R. Thiele Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 anyone have any methods they have found useful for HT of 4140 with a gas forge? I have read about extended soak times.. that of which will suck with gas. I am wanting to make a rounding hammer and some other tools.... Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerrod Miller Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 Good news is that I don't see any reason to do an extended soak for 4140 hammer heads. By the time you are sure the whole head is up to temp, the critical thickness (hammers do not need to be through hardened) is definitely going to be at temp long enough to take care of any carbides needing to be dissolved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerald Boggs Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 4140 is very friendly steel. I've made a lot of tools with it, including hammers and have never did anything beyond bringing it up to temp and quench. <p>Gerald Boggs <a href="http://www.geraldboggs.com">www.geraldboggs.com</a></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. Thiele Posted May 21, 2020 Author Share Posted May 21, 2020 I have not been having the best success with actual getting a relative hardness...or I am expecting it to be harder than I am getting. I have a punch that I made, where the point that flattens when trying to mark even mild steel. Perhaps I should use a different steel for those...I will give er another try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerald Boggs Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 (edited) 4140 hasn't got the carbon to hold a point on a punch, it's best used for hot work. For cold work or thin tools, I use W1. Just to be clear on why: I like my life to be simple and I'm by nature, frugal. I get 4140 3/4 round 12 feet for about $17.50 and make all my hot work tools it. I use W1 for about the same reason, drill rod is cheap and it does the job. Both can be water quenched and I heat treat them about the same. Except I let the colors run a bit more with the W1. Edited May 22, 2020 by Gerald Boggs <p>Gerald Boggs <a href="http://www.geraldboggs.com">www.geraldboggs.com</a></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerrod Miller Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 What Gerald said. If you are lucky your as-quenched 4140 is going to be a touch under 60 HRC. By the time you temper it (as you should) you will likely be much closer to 50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. Thiele Posted May 22, 2020 Author Share Posted May 22, 2020 Dang gerald, where are you getting your steel?!? About the only place I have around here for tool steel is metal supermarket. They must be high. 3 hours ago, Gerald Boggs said: 4140 hasn't got the carbon to hold a point on a punch, it's best used for hot work. For cold work or thin tools, I use W1. Just to be clear on why: I like my life to be simple and I'm by nature, frugal. I get 4140 3/4 round 12 feet for about $17.50 and make all my hot work tools it. I use W1 for about the same reason, drill rod is cheap and it does the job. Both can be water quenched and I heat treat them about the same. Except I let the colors run a bit more with the W1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerald Boggs Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 Lots of small and large industry in the region, plus the Norfolk Navy yard, so the demand for drive shaft steel helps keep the price competitive. <p>Gerald Boggs <a href="http://www.geraldboggs.com">www.geraldboggs.com</a></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. Thiele Posted May 22, 2020 Author Share Posted May 22, 2020 Nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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