BlasterJoe Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 I saw a video on YouTube for a wrench karambit and had to give it a try. It pretty comfortable in my hand. I was really surprised how easy the metal was to work. It hardened up ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 Define OK please. Wrenches are generally medium carbon steel. How does it compare to a standard high carbon steel for knives? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlasterJoe Posted May 27, 2017 Author Share Posted May 27, 2017 It doesn't compare to high carbon. It hardened enough for a file to skate and it took an edge. I'm Not expecting it to be anything more than what it is. A fun project that will sit with my railroad spike tomahatchet and horseshoe knife and anything I made from rebar. I would say wall hanger but it's not pretty enough for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 No it's actually a nice shiv. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanternnate Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 Looks like a fun project. I've wanted to try some of the remangle a wrench for fun/novelty projects, but the notion of most being chrome plated makes me nervous. I've read varying degrees of warnings about chrome plating. All I know is I don't know enough about it, so I just play it cautious and avoid the stuff. If I happen across some non plated at some point I might try one of these types of projects for kicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 I have a large coffee can of non-plated wrenches; I pick them up at the fleamarket when I can get them cheap to have on hand for various projects. (but not knives unless I forge weld on the bladesteel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlasterJoe Posted May 27, 2017 Author Share Posted May 27, 2017 This wrench was not plated. I looked into potential hazards before heating. One thing I wasn't sure about was vandium. I didn't find any negetive info on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 If file skated it's hard enough to take, hold an edge and legitimately be a knife. Yeah, vanadium will help make the alloy not only harder but less brittle. I believe it's the naturally occurring vanadium in the ores that made the original Damascus steel such a formidable blade steel and is what made Swedish steels so high quality. I don't believe vanadium is particularly dangerous in the forge or under the grinder but I'm not sure. Let's ask . . . SLAG? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanternnate Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 Vanadium shouldn't be an issue. I have some Cruforge-V that I purchased for knife making. It's a specifically crafted alloy for knife making for those who forge their blades. The V in the name is due to the intentional vanadium in the alloy. It's supposed to help keep a fine grain and add to the wear resistance. I figure if they add it on purpose to steel known to be destined for the forge it's on the safe side. I'm working through the first knife with the stuff currently. I haven't hit heat treat yet, but so far happy with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 Frosty, Forging steel alloys with a vanadium component should not result in vanadium toxicity. Dr. Verhoeven and master smith Al Pendray rediscovered and published their findings concerning their discovery of exact components of wootz steel that had been the chief component do Damascus steel. Wootz was made in a small area of South East India , as early as 500 B.C. ( probably earlier). The alloy they used had vanadium as low as ).004 %. So vanadium steel was used at 2,500 years ago. (such steel has minute traces of vanadium and chrome. And these elements produced the carbide banding characteristic of Damascus steel. The exact knowledge of wootz steel composition was lost and the last know blade of such steel was 1850. In other words, vanadium containing steels have been smithed for at least 2,500 years without any known mishap. a great review article of their work can be accessed in, https://www.mse.iastate.edu/john-verhoeven/ It makes for gripping reading. The vanadium problem comes mainly from vanadium pentoxide gas' SLAG. The red herring guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlasterJoe Posted May 29, 2017 Author Share Posted May 29, 2017 Great info all. Thanks a lot. Slag, oddly enough the wrench was made in India. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Blaster joe, You are welcome. Indian wrench? No surprise. Have a look at Tata Industries, of India &, now, everywhere else. They are a modest little conglomerate that is wildly diversified both laterally and vertically. They started out in steel and heavy industry , ages ago, and grew from there. Regards, Citizens, SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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