Hunk o'steel

[Joshua States 1,782]

At the ABANA conference last month, there were folks selling all kinds of stuff. Tools, equipment, finished pieces, doo-dads, everything you could imagine (if it had something to do with metalwork) was somewhere for sale.

So what did I buy? A hunk of steel. W-2 steel to be specific.

This measures about 2" x 2" x 14" and weighs 20.2 pounds.

 

 

[JJ Simon 123]

Wow!

[Timothy Artymko 39]

Nifty! I like the looks of it

[Jan Ysselstein 67]

Joshua ,

 

That is interesting..it looks like an ingot...I am curious if it is solid or gassy..do you know anything about the source.

 

Jan

[Kenneth Mauldin 16]

Sweet, got a project in mind?

[Joshua States 1,782]

Joshua ,

 

That is interesting..it looks like an ingot...I am curious if it is solid or gassy..do you know anything about the source.

 

Jan

Yes, it is an ingot, and it is very solid. The source is one of the most interesting bladesmiths I know, Ray Rybar.

Ray is known for his ability to weave pictures and Biblical verses into his Damascus.

Ray used to work in the steel mill industry a long time ago in Pennsylvania. When the mill he was working at closed its doors and everyone was taking tools and equipment, Ray went up to the offices and emptied the filing cabinets of all the steel recipes and formulae. Ray has become disgruntled with what passes for modern W-2 and 1095 steels because they simply do not perform the way he remembers from back in the old days. He has access to a testing lab and the optical emission spectrometry equipment, necessary to determine the elemental composition. The steels we are buying from typical source retailers, vary so much between runs that it's almost impossible to get consistent quality and product.

Recently, Ray has taken these old recipes and run limited production quantities of 1095 and W-2. He has given the target data and the acceptable tolerances to the mill. When the production run is complete, he sends a few random ingots out for spectral analysis. The mill is producing what Ray wants and he is selling some of what he has produced. This 20 pound block cost me $250. Well worth the money I think.

 

 

Sweet, got a project in mind?

Lots of ideas. This is a huge chunk of steel. First things first, I have to forge it down into usable shapes. I'm going out to Hancock's shop later this month and we are going to turn it into some bar stock. I'm thinking a W-2 Rapier might be in my future...........you know, something with a groovy Hamon running down the center. Probably start out with a nice Seax though.....

Edited August 29, 2016 by Joshua States

[Jan Ysselstein 67]

Thanks Joshua

...I would talk to Ray prior to forging that bar (ingot)..he may have some hints as to how to start. I have a blade blank forged in the hamon thread which is probably close in composition to what you have there. I think Ray is onto something but the top of your ingot looks like it was poured when the metal was getting quite cool...does that matter..I don't know.

Jan

[Kenneth Mauldin 16]

a sweet seat sounds awesome,never can go wrong with that

[John N 266]

Looks like crap, so good job its from a reputable source ! do you have decent power tools to reduce it ?

[Richard Furrer 55]

I would cut that into smaller pieces and forge with the handle welded to the ugly top.

Once you cut a section off you can see the condition of the solidification and better judge the ingot.

It appears like the top 30% will be an issue.

 

Ric

[Sam Salvati 76]

Wow 25$ a pound for something you can't really do much with, most paid for a doorstop ever.

Edited September 5, 2016 by Sam Salvati

[Joshua States 1,782]

• Um, Sam.....$250 divided by 20.2 lbs = $12.38 per pound. Just sayin' do the math.

OK all you naysayers, check it out.

http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?showtopic=32964&&p=331319&page=12

[Brian C Madigan 14]

Not all the W2 I have was created equal. The 2"+ drill rod I got from Don Hanson has been the most consistent. The drops he found were pre-war era I think.