JohnK

Thanks for the info Doug. I'd still assume it's still all pretty much hit and miss. Clearly the composition changes since I've seen some labeled 40, 60, and occasionally 80 in the same diameter. Being for tensile strength I don't see why adding carbon would help but it clearly has it. Shear strength is high as well. We used an 8ft rebar cutter and with my 200+lb @$$ takes some bouncing to cut it. We switched to grinders of course.

I'm sure I could inquire but probably won't get a response, I'm a skilled worker but a worker none the less. I'll check their site out if they have one. Thanks for mentioning the temper it anyway. I considered trying it but didn't want to risk screwing it up. That stuff is a pain to forge out. Especially getting rid of the texture. Thanks alan. I knew higher grades meant essentially better composition but not to what degree. Haha I know it can't be welded. Have I tied plenty over the past 7 years . Also I agree with it not being as clean. I've noted after finishing on occasion some spots will form a powdery rust and others wont and some blades won't rust at all . Also should mention I quench in water. I have oil but my forge gets hungry.

I've recently learned about A36 and how mild it really is. But why rebar? Well for me it's easy to come by in multiple lengths and diameters. Granted I prefer to use it for nonblade things like pins, stakes, and decoration. Though I've made several blades from it and each time it hardened pretty well. I don't think it'll take temper though. If I quench it to fast it shatters like glass but slowly it holds an edge fairly well. Again just don't think I can temper it though. I'm not sure where most ppl get their rebar but our's isn't for side walks and curbs. Not that it's necessarily any better than BB store bought but it does seem to be. It's all #80 and from a local steel mill that also does specialty steel, aluminum, and pretty much anything you ask for ( if you order enough) . I guess a simple answer is I'm sure it's better than ordinary rebar, at least seems better. The mill only accepts certain sourced metal for refinement. No cars or fence posts ect.. also I have a very good source of it.

I've never had any problems with it. It's always a pain to forge out though. But the most I'll subject this to is beef roast.

Makings of a kitchen tanto. Will eventually be dressed to the 9s so to speak. Not gonna show my kith so this is my other option. Sorry for cheating the curvature.

On off topic not sure anymore buy my first forge ran on plain chunks of wood that i cut after splitting into roughly 2x2xwhatever length the log was. then into 2x2 cubeish. it would get 1" rebar up to bright yellow(not sure the temp). so honestly it may be that not enough air is getting to the charcoal. even briquettes should get steel that hot with an air source. trust me i know. i melted a hole in my mini grill using a hair dryer trying to heat it up faster, it was late i was hungry. Making charcoal is also fairly easy. You can watch Primitive Technology on youtube to make it the old way or just heat up chips or small chunks in a metal drum. Odd walmart didnt have the lump charcoal though. Mine sells it year-round.

I havent tried my hypothetical recipe yet but my regular ole yard clay seems to work just fine as a sealant for my bricks, even in direct heat. As for the recipe i was going to mix some clay with a bit of baking soda and sive into pellets to fire(theyll expand create air pockets for insulation), then mix them into regular clay for moulding brick shapes to be further fired. id say after firing id likely mix up some thin wash and dip the bricks, let them dry and refire to seal the pores. Shouldnt cost more than a little time and effort.

Incredibly important information guys. This stuff should be on the terms of service for any smithing site and not just a blow through to accept the terms of service either. From experience: around the age of 10 until 15 I use to smelt lead for casting and all around because it was fun. Didn't know the dangers. All I've ever heard was don't eat it. I developed vision problems that finally went away after 15+years. My eye sight was 20/15 before to 20/70or85 I think it was. Had to wear glasses in the army. A couple years ago I noticed things that were fuzzy like vanity plates I could read over 100ft away. My vision finally improved. However, as any doctor can tell you the brain didn't. I've had serious mood swings and definite anger issues turn up over the years. I can tell it caused permanent damage. Sweets are overbearing, I'm easily overwhelmed by well lit rooms or cloudless days. I can't focus well. I'm constantly nauseous. A myriad of issues from my dumb kid days. Even recently I experienced metal fume fever from a galvanized forge burner I built and once again ignorant of the possible danger. For a week I was extremely irritable, massive headache, couldn't stay awake, mood swings, and no appetite(even if I tried Id just puke). CO is just as bad if slightly short lived but just as damaging. Also heat exhaustion guys. Probably just as important. In my army days I'd see guys drop like flys in a gas chamber from dehydration and over heating. Hey I love to try and just finish those last few heat and hammering's but if your dizzy or just drained then just stop. Ain't no man ever been a real man if he's dead.

Well that sounds like a relief. Figured I'd try to do a little fancying to it. They won't be for any structural reasons. Purely esthetic. The thing is pretty darn stiff without connecting.

Well darn @Alan Longmire about rivits. I actually intended to give mine a somewhat old school commercial construction look to it . Think trusses

Are there any important parameters for a blacksmith knife?

Personally I use a conair blow dryer in my oil forge and even the sound from it is ummm let's say not enjoyable. Let alone a leafblower. If it's propane then to some extent it should be self aspirated. So even a regular ole squirrel cage should do with slightly larger diameter pipe. Of course mine needs the air a dryer gives. Also if I may add, I did modify mine to run on DC. You'd be amazed how much power that heating element takes from the motor. Mine runs on 18v printer supply and I occasionally use it as a leaf blower to clean around my forge

That things a beast. Only input I have is you'll very likely need an opening in the back lest you want ALL of that heat in your face, hand, and everything within 6ft of that orifice becoming untouchable. Of course welding some angle iron above and below both opening's to allow setting in fire brick will let you control exhaust. You'll lose some heat but not enough to value a single opening.

I have massive chunks of something similar. except its very heavy, shatters when struck very very hard, doesnt oxidize either, conducts electricity but nonmagnetic. My HS teachers husband was a geologist and he couldnt reasonably ID it. Figured it was maybe meteor but never got a definite answer. This wasnt porous though.

Yall better men than I. if my stuff warps after quench it goes to the scrap pile. big pile btw.

already counted my eggs before they hatched @Conner Michaux hopefully this one hatches sometime tomorrow afternoon.

Really hope blacksmith knife wins the poll

Forging out that long thin tang has given me an epiphany as to why most of you fellas use power hammers

Yall got me my butt off. I had to do some research and it looks similar to a rat snake but his head is a bit viperish. along with the way it curls for striking to. i went back in to shu it out but it moved, i panicked, grabbed it by the head and ran around the yard screaming for a good 2 minutes before finding an old fish tank to toss it in till i can positively id the sucker, either way not going to kill it. i love snakes. just not a fan of surprises. @Ron Benson had it been a rattler id certainly went for a nice little widdling knife set with matching handle and sheath.

Glad I just finished up in the bathroom before grabbing my saw horses to cut some studs for a new work bench.

Thank you @will. However in light of tonight's shenanigans I'll be abandoning this blade, and even more depressing, along with 9 others I've been working on. Unfortunately I must have gotten lucky woth my first 2 as they hardened nicely but tonight 3 did not. I suspect foul steel and I will be abandoning all including the steel itself. Sad, so sad, don't look at me I'm not crying.....

If I find a decent steel, I do have some tool steel I'd like to attempt.

@Clifford BrewerIf it has that look I think I'll do some research and refine it to be one :). I don't have a compass but it's a direction at least. Light research suggests: not even close

That is the most likely scenario with payment. Most wouldn't want to do a money transfer. I've learned it's never about being a scetchy guy, it's people THINKING you're a scetchy guy and paypal is generally well trusted because of that IF. Of course you're not but nobody knows that for sure. Even I have to deal with people like that. On the rare occasion I do work for someone on the side and request half up front they say no payment till finish. Well ya see the world don't work that way. I have fuel, food, and time in I need money to cover that and generally speaking 3/4 of the money isn't even for me. It's for expenses and bills haha. I wouldn't be so shy as to not tack on 25-30% of what you'd lose in paypal. Explain that and most will accept. P.S. I quit Facebook years ago for that reason. It was exhaustive.

Pregrind.