A few wrought iron questions

[Patrice Lemée]

I decided to try the stuff out before using it for guards and such. Of course I had a few snags.

1) It delaminates easily mainly when you forge it to too cold. Does this sound about right? Should it be forged real hot?
2) The first after pic is of a piece sanded to 320. looks good already. The second one has spent 2 hours in the etching solution and then was given a spin on the buffer. Looks just about the same even not as good. I tried my etching solution pure since I thought that it would gives a faster etch. Guess it don't work that way.

I must say it's gorgeous stuff though. This one has spent a great many years at the bottom of the ocean off the coast of Maine.

Any pointers would be appreciated.

Patrice

 

[JTknives]

I forge wrought supper hot, around 2100-2200 maybe hotter. Like you said to cold and it comes apart. that is some good looking stuff.

 

[Greg Obach]

fold it a couple times.. it'll behave better..
- but then less coarse pattern

wrought comes in lotsa grades... the good stuff forges like a dream

Greg

 

[Patrice Lemée]

JT, there is no way I can get up to those temp in my small forge, maybe 1400-1500F. But I think that would be ok, I just don't have lots of time to work cause it cools fast.

Greg, when I did work it hot it was like forging butter so I imagine that it is some good stuff.

Thanks guys.

Patrice

 

[Dan Seaver]

Patrice, 1500F is too cold. I avoid letting wrought iron drop below 1800F. I start forging at 2400F and try to keep it above 2000F.

 

[Patrice Lemée]

Ah crap! I never measured the temperature of my forge but I doubt I can get it that hot.

Patrice

 

[Raymond Richard]

When I'm using wrought iron for fittings the only forging I do is just to flatten and even up thickness. The rest is done by stock removal.

 

[JTknives]

Patrice, 1500F is too cold. I avoid letting wrought iron drop below 1800F. I start forging at 2400F and try to keep it above 2000F.

ya thats where i try and stay. get it to a nice white heat and it moves like butter.

 

[sunshadow]

Any time I try for serious shape below yellow-white it tears and delaminates, minor adjustments can be done at bright orange

-Page

 

[Patrice Lemée]

Thanks guys, I'll try the hotter I can. And I am not doing anything big with this, just for fittings like Raymond said.

By the way Raymond, I love your knives/guards/fittings/etc... For me it's something to shoot for. Thanks for sharing it all with us.

Patrice