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Is a fork lift carpet pole good metal for blades/tools
- Thread starter Puke87
- Start date
It could be something like a 4140. I'd expect it to be similar to forklift tines. I read "Forklift forks are made from very tough steel, usually 4140 or 4340." With the "40" on the end I'd suspect that's .40% carbon which is on the low side for a good knife. If it's free, try a small section, forge it out and HT. While it's most likely not going to be a "top end" knife it'll be un forging and a good learning experience.
I was thinking it could possibly be a good material for a hatchet or tomahawk.
I found this definition.
What is High Tensile Steel?
High tensile steel is a type of mild carbon steel which has a high yield strength and tensile strength. It contains different alloying elements in order to increase the tensile strength of the steel. These elements include chromium, nickel, molybdenum, silicon, manganese and vanadium.Moreover, it has considerably high fatigue strength and toughness as well. However, it shows a reduced plastic ductility and brittle fracture compared to many forms of mild steel.
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One of ours broke a few years ago. It probably wasn’t heat treated the same way we would for knives, but the grain size was enormous. I would think they are some type of springy steal, maybe 5160 or whatever they make vehicle leaf springs out of.
Carpet isn’t that heavy, but I think rolls of sheet vinyl weigh thousands of pounds. It has to be something that is extremely tough, so might make a good chopper.
Carpet isn’t that heavy, but I think rolls of sheet vinyl weigh thousands of pounds. It has to be something that is extremely tough, so might make a good chopper.
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- Oct 14, 2018
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Update. Grainger spec sheet for carpet lifting ram says “fatigue proof steel”. Google that and it pulls up alro steel and a description. Says it’s made so you don’t have to heat treat it.
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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It is almost surely not a knife steel.
I got it for free so I'm not out anything. I was thinking more about tomahawks and axes for it. I do have a power hammer so I guess I'll just give it a go and see what happens. I am just starting out so at the very least I can use it for practice and not waste the steel I have spent money on. I appreciate all the responses. Thank you.
You've got a power hammer? It's a no brainer - cut off a small section, heat in forge, and hammer out. Then do the thermal cycles, HT - nothing fancy, soak for 10 minutes around 1500°F, quench , Most likely at the low carbon level water would be good, then break. Look at the grain, if possible check Rc hardness. I'll bet it'll do just fine for axr type projects.
If you make tomahawks and axes you can add/weld good steel for edge ?
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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I agree with Natlek -
Use a 1/4" to 3/8" thick piece of 1075 or 1084 for the bit and forge weld in the taco fashion. Fold the softer cladding steel in a "U" and insert the flat bit piece in the middle. Forge weld together. I leave about 1/2" to 3/4" empty space in the back of the taco to drift the eye later.
A good trick and a few tips are -
When the two pieces are snugly fitted, ground/filed clean, and ready to forge weld - clamp the bit/taco together tightly in a vise and run a MIG/TIG/stick bead down the top and bottom edge seams. After forge welding the bit in the cladding taco, open it up at full forging heat to create a roughly round eye. Use MIG/IG/stick to run a nice clean bead down the inside seams of the bit in the eye. Clean it up with a rotary file/burr or a round bastard file. This will assure that the bit doesn't start to separate when forging out the hawk/axe face and drifting the eye to shape. (If you are good at welding, you can weld all the seams initially and do a dry weld.)
Remember to drift the eye starting at a very hot temperature, close to welding heat.
Leave extra bit metal sticking out. Once you have forged the beard and tapers of the cheeks you can cut/grind it back and finish the edge bevel. Too much metal is much easier to fix than too little.
Work from side to side as you draw out the cheeks and eye. If one side ends up thicker than the other grind the excess away. You will likely create an oversize eye if you try to forge out the excess.
When working the cheeks, put the drift in the eye to keep it from turning sideways. Some folks who forge hawks and axe heads regularly make a special tong with a drift on one side and a forked piece on the other. This holds the head perfectly while drawing the shape out. You will definitely want to buy/make a simple tong with both ends turned inward to grip the eye.
Use a 1/4" to 3/8" thick piece of 1075 or 1084 for the bit and forge weld in the taco fashion. Fold the softer cladding steel in a "U" and insert the flat bit piece in the middle. Forge weld together. I leave about 1/2" to 3/4" empty space in the back of the taco to drift the eye later.
A good trick and a few tips are -
When the two pieces are snugly fitted, ground/filed clean, and ready to forge weld - clamp the bit/taco together tightly in a vise and run a MIG/TIG/stick bead down the top and bottom edge seams. After forge welding the bit in the cladding taco, open it up at full forging heat to create a roughly round eye. Use MIG/IG/stick to run a nice clean bead down the inside seams of the bit in the eye. Clean it up with a rotary file/burr or a round bastard file. This will assure that the bit doesn't start to separate when forging out the hawk/axe face and drifting the eye to shape. (If you are good at welding, you can weld all the seams initially and do a dry weld.)
Remember to drift the eye starting at a very hot temperature, close to welding heat.
Leave extra bit metal sticking out. Once you have forged the beard and tapers of the cheeks you can cut/grind it back and finish the edge bevel. Too much metal is much easier to fix than too little.
Work from side to side as you draw out the cheeks and eye. If one side ends up thicker than the other grind the excess away. You will likely create an oversize eye if you try to forge out the excess.
When working the cheeks, put the drift in the eye to keep it from turning sideways. Some folks who forge hawks and axe heads regularly make a special tong with a drift on one side and a forked piece on the other. This holds the head perfectly while drawing the shape out. You will definitely want to buy/make a simple tong with both ends turned inward to grip the eye.