gypsyghaun Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 I have drop pieces of spring steel from various projects. I was wondering if I were to melt down chunks of spring steel, cast a billet for a sword, and then forge it, would it be as strong as just forging a sword from a leaf spring. I'm no metallurgist, but it seems to me that would work as long as the remnants are all spring steel beings that all metal is cast at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 Welcome from the Ozark mountains. I'm not much into melting & casting, but some of our members are and some expert in metallurgy. I'm reasonably certain they will weigh in on the question. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sails. ~ Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purple Bullet Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 I'm no metallurgist either, but its my guess is you would lose most of the carbon by getting it up to casting temperature. Far better would be to forge weld them together or use in cannister Damascus. I think chopping them up and putting in a cannister would end up being the easiest with the most interesting result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 I agree. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sails. ~ Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gypsyghaun Posted June 9, 2023 Author Share Posted June 9, 2023 Canister damascus is the best option, and the prettiest, thanks. I can't help but wonder now how to take low carbon steel and turn it into high carbon steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 If you go to the sub-forum Metallurgy and read through the pinned threads, I think the answer is there or in some of the posts below them. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sails. ~ Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 Read up on Wootz and blister steel making for a rough idea. To melt and cast spring or other steel and retain it's properties you need a vacuum melter molds, etc. It is not a trivial pursuit. Yes virtually all steel starts out molten but it's formulated so when it gets to the roll mills what has burned off brings it down into specs. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NovakTheForgeMan Posted August 9, 2023 Share Posted August 9, 2023 Spring steel, assuming it's 5160 like most leaf springs and suspension steel, has a fairly high chromium content (1% by weight for 5160). The issues with this is that chromium is incredibly reactive as compared to iron and carbon and withh very quickly form chrome oxide when heated even to forge welding heat, let alone to the melting point of spring steel (1350 - 1450 degrees celcius if I remember correctly). These oxide prevent the growth of the iron crystals that make up iron and steel and will result in a very crumbly and brittle metal if you where to cast it. Of course there are ways to do it, however for a home shop it is very much out of the question. As some have brought up, you could canister weld it together to form a solid piece from all the offcuts and bits you have, however you'd need to be very careful in keeping the amount of oxygen that gets into the canister to as close to zero as possible. You're best off using the offcuts to forge small projects and if you plan on making folding knives, beating them down into plates and using them as springs. If you do want to start looking into making your own steel however, I'd look into making an aristotle furnace. They're small and reletivly quick to build, as compared to a full bloomery, and they produce a high carbon bloom as opposed to the low carbon iron that's generally produced in a bloomery. You can also look into the case hardening and cementation process, which allows you to take mild steel (1020, generally what you get from the hardware store) and bring it up to a 1065 (good for longer blades, axes and strike faces on tooling) or even 1090 (edge material for cutting tools). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted August 9, 2023 Share Posted August 9, 2023 Over at Lee Sauder's website he discusses the various techniques Novak is referring to. Very detailed info. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goods Posted August 9, 2023 Share Posted August 9, 2023 I got curious on this last night and went down the rabbit hole… I found Lee’s site and let’s just say that today I am suffering from sleep deprivation! Lots of good information there. Keep it fun, David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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