Log in

View Full Version : Making Steel


Bill
10-09-2011, 02:26
Has anyone played around with making a forge/furnace to make steel? And making steel from black sand? Any one interest in a joining a let’s make steel group?
DD977GM2
10-09-2011, 02:39
Has anyone played around with making a forge to make steel? And making steel from black sand? Any one interest in a joining a let’s make steel group?

Im trying to figure out how to get titanium almost to its melting point and using some extra I have laying around to create a knife blade. Not sure how good it will turn out but worth trying.

I have a buddy who is a machinist and knife maker that has done this before in his shop, the making steel from sratch so to speak.
jscwerve
10-09-2011, 05:57
Im trying to figure out how to get titanium almost to its melting point and using some extra I have laying around to create a knife blade. Not sure how good it will turn out but worth trying.

I have a buddy who is a machinist and knife maker that has done this before in his shop, the making steel from sratch so to speak.

Sorry to derail the subject so quikly, but doesn't Titanium have to be melted in a vacuum and cast? I didn't think it was malleable, even at temp.


As far as the steel forging, I used to work with a guy that was BIG time into the whole SCA thing and he had a forge at his house. Made some pretty cool stuff. I'd like to see it done up close myself.
SAnd
10-09-2011, 06:35
I case you didn't already know-
http://www.lindsaybks.com/
These guys have how-to books covering some of that stuff.

There is (was?) an active group of people into making small engines/motors and machinery in Colorado. Some of them were into the forging type thing. Caboose Hobbies may know how to contact them.

The is an NFA manufacturer that goes by the name TROS USA. TROS stands fo 'The Riddle of Steel'. I always liked that.

Making steel from scratch sounds like too much work for me but I can see where it would be a lot of fun.

Happy Hunting and Good Luck.
BPTactical
10-09-2011, 08:45
The process that is truly amazing is the traditional Japanese sword makers making their steel.
That alone is an artform let alone building the sword itself.
mx'r
10-09-2011, 09:03
Bet you can have all the black sand you want from the local sand&gravel wash plants in the metro area. Or from Freddie Dodge with Madden steel, he recovers all the gold from the black sand and trashes it when he's done.
colocowboy01
10-09-2011, 09:13
I would be interested in a steel making group.
ray1970
10-09-2011, 09:30
If you want to find a way to make gold or silver, I'm in. Think I'll pass on steel. [Coffee]
Mtn.man
10-09-2011, 09:32
My brother and I did it many years ago, alot of work not a whole lot of fun, and talk about getting filthy.
sniper7
10-09-2011, 11:34
My brother and I did it many years ago, alot of work not a whole lot of fun, and talk about getting filthy.

yep, doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun and I would like to see what the actual cost savings numbers are like. once you factor in time it can't really be worth it. And it doesn't seem like one of those truly enjoyable hobbies, although I am sure there is a pretty good satisfaction to knowing you made steel from sand.
BushMasterBoy
10-09-2011, 15:14
If you want to find a way to make gold or silver, I'm in. Think I'll pass on steel. [Coffee]
If you want to melt gold or silver I have a website! Got some ore on your property and need to assay it? (No it won't melt steel) but you could melt your Grandmas silverware and mold it into silver bullets for the coming zombie apocalypse. It will melt a silver quarter (pre 1964) in less than 3 minutes from a cold start. Link to website below:

www.portablesmelter.com (http://www.portablesmelter.com)
TFOGGER
10-09-2011, 17:09
I think the point would be more a proof of concept that you COULD do this, push come to shove, rather than an enjoyable hobby. Making steel would make you a king in a post technological society.
Bill
10-09-2011, 21:51
There is strength in knowledge, and in such knowledge there is Pride
mcantar18c
10-09-2011, 21:59
I'm having daydreams about taking a pile of sand, turning it into a boar knife and bringing home dinner with it, and passing it down to my grandkids... I'll be watching this thread closely.
68Charger
10-10-2011, 09:26
I've got a propane forge here at the house (belongs to a friend of mine, but he can't keep/use it where he lives, so it lives at my house)

we'd also need an Anvil (or at least an ASO- I have some railroad rail that we could form into a small one), some appropriate hammers/mauls, tongs, and a significant amount of propane, plus safety gear (leather apron & gloves, face shield)

and of course, raw material to work with- I've got some steel, I've heard that leaf springs make great material for forging into knives...
BushMasterBoy
10-10-2011, 14:00
Black sand is iron ore found in a placer. Steel is iron that has carbon added, hence "carbon steel".


Basic primer on steel:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel
DD977GM2
10-10-2011, 14:18
I've got a propane forge here at the house (belongs to a friend of mine, but he can't keep/use it where he lives, so it lives at my house)

we'd also need an Anvil (or at least an ASO- I have some railroad rail that we could form into a small one), some appropriate hammers/mauls, tongs, and a significant amount of propane, plus safety gear (leather apron & gloves, face shield)

and of course, raw material to work with- I've got some steel, I've heard that leaf springs make great material for forging into knives...

Where the heck is Penrose....my ability to google search is lazy today and to lazy to move onto the google maps page [ROFL1]
mcantar18c
10-10-2011, 14:21
Where the heck is Penrose....my ability to google search is lazy today and to lazy to move onto the google maps page [ROFL1]

COS area.
DD977GM2
10-10-2011, 16:11
COS area.

Thats not so bad then, I was thinking something like Alamosa or Trinidad area [ROFL1]
68Charger
10-10-2011, 21:01
Thats not so bad then, I was thinking something like Alamosa or Trinidad area [ROFL1]

about 20mi SW of COS... where hwy 115 and hwy 50 come together (that probably isn't helping)

I'm north of Penrose- if it were a town, I wouldn't be in the town limits, I technically live in "Fremont county", but that confuses people even more [Beer]
El Caballo Loco
10-27-2011, 22:48
Did anything ever come from this? I stumbled across it when I was searching about knives. I've always wanted to get into black smithing after reading this when I was little.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/metalworking/4303543
Bill
11-02-2011, 13:53
I'm still going to try to make a furnace to make steel from black sand.
I have not found any one that has done this and is will to help out.
So I'm doing my reseach now this looks like its going to be a spring project.
after making the steel I hope to salvage whats left of the Furnace to make a Forge/bloom to make the steel usable for what ever tool we want to make out of it.
I'm allso doing reseach to see what black sand/iron ore would be best to use.