Getting some large chunks of 4130/4340 and will end up having to torch cut or plasma cut them into usable pieces.

And issues with metallurgy for impact tools if I do this. These are large bars I'll be getting for free so I want to use them for various tools

This is my first crack at using a forge. What should I do to finish this project?

A mini from what I understand. It is 14" overall length where as they're typically 16". 5160 steel with bocote scales. 320 grit belt finish

wanting whats basically a enlarged WWI German trench axe, with a slightly elongated head as well. I want it to be a scaled to me clone of one of the melee weapon options avalible to Huntress in Dead by daylight, the skin is based off from I can find a WWI German trench axe.
I was wondering primarily about pricing and online shops that ship to the US that would do this. Im hopin that the cost wouldn't be that much crazier than just tryin to buy an original trench axe as nobody makes repos. if you got links dm em. hopefully i can afford what one of em is askin.

I'm in a high school welding class and I want to get into knife making. I'm also kinda dirt poor, but I can pretty much use as much metal as I want to make stuff and thought, why not make a forge. I was thinking of making something like this picture. So I was wondering what i should line it with and use as a heat source etc.. (that would be cheap). Please let me know if there's anything important i should know.

Sidenote, if i use charcoal how would i need to change the design

The forge in the picture uses a ceramic plate on the bottom. Where would i get a cheap one or what's an alternative.

https://preview.redd.it/ztr1mdiq8gge1.png?width=485&format=png&auto=webp&s=5acbdbc0d67eb7e6cca71dcb9af2d09c634bce9a

I made a pretty decent holdfast, it looks intentional and does what it’s meant to. The spring fuller is more proof-of-concept. I haven’t tried to use it yet and it could use a little refinement.

I just got into blacksmithing and I made one it turned out pretty well but I made the blade too thick and struggled to make the blade straight and I am struggling with making handles

Has anyone ordered a hammer from Andrew Larson? What kind of lead time was it? It's been about a month and a half since I placed an order on his website and haven't seen the hammer but he's also not responding to emails.

So, I want to get into blacksmithing. Wow how original, asking on reddit. Wanted to ask how or where I can actually get an anvil like thing for a good price. And on how to make a backyard forge, I think those are cool.

Hi so I've been wanting to get a propane forge but have no idea what brands or anything or what to trust anyone got any recommendations of some good forges

So, in short, I have a dual Vevor forge. I've added Satanite, and replaced the front set of thick bricks with ceramic tiles to give me more room, and get away from the burner flame. I want to talk about what I can do to make my forge more evenly heated on the inside. I have added a K-type kiln t/c in the middle of the forge body, which has issues if I am only using 1 burner.

1: How do I keep the heat constant, and even throughout? I have a solinoid valve inline, with a bypass tube for temp control. ignoring the fact that the valve buggered up and is stuck open....when I was controlling on/off at temp, even with some gas flowing.....it would sputter and I would have to reset the burner valves. it's like there wasn't enough flow to keep it lit.

2: What is the theory behind venturi burners? I've only seen DIY plans using 1" pipes, and large adapters.....what if i want to LOWER the heat?

3: When I get sputtering when at full blast using 2, sometimes I shut one off. Now my T/C is not in the direct heat area, since it's between the two burners....and i can see that area is darker. Is it a safe bet that i placed it wrong, and I should move it in line with a burner?

4: direct metal heating with the burner flame, compared to letting the forge internals heat up the metal? Confusing, so I will try to explain. You put anything IN a flame, it'll heat up fast. Move it next to the flame, it'll heat up slowly. Add in that the kiln colors can vary depending on where you look.....at the flame area, or someplace else. Using a T/C is the same issue.....if my t/c is in the flame, it'll read hot....move it a few inches back....read cooler. So, how does one have a forge that is nice and EVEN? I've heard of ribbon burners. Is this a better way to have a smaller flame jet, and yet a larger surface area of flame? Something you can't get with 2 venturi jets. Also, what about adding some sort of fins to the bottom of the burner, to actually have the flame angled, so the heat flows around the insides more, compared to just straight down onto the billet?

Should I just re-build my forge to have all of these good things, instead of trying to mod an existing forge?

A lot of this comes from Triple T's control set up, but he has a ribbon, and it also looks like the flames don't get near the actual metal you are working. So that's why I'm thinking this is key?

yeah, this shit keeps me up at night thinking. Or first thing I wake up thinking at 4am, so I can't get back to sleep. I'm an ME by trade, so I love tinkering. But this forge thing is new to me.

tldr: Where is the best placement for a thermocouple to read your billet/blade temp, can I make a small burner to keep my forge more constant temp, and can I make my forge inside more evenly heated so I don't have to think about cold/hot spots?

It's a little smaller than I wanted but works great.

NEW BLACKSMITH:

I'm really new, I'm mostly just playing with rebar and railroad spikes around the campfire and a cheap anvil. I watched this safety video and fell down the rabbit hole of respiratory conditions from black smithing.

https://youtu.be/nrKbNayoAbo?si=s_xYy0V0UfspADjg
Most of the posts I saw on this topic are 2 years old + so I was hoping to see what everyone uses currently. Thank you.

Not sure how well this fits here, but: I’m repairing a pipe expansion die made from A2 tool steel, hardened to RC58-60, used in a hydraulic pipe expansion press. The die broke during use, and my repair attempts have so far been unsuccessful. Here’s what I’ve tried and observed (all attempts were beveled CJP welds):

1. First Attempt:
   • Material: 308LSi MIG (0.045”) on pulse.
   • Parameters: 40V / 450WFS.
   • Heat Treatment: No preheat or post-heat.
   • Post-Processing: Ground down with a standard flap disk.
   • Result: Held for more units than subsequent attempts but eventually broke again.
2. Second Attempt:
   • Material: 309L TIG rod (3/32”).
   • Heat Treatment: Preheat to 400°F, maintained interpass at 400°F, cooled in an oven from 450°F to ambient.
   • Result: Broke again, almost immediately.
3. Third Attempt:
   • Material: Matching A2 TIG rod (Crown Alloy AH-10).
   • Parameters: Repaired per weld procedure spec.
   • Result: These repairs failed at the base almost instantly, which was surprising.
4. Fourth Attempt:
   • Material: Super Missile Weld (1/8”).
   • Heat Treatment: No preheat or post-heat.
   • Post-Processing: Hardfaced over remnants of previous alloys, machined the surface.
   • Result: It’s holding better than the matching A2 rod but ultimately snapped at the base.

Important Details to Consider:

• Surface Finish: Spec is 16uin, but surfaces are not ground perfectly flush.
• Collet Assembly Fitment: The assembly is driven through a hole that may be enlarged (no original ID print to verify).
• Hydraulic Spear: The spear that flares the six segments isn’t dimensionally perfect but is very close.
• Segment Stretching: Each time the segments snap, they are placed back together, but the die’s overall size increases slightly.

Questions I Need Help With:

1. Am I repairing these dies correctly, or is there something fundamentally wrong with my approach?
2. Could the problem lie in other factors like dimensional inconsistencies or the materials used in other components (e.g., the spear or collet assembly)?
3. What’s a quick fix to keep production running while the new parts are being fabricated?
4. When the new parts arrive, what steps should I take to ensure the next setup is flawless?
5. Is A2 tool steel the right material for these parts, or should I consider a different alloy or heat treatment process to improve performance and durability?

I’m open to any advice on metallurgy, welding processes, alternative materials, or machine alignment. Thanks in advance for any insights! Just to be clear, the spear drives up through the six segments that flare out and drives the whole collet body up where the base of the segments (that are being repaired) catches a thick plate with a hole in it, and this is where the snap occurs. The sensors are to spec. The spear stops where it has been registered to stop historically.

Afterthoughts:

• Thickness of material is 1-1/2". A2 tool steel isn't structural steel, so it's not in table 5.8 on AWS D1.1, which is why I randomly chose 400F on the fly.
• What is the preheat on A2 tool steel for repair? Is that AWS D2.4? What table? (https://app.aws.org/forum/topic\_show.pl?tid=4625)
• Is H13 or S7 steel better suited?

I have a repurposed propane tank, gas forge. I've been interested in making larger pieces such as shields & larger art sculptures. Any advice on how to go about larger builds? I imagine heating bits in sections & attaching with rivets. Any advise is appreciated. Thank you 🙇‍♂️

Finally found a post vice for a deal. All parts working but it needs some clean up. Wire wheel, sandblast, or something else? Grease/lubricant for the moving parts recommended?

Howdy all! Just picked up this vise for a steal, trying to get together a set of travel equipment for craft shows this year. Already looked through some ideas for travel stands, but any ideas/recommendations are welcome too! Sticking with wood for travel stands, and I’m gonna need one for the vise and my anvil. Main question here though, are any ideas on this bracket. There’s no slots on it, so I’m thinking I’ll punch slots and then make a plate to bolt it down to the stand. My other vise came with the mounting plate and doesn’t have a bracket like this, so I’m just curious how to go about mounting it. Thanks for the help! Not sure what brand this is, but it has an actual spring on it and not a spring leaf.

Im considering making a scribing knife for a friend and I would like some advice on hardening it. I'll be cutting it from a very old sawblade from and old sawmill and the steel is the hardest i've ever cut in. I'm wondering if hardening the tip without tempering afterwards and dont know wether its a good idea or not?

Ok so I just remade my coal forge and was wondering if it's actually feasible to forge outside no building or anything when it's this cold in Pennsylvania.