setlab Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 So I was making a spring swedge today and this happened. I just grabbed the thickest scrap out of the pile for this no Idea what it is, any help? Could it be cast iron? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 What did the spark test tell you? My guess is that it could be cast iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
setlab Posted April 20, 2017 Author Share Posted April 20, 2017 Haven't spark tested it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 Learning experience to start testing metals Before you use them for some applications. I've been there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SReynolds Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 We have all been there. Buy only the besy quality junk steel. Or just buy new. Then you know it works! Are there any folks forging and selling hammers made from scrap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will W. Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 14 minutes ago, SReynolds said: We have all been there. Very true. Scrap should always be tested, especially for something that is going to be hammered on, like a swage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted April 24, 2017 Share Posted April 24, 2017 On 4/20/2017 at 7:16 PM, SReynolds said: We have all been there. Buy only the besy quality junk steel. Or just buy new. Then you know it works! Are there any folks forging and selling hammers made from scrap? Not in quite a few years.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcostello Posted April 25, 2017 Share Posted April 25, 2017 China still does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted April 25, 2017 Share Posted April 25, 2017 On 4/20/2017 at 5:41 PM, setlab said: Haven't spark tested it yet. Spark testing still will not tell you what type of steel beyond carbon content. Found that out the hard way. Scroll up one post... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
setlab Posted April 25, 2017 Author Share Posted April 25, 2017 Luckily it's not going to take but a few minutes to make another. I think i'm going to keep this one to hang on my wall of mess ups instead of salvageing it. I went back and spark tested it and it does look quite a lot like cast metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Easy test for cast iron is put a drill bit to it. If the chips just flak off and are a gray color-cast iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeaverNZ Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Another way of testing if the spark method doesnt work is to put a small tack of weld either arc or Mig and then get someone elses file and see if it files or not the carbon in CI makes the tack glass hard Cheers Beaver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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