Im a self taught amateur blacksmith. I say self taught because i have never learned in a school, but i have studied about it from many difference people online via their videos and forum discussions. Blacksmithing is about one of the coolest hobbies you can find. You can make your own tools, which is cool because you are in control of the quality and cost. In my country the phrase "made in USA" use to mean something, and if i make it myself then i can proudly say that it was made in the USA. You can forge tools for other crafts as well such as woodworking. You can make your own gear for outdoors activities such as bush craft, camping, hunting and fishing. It is by far the coolest hobby. I want to share the fundamentals of this art and craft and hopefully shed light on it, maybe in doing so i can help someone discover the art of forging. I wished i would have learned it years ago, but back then the internet was not as useful as it is now.
Forging steel is done by blacksmiths and whitesmiths. A blacksmith and a whitesmith are the same thing, except the whitesmith finishes the metal in a shiny polished finish, while the blackmith finishes the metal in a rustic black finish. That's the only difference. You don't usually hear the term "whitesmith" nowadays.
The process of shaping the metal involves heating it and molding the metal into shape using a hammer and an anvil. Metal forming dies can also be used. This process is called forging. A forge and anvil can be made at home out of a verity of materials and designs, or it can be purchased but i made my own because its a lot cheaper. I have 60 dollars invested in steel, and an undermined amount of welding rod and grinding discs. There are forges that can be heated using propane, coal, charcoal, or wood. I have tried propane to heat my forge but it gets expensive burning through propane. Propane is easiest and most convenient however. I tried wood charcoal as well and it seems cheaper. You can make your own charcoal as well which can cut the cost down dramatically. I now use wood scraps to heat my forge, i dont use propane or charcoal. I just burn wood in the forge and let it turn into hot coals.
There are two kinds of steel which can be forged. These is mild steel and carbon steel. Mild steel is easy to forge and is used in just about everything except certain tools, especially bladed tools. Only carbon steel is used for tools that have a cutting edge , such as as knives, saws and chisels. Mild steel is not suitable for these type of tools. Carbon steel needs to be heat treated after forging, but mild steel does not.
Heat treating carbon steel involves annealing, hardening, and tempering. Annealing is done by heating the steel to its critical temperature and then allowing it to cool off slowly. This makes the steel softer and suitable for shaping the steel with hot forging, cutting, or shaping with a file or chisel. The critical temperature can be found by testing the heated steel with a magnet. The steel loses its magnetism at the critical temperature.
Hardening the steel needs to be done after the metal is forged and shaped. IT makes the steel hard again. This is done by again heating the metal up to its critical temperature and then rapidly cooling it down in either water or oil, depending on the steel type.
After hardening is achieved, the steel must be tempered. This is done because the steel is too hard and too brittle after hardening. Tempering takes some of the hardness and brittleness out, but leaves it hard enough that it will hold a good cutting edge yet remain more flexible. Tempering is done by placing the steel in an oven at around 450F for 1 hour or two hours. An alternative method involves heating the steel in a forge or with a torch. In this process you would observe the steel turn colors as its heated, and you quench it at the proper time. The colors determine the desired effect, and the steel is quenched in water or oil after it is achieved. This method can be used to make spring steel or knives.
There are also many new steels which are known as "super steels". These would include stainless steel, high speed tool steel, and many other steels that are designed specifically for specific tools and other purposes. These steels offer more wear and corrosion resistance than regular carbon steel. These steels are more expensive and some are more difficult to heat treat. A better option when using these steels is to buy them in there hardened state and shape it with a grinder and a file. This method requires no forging but care must be taken to not overheat the steel while shaping it, this is because overheating this steel can change its temper. You don't really need to bother with these super steels however, unless you wanted. Regular old school carbon steel can make good tools as well. That's what our grandparents and parents used and its found in older tools. Carbon steel is the easiest to work with and the cheapest, so its my favorite.
If you have any questions about forging steel, please feel free to ask.
Forging steel is done by blacksmiths and whitesmiths. A blacksmith and a whitesmith are the same thing, except the whitesmith finishes the metal in a shiny polished finish, while the blackmith finishes the metal in a rustic black finish. That's the only difference. You don't usually hear the term "whitesmith" nowadays.
The process of shaping the metal involves heating it and molding the metal into shape using a hammer and an anvil. Metal forming dies can also be used. This process is called forging. A forge and anvil can be made at home out of a verity of materials and designs, or it can be purchased but i made my own because its a lot cheaper. I have 60 dollars invested in steel, and an undermined amount of welding rod and grinding discs. There are forges that can be heated using propane, coal, charcoal, or wood. I have tried propane to heat my forge but it gets expensive burning through propane. Propane is easiest and most convenient however. I tried wood charcoal as well and it seems cheaper. You can make your own charcoal as well which can cut the cost down dramatically. I now use wood scraps to heat my forge, i dont use propane or charcoal. I just burn wood in the forge and let it turn into hot coals.
There are two kinds of steel which can be forged. These is mild steel and carbon steel. Mild steel is easy to forge and is used in just about everything except certain tools, especially bladed tools. Only carbon steel is used for tools that have a cutting edge , such as as knives, saws and chisels. Mild steel is not suitable for these type of tools. Carbon steel needs to be heat treated after forging, but mild steel does not.
Heat treating carbon steel involves annealing, hardening, and tempering. Annealing is done by heating the steel to its critical temperature and then allowing it to cool off slowly. This makes the steel softer and suitable for shaping the steel with hot forging, cutting, or shaping with a file or chisel. The critical temperature can be found by testing the heated steel with a magnet. The steel loses its magnetism at the critical temperature.
Hardening the steel needs to be done after the metal is forged and shaped. IT makes the steel hard again. This is done by again heating the metal up to its critical temperature and then rapidly cooling it down in either water or oil, depending on the steel type.
After hardening is achieved, the steel must be tempered. This is done because the steel is too hard and too brittle after hardening. Tempering takes some of the hardness and brittleness out, but leaves it hard enough that it will hold a good cutting edge yet remain more flexible. Tempering is done by placing the steel in an oven at around 450F for 1 hour or two hours. An alternative method involves heating the steel in a forge or with a torch. In this process you would observe the steel turn colors as its heated, and you quench it at the proper time. The colors determine the desired effect, and the steel is quenched in water or oil after it is achieved. This method can be used to make spring steel or knives.
There are also many new steels which are known as "super steels". These would include stainless steel, high speed tool steel, and many other steels that are designed specifically for specific tools and other purposes. These steels offer more wear and corrosion resistance than regular carbon steel. These steels are more expensive and some are more difficult to heat treat. A better option when using these steels is to buy them in there hardened state and shape it with a grinder and a file. This method requires no forging but care must be taken to not overheat the steel while shaping it, this is because overheating this steel can change its temper. You don't really need to bother with these super steels however, unless you wanted. Regular old school carbon steel can make good tools as well. That's what our grandparents and parents used and its found in older tools. Carbon steel is the easiest to work with and the cheapest, so its my favorite.
If you have any questions about forging steel, please feel free to ask.
