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I Forge Iron

Annealing old tool steel


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I've read that you should never hammer hardened steel, even if it's hot.  I'm just starting out and plan on using a lot of old scrap.  I got my hands on some old auto scrap, and I'll be keeping an eye out for old/broken tools.  

Should I be annealing everything before beating on it?  I never see that in YouTube videos but I didn't know if that's just something that gets glossed over.

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From a 1972 F100.  Got two full leaf springs, 2 coils, and what I'm pretty sure is part of the steering assembly, along with various other trash.  A guy was doing a full restoration and let me have it for free as long as I took everything.

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You are aware that if you are wanting to make blades from automotive springs you want ones with the *least* number of miles on them as you can get as fatigue cracks may be present in springs with a lot of use on them..  A lot less work is lost if you are just making tooling from them.

Some of us probably bought vehicles like that "new" and a fellow posted about forging a drawknife from a model T spring recently. (I've never owned a '72; but I have owned a '64 and two '68's...)

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11 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said:

You are aware that if you are wanting to make blades from automotive springs you want ones with the *least* number of miles on them as you can get as fatigue cracks may be present in springs with a lot of use on them..  A lot less work is lost if you are just making tooling from them.

Yes, I'll probably make some (very ugly) knives but nothing that I expect to use or would be upset to lose.  I'm brand new so everything is just another opportunity to learn.

 

 

14 minutes ago, Steve Sells said:

none of that is tool steel

I know, but I already have an old socket wrench extension that sheared off, and I'm sure i'm going to find some old wrenches and hammers when I start digging around the barn.

 

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Actually most steel tools are made from medium carbon steel and not "tool steel".

As for learning material:  why not go with something that has a better possibility of working?  You might get lucky---shame to have everything going right and then have it fail do to an issue known before starting.

I used to buy drops from a local spring repair shop. Brand new, known alloy, they charged me a dollar a pound.  Then I had a student who worked at a place that converted large *new* pickups to EMT trucks. He brought me a spring pack that had 19 miles on it as they put in a new suspension when doing that.  Big pack too.

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Good to know! 

I have already contacted a local spring shop and they do sell drops, so once society is done melting down and I'm ready to make blade I'll give them a call!

What sort of tools can be made from leaf spring?  It seems too thin to make much?

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Look up the smithing magician or smithing guillotine tool. Also scrolling wrenches, swing arm fullers, punches, drifts, (ask them if they have any coil spring material drops too), tongs,... Yes it's pretty thin I haven't seen much over an inch thick and that for RR cars.

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On 5/4/2020 at 4:05 PM, Bleu86 said:

Cool, thanks.  Just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to accidentally increase my body's iron content with the first hammer blow.

I'm sorry,  it has nothing to do with your question... but I found this both very insightful, and extremely funny statement!:D:D

On 5/4/2020 at 5:22 PM, Bleu86 said:

What sort of tools can be made from leaf spring?  It seems too thin to make much?

Depends on the leaf spring- I have a couple truck driver friends... one brought me a broken leaf spring from his truck. It's easily a full inch thick...

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  • 1 month later...
Quote

"Depends on the leaf spring- I have a couple truck driver friends... one brought me a broken leaf spring from his truck. It's easily a full inch thick..."

You can't go wrong with that. Even with that size, you can already forge a lot.

By the way, just in case anyone here owns a truck, my cousin Gavin is offering up xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

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