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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2008 4:38:18 GMT
Hey guys, I'm really getting tired of watching you guys making all of these great blades without making any for myself =), so I was wondering where you guys get your steel. I live in LA and I just don't know where to get steel around here, at least steel that isn't an odyssey's length away. Any suggestions?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2008 12:25:59 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2008 17:14:13 GMT
Since I just have grinders and files, I'm going to try stock removal for now. I think when it comes to heat treating I'm going to send it in to a spring manufacturer here in LA. Luckily I have A LOT of brass so that I can make some decent fittings
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Post by brotherbanzai on Oct 27, 2008 23:19:40 GMT
I get mine from Admiral Steel too. If you ever decide to get into forging, I think Aldo carries tool steel and they have locations all over.
Since you have a spring manufacturer nearby you might be able to just get the steel from them too.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2008 1:08:15 GMT
I just looked at Admiral and 5160 is SOOOOO expensive, what's the deal with that? Also is 1075-80 steel better for swords or knives?
The spring place will problably have really good deals on the metal as well.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2008 6:33:43 GMT
I just looked at Admiral and 5160 is SOOOOO expensive, what's the deal with that? Also is 1075-80 steel better for swords or knives? The spring place will problably have really good deals on the metal as well. I wouldn't say 'better' just 'different'. 5160 is a good all around steel for blades, but anything with enough carbon will work. Some good advice I've gotten myself is to stick with simple steels first....10xx stuff (meaning 1060 or so to 1084). Once you've got that down on the heat treat end (the most important part!) you would be able to graduate to the alloyed steels with a far lesser failure rate. 10xx makes great blades, and costs far less than the alloys (usually). For myself, I've got about three years stock (if I made three knives a week!) of 1060 rail anchor clips for forging and heat treating practice. Once I feel confident enough in my skills I'll order some 1084 from Aldo. LOTS of great blades made from 1084. Cris
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2008 18:01:04 GMT
And then, when I can, what information should I read for how to heat treat them myself and how best to put on a nice hamon.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2008 18:25:49 GMT
And then, when I can, what information should I read for how to heat treat them myself and how best to put on a nice hamon. All I can say here is read around. There's definitely good information in some of the threads on this site, Don Fogg's forum is an absolute wealth of good information, SFI has good information as well. There is SO much to those two subjects that even the people you are learning from are still learning. That's the kind of mentality that keeps people like Howard Clark and Keven Cashen at the top of the game. Those suggestions cover good sources of online information. After that there's a lot of good books to buy, but there is a post on this board that covers that. For a good 'quick' (haha, that's a relative term) primer, I would do a few searches on the three boards I've mentioned. Then hit google. I say search these three first because I know the information will ABSOLUTELY not be misleading, and by the time you hit google you should have at least some idea as to what's BS and what's not. Another suggestion is to read (yes, post by post), ALL of the past archives in the forging, beginner, and tool making sections of those sites. I haven't even finished that one yet but every day I try to read a page or two more, and it's amazing what kind of pertinent information, and links you find that the search functions of these boards leave out. Once you're done with that, hit the fit and finish sections...your work will improve by leaps and bounds. Things you're looking to take notes on (yes, paper notes you can take to your heat treat area with you...I keep a notebook) are TTT curves, temperatures for critical of the steel you're using (upper and lower austenizing), soak times that work best with the various steels, quench methods, mediums, and the temperatures required of various quenchants...the list is very long and detailed. Then you can start researching clay methods =). I've found the hard way, that if you try to do both at once, you'll be easily distracted and not learn anything about either. If you're researching heat treat, and you find a page that deals with clay methods, put it in a folder in your favorites that's appropriately named...at that point you can go back when you're ready and have a very good base to start researching from. Anyhow, this isn't the only way to do it, but it's one way and it will certainly give results. After a month or so I'm still learning a TON each and every day. I hope that rate of learning doesn't slow down anytime soon. I also hope that as my 'shop' area improves I can start experimenting on my own and learn a bit more that way. Anyway, hope that helped a little =). Cris
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Post by Matthew Stagmer on Oct 29, 2008 19:22:03 GMT
If you are in LA. Look up Sword and Stone. Tony Swatton has a shop in Studio City. He is a class A maker. I bet you could talk him into tossing some scrap your way. Besides, if you are into swords, you gotta see his shop.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2008 22:28:17 GMT
Thank darkslyde for all your help. I actually have spent the day looking up other places to buy steel and they charge a TON for it so obviously I'll go to Admiral for it, unless I find some really cheap leaf springs to throw into a hot camp fire an then cut apart to make something.
Brother, I checked with the spring manufatuers and they only have wire, too bad but thanks anyways.
Cander, THANK YOU for all that information that I now have to read up on; the most helpful I would have to say is the bit about learning one thing at a time and taking notes +1 to you my friend.
And Finally Mattew, thanks for the info about the sword and stone, I'm actually getting in the process of making an appontment for seeing his shop! +1
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2008 22:44:13 GMT
Wow, I think I got some really cool metal for when I become more skilled. When I went to the spring maker the other day I got come standards stainless rods that i don't know how I'm going work with yet but the real treasure I think is this really thick chain, think of motorcycle chain on steroids. I got 20 pounds of this stuff along with the stainless for $1.50 so I'm really excited. When I get home I will take pictures and post it for you guys!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2008 0:06:22 GMT
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