyone here seems to give rather in depth answers to other peoples questions, so I figured I would ask one of my own. I just changed the rotors on my vehicle, they seem to be a cast iron of sorts. I was wondering if it is possible to turn them into a knife, or blade of some kind. If I need to build a hot fire and hammer away for days on end, I'm willing to. But I would like any and all pointers. If possible will you try to keep your answers in laymans terms? I am not quite as fluent in the metallurgy lingo as I should be. Thank you for any and all help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 no. ( simple as I can be ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 (edited) What he said...cast iron will not work for any type of blade - and it cannot be forged into anything else either. Edited June 29, 2015 by HWooldridge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgileTurtle Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share Posted June 29, 2015 Okay, so for curiosity's sake, what would happen if I heated it and hammered on it a little? Would it go 'splash'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Could always build a hearth and melt it and reduce the carbon content. Then you might be able to do somethin with it. Goin that route involves years of research and loads of charcoal and several heartbreaks before you even get close.id just take it to the scrap yard and buy myself a drink with the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarry Dog Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Yeah, Steve is right. Cast iron is not forgeable. It is only bendable when very hot, and even then just barely, and it's still liable to break/crumble if you push it too much, and heavens help you if you actually hit it with a hammer. It also has the possibility to crack as you heat it up, or as it cools. Get some forging time in by making basic tools and little knick-knacks for around the house. This will teach you how the metal moves before you even try to forge a knife. Even once it's forged, and assuming it is just one with the scrolled handle(about as simple a knife as you can make), you still have to grind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 It'll crumble if you tried forging it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 (edited) Crumble.It dose melt at a slightly lower temp than mild steel, they have "butterred it on" as a hardfacing for calks on horse shoes, and I have also red of it bing buttered on low carbon steel, that folded and welded,repeatabley to make tool steel in a pinch. Myself, sell it for the few pennies it will bring and scroung something else (lawn mower blade, automotive spring,etc to make a blade. Edited June 29, 2015 by Charles R. Stevens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgileTurtle Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share Posted June 29, 2015 Crumble it is, thank you for all the information. I'll will wait until I have all four and buy something I can craft something out of. Once more, thank you for the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 (edited) on the other hand you could use it to build a forge. either by fastening it to the underside of a steel plate with a cut out to match the inside of the rotor or by taking a piece of *NON*GALVANIZED sheet metal and curling it inside the inner wall of the rotor as a fence to allow for a deeper fire. Leaving the two ends a bit apart so the workpiece could be slipped inside and preferably have a "mouse hole" opposite the opening to allow long pieces to go through the hot spot. Edited June 29, 2015 by ThomasPowers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eriktlupus Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 on the other hand you could use it to build a forge. eithe. by fastening it to the underside of a steel plate with a cut out to match the inside of the rotor or by taking a piece of *NON*GALVANIZED sheet metal and curling it inside the inner wall of the rotor as a fence to allow for a deeper fire. Leaving the two ends a bit apart so the workpiece could be slipped inside and preferably have a "mouse hole" opposite the opening to allow long pieces to go through the hot spot.i did something similar with brake drum/rotor from my jeep. 2ftx3ft sheet cut from an old burn barrel folded edges and a circle cut out to drop the drum in. Some concret and perlite mix to line it with and bring the inside level with the top of the rotor face and she'll melt steel quicker than you can say boo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 id just take it to the scrap yard and buy myself a drink with the money.With scrap steel selling at 3 cents a pound around here, I'm not sure what you'll be able to buy to drink with what you get from those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 With scrap steel selling at 3 cents a pound around here, I'm not sure what you'll be able to buy to drink with what you get from those.Last I checked steel is about 8 cents a pound here. I generally don't even waste the time takin scrap unless I have a truck and trailer load unless I happen upon somethin good (copper or clean aluminum). I was just trying to point out that he'd be better off getting rid of the brake rotor instead of trying to make a knife from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 it hit 1/2 a cent in Utah recently.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffrat Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 I have found that brake rotors make really good bases for art projects, like statues and such. Welding to them is very difficult, but possible with controlled temps.You can always use JB Weld.The bolt holes give you good purchase for botanical forms to be inserted and back welded or riveted in place, The forge pot is a good idea, but it's going to be a pretty small forge, unless of course the vehicle you changed the rotors on was a Peterbuilt.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Have seen them used a the base of a variety of stands of different purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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