b4utoo Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 What would it be good for? I know this is vague...looks like it is from a bridge or maybe some kind of water company part... two plus inches thick maybe 3 feet long bolts.. it was in the way so I have to take a chop saw to it just to move it...took over 30 minutes to cut 4 bolts I had to rock bolts back and forth just to get them cut...xxxxxxx hard steel.. So back to this....what is it good for? Ideas? Opinions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 what did the spark test say? yeah pretty broad question. how about scrap art table legs? or giant s hooks, or big leaves, drifts, punches, hammers, or forge them into............ you sure threw out a broad one there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted June 24, 2016 Author Share Posted June 24, 2016 Need opinion on sparks so here...sparks look same about 3 feet out...if that helps.. would it make good knife stock? If its good steel..I don't want to waste it until I get "good" at something its angled at table, would shoot about 3 ft out otherwise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted June 24, 2016 Author Share Posted June 24, 2016 dense forking soon as it sparks...and its more like 1 to 2 ft out.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gergely Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 Hi b4utoo, Seeing the sparks and based on my own experience with this kind of big bolts I'd say it's at the 0,6 % C range at max. I'd say also this is a plain carbon steel containing no special alloying elements. (I mean: Mo, Cr, V, W. I can't see any traces in the sparks reffering to these elements.) With proper heat treatment this stuff can be so hard it is very hard to cut with saw, or file, drill or machine it. Yet I wouldn't suggest to make knife kind pieces form it. 1. It's in the low C range for knives (except big ones), 2. its shape and size makes it PITA to draw it to flat. Pretty good stock for hammers, ax-shaped toys and stuff like that. Bests: Gergely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted June 24, 2016 Author Share Posted June 24, 2016 Thank you both... Well as it stands now...I can barely chop saw it....one of the hardest pieces of steel i've come across ... I have 4140 and 1045 and a few other steels laying round.... and this is different than what i have at hand...seems denser... Was hoping it would be good for hammers because of its current state... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetalFudd Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 looks galvanized? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted June 24, 2016 Author Share Posted June 24, 2016 15 minutes ago, MetalFudd said: looks galvanized? Not much left if it is...I will take proper precautions when using reguardless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 I'm thinking it's nice sized medium carbon stock, hammers come to mind immediately but there are a lot of things it'd work a treat for. I'd mark it and store it in a corner of the shop for when I need it. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted June 24, 2016 Author Share Posted June 24, 2016 I feel better after hearing the remarks here....Might consider a piece practicing a hammer I had in mind...Just to see how it moves.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gergely Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 It should move nicely, especially if you have a powerhammer (). You just have to warm it up nicely, get an even heat through the whole cross section. Let us know how it went, please. Bests: Gergely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 If you don't have a power hammer use one of those bolts for the anvil of a power hammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo T Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Pretty interesting. You might cut off a few ounces and work with it. 50 or 60 points of carbon will make a good knife. Up until the last half of the 20th century hard/ultra hard knife blades did not become that much of a marketing issue. Let us know how it turns out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 Not quite true; razors were extolled for their blade hardness even in the early 1800's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo T Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 14 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Not quite true; razors were extolled for their blade hardness even in the early 1800's Forgot to sweat the details. Any other exceptions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 I'd have to research more that's pretty modern for my interests, (Though I did just re-read the harpoon forging scene in Moby Dick) I'd be that if you were to research Huntsman's work they would make a fuss over his cast steel being superior and they did esteem double cased blister steel as being better than the single version when forged into shear steel. The big problem is that they didn't have an easy way to determine carbon content---in fact not until the 1780's did they figure out that it was carbon that changes iron into steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jukejoint Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 Was thinking sucker rod but I see it is threaded Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted June 28, 2016 Author Share Posted June 28, 2016 definately will report back...no matter if I crash and burn with it... WISH I had a power hammer... Thought of building some version of it, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 Keep this in mind. Abrasive chop saws often don't cut "thick" stock well. The waste can't clear the cut and it smears and loads the blade matrix. At that point the blade won't cut well at all. Once loaded up though the blade will not cut well until the loaded surface is removed. Just like with a bench grinder you may need to dress the wheel to expose new clean abrasive. A waste chunk of concrete or hard stone will often wear away the loaded part of the wheel and restore it's ability to cut well again. Looking at the pict with the ruler in it, I'd have to rate those rods as "thick" and easily able to load up an abrasive saw blade and reduce it's ability to cut well. I'm betting that, not necessarily being "hard" was the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted June 28, 2016 Author Share Posted June 28, 2016 2 hours ago, DSW said: Keep this in mind. Abrasive chop saws often don't cut "thick" stock well. The waste can't clear the cut and it smears and loads the blade matrix. At that point the blade won't cut well at all. Once loaded up though the blade will not cut well until the loaded surface is removed. Just like with a bench grinder you may need to dress the wheel to expose new clean abrasive. A waste chunk of concrete or hard stone will often wear away the loaded part of the wheel and restore it's ability to cut well again. Looking at the pict with the ruler in it, I'd have to rate those rods as "thick" and easily able to load up an abrasive saw blade and reduce it's ability to cut well. I'm betting that, not necessarily being "hard" was the problem. I haven't used chop saws all the much.....what you said makes sense...especially since the way I had to cut the pieces follows your line of scenarios...will try the cleaning of the wheel. I have a nice hand held dewalt metal band saw...do you think that would have better luck at cutting it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 Might. I use my bandsaw for cutting most heavy sections. My preference being the stationary horizontal bandsaw, but I often use my portaband in the field. If the material is hard it may damage the bandsaw blade though. I usually "test" materials I'm not sure of. Usually that means I'll take a regular hacksaw or file to it and see if it cuts. If I can cut it with the hacksaw, the portable bandsaw will cut it no problem. If it skates and won't cut, then It's hard and I'll choose some other method of cutting. That way if I damage a hacksaw blade it's no big deal. As far as the chop saw goes, orientation of the stock can make a big deal on how well it cuts. For example 1/2" x 4" flat stock. If laid flat in the 4" direction, it's almost certain to load the blade and take forever to cut. If stood on end instead, so it's only 1/2" the blade is trying to cut, it will cut much better. Angle iron can be set on a ^ to cut better. Not always an option but something to keep in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom H Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Based on application, I would guess med carbon steel that has been heat-treated. Maybe pre-hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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