I am brand new to the forum and have been reading every day.  I just finished claying in my forge and wanted to look at some of the tools I may need. I see many make their own punches and I am interested in doing this. Please keep in mind I have no heat treat oven for tempering. I use a little toaster oven to temper my blades as they only need 400F.  I have read numerous post on how to make punches and drifts. The material range from car coil spring,0-1 tool steel, S-7 and finally H-13 steel. Knowing I have not heat oven what is the best material to use for punches and drifts? I understand O-1 can be heated to orange color and then water quenched and nothing else is needed? Is this correct?  H-13 several people have said heat to orange let it air cool and forget about it. Blacksmithing will be done as a hobby or as I need something made on the farm. It will not be a business so the punches will be used sparingly. Or is it easier to use the cold punches I already have (cheaper set).

 

Thanks 

Punches, drifts, hot cuts, etc. are hot work tools, as in you are putting them against the hot steal in use. This tends to draw any hardness imparted my heat treating iut if the tool. Wile H13 and S7 may arcuable be the beter steels for this (they maintain hardness at red heat) 4060, O1 and other medium to high carbon steels work just fine. To start spring (4060 or somthing akin to it) is a scrap resorce that is redaly avalable as is shafting (6040 or its illk) so starting with a coil spring from a car or truck will yeald you several tools, to include a punch, drift and hot cut chisel. The antisway bare from said truck yealds you material to make a rivet header, and the axle will yeald you material for a hot cut hardy (tho a peice of leaf sping forged or cut to fit diaganaly in your hardy works well and is easer for the begining smith) 

a hot cut, punch, drift, and rivet header gets you the basick tools to make a pair of tongs, with out well fiting tongs other tools are dificult if not dangerus to forge. 

Just because I listed automotive steels dost mean that Ag steel (parts of farming equipment, either springs or soil contact parts)or oilfield sucker rod are not just as usable. But as my first carear was as a mechanic i think that way. 

Edited August 4, 201510 yr by Charles R. Stevens

Coil springs are fine. O-1 should be quenched in oil not water and tempered (let down) for a specific use. H-13 is air-hardening, so it is the best by far, since it will always be hard. Just don't water quench it. 

thanks all, you mention ag metal, we have some old harrows laying around. Teeth any good for blacksmith?

 

Yes, as are the springs in spring harrows. 

Edited August 4, 201510 yr by Charles R. Stevens

I have used coil spring on all my punches that I've made recently and have no complaints. The steel is plenty tough enough in the annealed state when coming up against hot steel. 

The only punch I have heat treated was a centre punch that I've been using on cold material, this has held up well. 

 

Andy

Hey Charles, would I be breaking any rules if I have 3/4" leaf spring and a 3/4" hardie hole and don't make my hot cut fit diagonally?  I just recently got some and figured I'd ask.

Rules?! We don't need no stiking rules!! If god didn't intend us sticking square pegs in round holes he never would have given us fire!!

QD, thanks for the laugh. I needed it. 

Hey Charles, would I be breaking any rules if I have 3/4" leaf spring and a 3/4" hardie hole and don't make my hot cut fit diagonally?  I just recently got some and figured I'd ask.

Yes you will but we're all about breaking the rules. Just so it works.

Frosty The Lucky.

I'm new to blacksmithing any advice on starting up is much appreciated

 

The  forbiden deamons have reinhabited my IM's!!

I'm new to blacksmithing any advice on starting up is much appreciated

 

Welcome aboard Takota, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the IFI gang live within visiting distance.

If you go to the Iforge opening page you'll find many sections arranged by type. Eg: general, blades, Forges, coal, charcoal, gas anvils, tools, and so on. There are tens of thousands of pages of recorded knowledge to get a fellow started. If nothing else you'll learn enough of the language of blacksmithing to be able to ask good questions and understand the answers.

We're more than happy to answer questions but I guarantee you can't think of something that hasn't been answered many times right here. We're not here to jump people through hoots to pay dues, we're here to share the company of blacksmiths, help each other, learn tricks and more. We really like to help you succeed but you're going to need to put your head down and work for it. Not work because we say so but because blacksmithing is work on every level mostly brain work.

Frosty The Lucky.

Mostly brain work Frosty. Is that what we mean by:

When I nod my head strike it???

Göte.

 

PS

Yes you are right but I could not stop myself

Just once. Another saying this brings to mind I think by Einstein, "Keep an open mind, just not so open your brains leak out." 

Frosty The Lucky.