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Posted by Prometheus on December 22, 2006, 2:12 am
Please log in for more thread options On Thu, 21 Dec 2006 23:53:42 +0000 (UTC), alvinj@XX.com wrote:
>Mostly so far they are thinking in terms of getting all that M2 has
>to offer. If you'll settle for not getting anymore out of the HSS
>than you could get from 1080 (or less sometimes?) then that's a
>different story. Many are doing HSS that way and claiming they can
>"forge it and heat treat it" etc but they aren't telling the whole
>story just repeating the good sounding parts IMO. ;)
I'll settle, where appropriate- where I really need to get what I can
from it, I don't mind paying a heat-treating place to reharden and
temper it once I've got it banged into shape. The metal was free, so
I don't have any problems investing some money into getting it to
where it needs to be. Setting up a furnace just for that is probably
a little further than I'm willing to go, but if I can anneal it then
forge, or just heat it up and hot forge it, that's what I plan to do.
>My personal example is, it's posible to get more from A2 than you
>can get from O1 but "not me" because I don't have the equipment to
>do that. I'm better off with O1, since I can get all O1 has to
>offer and that's better than half-assed A2. :)
>
>http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/graphA2vsO1.jpg
>
>Did you know-ed that already? :)
>A2 can kick O1's butt.
>A2 is based on Cr and O1 is based on Mn is the main reason.
Nope, but I'll keep it in mind for future reference.
>I got lots of books including two versions of Tool Steel Simplified,
>you got any specific questions?
Yes! Here goes:
Can I take M2 that is triple-drawn and has been used in an industrial
setting for punching steel (assuming it work-hardens to some degree,)
stick it in a propane forge and hammer it to shape?
If I do the above, what do I need to watch for while doing so to avoid
cracking the material? Should I quench it, or let it slow cool? I'll
be heating the entire piece of metal, then working it using tongs- so
there should be no bands of dissimilar structure to leave weak points.
What is the melting point of M2? To be specific, is it going to be
possible for me to get some of it re-cast using a propane forge or
charcoal foundry? What I could find indicated that it may have a
slightly lower melting point than regular steel. Again, it can be
less than perfectly hardened in thses applications.
Assuming that I'm willing to get less than everything it has to offer,
is it realistic to try and anneal it in a gas forge, then machine it
with something like a manual knee mill? If so, any chance HSS cutters
will work, or will I need carbide or tungsten?
>The problem with the books and mostly what I know about it too, is
>limited to what industry wants to know and they want "all they can
>get from it or nothing". TSS makes a big deal about switching
>steels to get what you need rather than to leave a steel too soft
>or too hard to make up for picking the wrong steel to start with.
There's something to that- if I were buying it. But this was free-
and that's the best kind of material.
>Industry information not scrounger information. :/
>
>There are guys out there "blacksmithing" the stuff, they would be
>your best source of information, I'd guess.
Any leads on who these folks are so I can take a look at some websites
or pick their brains if possible?
>If you get some stuff figured out, get on here and tell us about
>it. :)
Will do.
>I noticed your post before about getting a shitload of M2 HSS and
>was wondering what you were going to do with it. :) Any of it thin
>enough for knife making "as is"? If so, that could be sold on
>rec.knives.
Not really, unless someone has the capacity to slit small tubing and
somehow open and flatten it without changing it's properties or
wrecking it.
>BTW, when the factory "does it" they do it good!... :)
>
>http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/HSSknife.htm
>
>Rake that knife through the hair on your arm in "mid hair" and it'll
>leave a bunch of them laying on the blade. Factory heat treated M2
>just sharpens up real nice like that, given the chance.
A good deal of it will get sharpened up just like that- a lot of the
punches are getting ground into cutterhead profiles and slid into pipe
to be used as turning chisels. It's the rest of the stuff I need to
figure out a good use for. That stuff won't necessarily be used for
cutting tools, just made into more useful shapes. If possible, I'd
like work it enough to replace some aluminum parts on Gingery style
tools with the stuff.
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