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I Forge Iron

Material source for hardies, top&bottom tools, etc.


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Hope I've chosen the correct forum for this quote.  (hate getting scolded by moderators)

I think I've found a source for axles from 18-Wheelers.  Those should make nice hammer heads, flatters, hardie tools, top and bottom tools, etc., shouldn't they?  Anyone know what the material in those is?

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Didn't want to dig it out again so I did a search on axle alloys site:iforgeiron.com and found it: "A smith I know used to work in an axle plant and he has said that recently made axles are generally 1050H for smaller ones and 1541H for larger ones. (with 1 3/8" unforged diameter being the line of demarcation and 1 3/8 being on the 1050H side)"

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Hmmmmmm.  Interesting, Thomas, thanks.  The fellow said he gets them all the time and he'd call me next time he has some.  When I asked the size, he held up his fist and the circle he indicated was about 2 to 2 1/4" in diameter.  I'll check into data for both of those steels.  Would I be correct in assuming those two materials would make a good choice for the type tools I mentioned?

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I've been using a probable 1050 hardy for about 20 years now and it's worked well. They should work for the type of tools you mentioned.  I like high alloy steels like S-7 and H-13 for tooling that gets buried in red hot steel like punches and chisels, especially slitting chisels.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Have you done a search on the forum for older discussions? Just go to the search engine of your choice, type in your search terms, and include "iforgeiron.com" as one of them, you'll get some good answers.

With hydraulic rams, remember that many of them are chrome plated, and chrome should NEVER go in the forge. Serious health hazard!

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Better to find something other than hydraulic rams for stock, they are chrome plated. Chrome can be a serious breath hazard, ground or heated in a forge. Heated makes hexavalent chrome which is a carcinogen in the purest sense.

Frosty The Lucky.

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