Matt in NY Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 In another thread someone mentioned iron that shattered or broke when quenched. What could cause this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnie Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Thermal shock. Quench too aggressive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Also possibly the iron was hammered too cold, or otherwise somehow a crack was forged into the iron. Could also be a combination of factors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 also certan types of steel will do this (air hardening tool steels come to mind) ive had this happen it wasnt a explotion but it did shatter!! i had a chizel that i made from s7 it was just below visable heat i thaught i could cool it down ... well it came apart in about 12 pieces... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Have you ever noticed how pop cans expand when frozen? This has to do with the molecules lining up or something, when something changes rapidly like that, any number of things can occur, and even if it does not break immediately, the first time an additional shock is applied, look out!! I spent 2 hours on a spring steel (coil) hold down as a new bs, and of course when it was done, I quenched it, first time I set it in the anvil, tapped it down, it lierally exploded into 4 pieces, it was at that exact moment that I remembered David Robinson's class that I had taken, and the fact that he always left his finished product sitting on the floor to cool, only quenching for tempering etc.. hard way to learn, (seems to be the only way for me) but valuable, I have never had that kind of problem again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeaverDamForge Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Have you ever noticed how pop cans expand when frozen? This has to do with the molecules lining up or something, ...It has to do with water expanding when it freezes. Same reason ice floats. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Water is very strange that way; iron does not go against the "cold things shrink, hot things expand" rule but does change when it goes through a phase change, which hardening involves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awalker Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I have an unknown piece of steel rod in the shop. I put it in the forge a while back thinking to make a tool from it as it is very hard. I forged it to a fish tail (making a hot cut chisel) and after I hardened it, it fractured into a buch of pieces, similar to a car windshield, but did not break apart. Further hammering on it cold will break off the little pieces though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Mulholland - Tetnum Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 if ya put the wrong stel in water it will shatter say h13 or A2 they will tipicaly shater like a glass firecracker its not a good thing and it can punch a hole through a plastic 5gallon bucket no problem be careful and use the right quenchant with the right steel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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