Houaha Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 um where could i order or pickup some iron or low-carbon steel in swanzey or keene, new hampshire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 For iron, you would have to find it laying around somewhere or in a junkyard. No one really sells it any more. Mild steel is available from Steel Service Centers, in volume or from a local welding shop for small amounts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geofthesmith Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 home depot sells some mild steel, at least i think its mild, it dosnt spark like carbon but its awfuly hard to cut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 Why do you specifically need iron or low-carbon steel? What is your project? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houaha Posted July 15, 2008 Author Share Posted July 15, 2008 um my project....learn how to blacksmith i don't really know that much and so far all i have been doing is making bolts into nails lol i either want iron or low-carbon steel for not that much money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 See if you can find a local metal shop and buy some scrap from them. Should be able to find some one in the phone book, go there and if they are not too busy, give or sell some metal to you real cheap. Good luck. Make sure you tell them why you want it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 You only want real wrought iron if you are doing historical work at a very high degree of authenticity. If you can't find it in 100+ year old scrap, (wagon tyres are often a source of lower grade wrought iron beloved of knifemakers for using in fittings), you can buy it from "The Real Wrought Iron Co LTD" and have it shipped from the UK. 99.99+ percent of blacksmithing these days is done with mild steel or A36 and these are purchased from companies that sell steel or use steel and sell it on the side---I buy mine from a windmill sales and repair company 2 miles from my shop as the next place is about 100 miles away. Buying it at a big box store like home despot is expensive; I can buy a 20' piece for the same price HD sells a 3' piece. If you are just getting started you mght be able to find a medium sized company that uses it and get their scrap from them to practice. I used to get several hundred pounds a month from a "wrought iron fence/ ornamental iron" place for free (and no matter what the sign says it's all mild steel, save for some real wrought iron they threw out when they replaced a fence a car had hit in the old part of town) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt87 Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 Wrought or pure iron is great to forge with but because it's not made on a commercial scale any more it is quite rare and hard to come by. Mild steel is what you want; hot-rolled A36 will do just fine.home depot sells some mild steel, at least i think its mild, it dosnt spark like carbon but its awfuly hard to cut Probably A36, structural steel. It's mild technically, but the specs are widened every now and then so it could have a bit of this and that in it. It's designed to be cheap and do certain jobs, and it does them just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valentin Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 Go to a junk steel yard and pick some cheap bars from over there they shoud get u started ! Cheap and good for learning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houaha Posted July 17, 2008 Author Share Posted July 17, 2008 um ok ill look for a few scrap yards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zsartell Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 If you are going to use junk steel, make sure you stay away from anything galvanized. Breathing those fumes can kill you and remember some steel that is painted on the outside has a zinc coating on the inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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