Jackhammer bits for knife steel

G

GrenfellsBrutalForge

Joined
May 23, 2016
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115
Good day everyone.
Was just wondering if anyone has ever forged down jackhammer bits into a knife?
My stock of 5160 is getting low and a fellow gave me half a dozed large jackhammer bits a while back.
I read somewhere that these bits are made of S5 steel which sounds like it heat treats similar to 5160.
I know I can't be sure what it is, but if I try it out and I can get it to harden and test it out well what's the harm? The stuff was free after all, and I can get lots of it.
Really curious how hard it will be to forge down hexagonal stock in this material that's about an inch thick by hand. Hammer and anvil is all I have to work with.
Does anyone have any experience with this?
 
Yeah I had thought that it would be great stuff for hardie tools. I have a 130# anvil and 5# sledge I use. Works well for 3/4" 5160. These bits are more like 1 1/4" though.
 
Many are S-7. Not the best for knife steel.

Lieblad, make an adapter for your hardy hole. One that slide into the existing one. That way you do not reduce the value of your anvil. You could make it from an old socket ground to fit your hardy with a ledge to hold it into place.
 
Probably not S7. Most likely 1040 to 1080 or some of the less expensive alloys. S7 has been cited as way to expensive for jackhammer bits.
 
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I put the grinder to one of them to see what the Sparks looked like. They were pretty long and blooming. Seems like a lot more than 40 points of carbon in it. Rained all day here today so I didn't get into trying to forge a piece down
 
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