19Branden86 Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 Okay, After doing some research after a fairly major terminology mistake over at the hot cut thread, I guess my question belongs here. My question is, can I take this old cold chisel (pictured), which I originally thought was 1045 but it is actually S grade steel, and turn it into a splitter for making railroad spike split crosses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 Yes you can; the question is how well it would work; so first: How did you determine it is S grade? (The end damage looks more like a non S steel) Do you know which grade? Information on forging and heat treating S7 tools has already been posted around these parts. I would just like to remind you that for grades like S-1 normalization is NOT suggested (almost heresy for knifemaking smiths; but that is what the ASM handbook says!) And remember that the high alloy steels are not usually cooled in water during use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Branden86 Posted June 8, 2017 Author Share Posted June 8, 2017 Well, Mr. Powers, It hasn't been determined for sure, but there is an old blacksmith that works for us by the name of Bill Wolfe. He does demonstrations out at the old Civil War Fort in Larned, KS. Anyway that's not the point. The point is, I asked him about it and he said it is MOST LIKELY, keywords, most likely not 1045 but instead more likely to be S steel as S is good for impact resistance. He also did say and I quote, "I could be wrong, though" Lol. So yeah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 I'd do a spark test on it as the high alloy steels usually throw a different spark than plain steels. I'd also like to know how you came up with 1045 as that seems a bit low for a cold chisel, the plain steel chisels being up around the eutectic in my experience. (75-86 points C) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Branden86 Posted June 8, 2017 Author Share Posted June 8, 2017 There was a number stamped in it or some kind of lettering, it's been welded on so it's hard to make out but there is for sure a 1 and a 0 on it. 1045 was a guess. I know it gets used as a tool steel, hammer heads, etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 It would be a rare thing for a chisel or other tool to have what steel it's made from to be stamped on it. I have never seen it done. Most likely was the model number. If you know the maker and number you "might" be able to find out what they were made of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Branden86 Posted June 8, 2017 Author Share Posted June 8, 2017 Fulton, USA 3/4" and then 10----- something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 From all I could quickly find it would just be a 3 digit item # I didn't find any specifics. Someone probably knows more. For a hot cut it will probably lose any heat treat in using it anyway. We're it me, I'd just forge/grind it to shape and try it. Just my 2cents. Then again finding used old cold cut chisels for me around here it's about a dime a dozen. Ok, sometimes 25-50 cents each. That's only if they are nice. And big ones maybe a dollar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Branden86 Posted June 8, 2017 Author Share Posted June 8, 2017 I'll give that a shot Daswulf. (I like that name by the way. I'm assumingyou're German blooded then?) ThomasPowers, Okay, so as you suggested I darfed and blattened that chisel but instead of a schizoid heat treat I went ahead and just dinglehopped it into a ploppel ... err.. um... wrong topic. Lol (For those of you who are confused by this, you really need to check out the post at the hot cut thread about my using the wrong terminology. I had been using a term I had heard from a bladesmith friend of mine and Thomas had a pretty witty reply. Quite funny! You'll get a laugh. I sure did) Anyway, I spark tested it. Kinda looked like an evergreen tree. Sharp sparks with crow's feet on the ends. Sparks stayed pretty tight and didn't really fly all over the place. Orangish-gold color. I'm guessing some type of high carbon steel. I'll keep a small coffee can of water nearby to cool the top and let you know how it works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Why not just take some coil spring? or even better, buy some knowns steel, so you don't have to go through all of this. It seems like a lot of trouble. I could even ship you some coil spring, if you are really desperate. Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 I have some German ancestors but I'm American. I was made in the USA but not by Fulton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 All I can say is that some of my ancestors walked over, some took a boat and none flew over... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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