I have been attempting to create 1095 powder and fish hook canister pattern weld. I have only had one successful billet. The other six attempts, after removing the canister and I start to forge the billet, it develops surface cracks that will go through the entire billet. I am using 1" square tubing and setting the welds by hand.
Initially, I suspected I was overheating the powder and I reduced the time in the forge from 25 to 10 minutes. I clean the fish hooks with acetone and let air dry. I have never worked with 1095 powder before and not familiar with its characteristics. When I break the billet to examine the inner, it appears the steel is still looks like the powder has not welded. I will send photos later today.
I use a two burner propane forge and have no issues welding layered steel. I have been wanting to learn this method but I struggling.
I would appreciate any advice to improve my skills.
I have extensive experience with powder of all different types.
There are lot of "IFs" involved, but I can tell you that you are not allowing enough soak time. In my shop, regardless of "can" size, the soak time is at least 45mins AFTER the billed appears to be at welding heat.
'The way I explain it when I'm teaching is.... you have to think of each grain of powdered steel as an individual layer in a stacked billet...if EVERY layer isn't completely at welding heat, it's not going to weld. so it MUST soak long enough to get every single grain to welding heat. That's sometimes not as simple as it might seem.... there is a lot of air space in a powder can/billet, even if you compress everything prior to welding on the final lid, there is still significant air space to eliminate before the can/billet can be solid.
I also think that part of your issue is doing to by hand, and the small starting size. In my experience, at least a 50%, and often more reduction from the starting size is necessary to ensure everything is solidly welded. and the more even and full that reduction is, the better. That type of forging is nearly impossible to achieve by hand.
The fragmenting you're experiencing is indicative of powder that has little or no "weld" on it.
To be brutally honest, although powder cans/billets CAN be done by hand, the failure rate is always significantly high compared to having a press. Even a power or air hammer can't match the efficiency and success rate of using a press for powder cans/billets.
In a nut shell..... larger "cans", longer soak times at the correct temp, and more even compression is what you need.
Ed Caffrey, ABS MS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
www.CaffreyKnives.net
Thank you for the quick response. I really appreciate your information.
I was thinking with a smaller canister would require less time to heat. I will try longer soak time.
I agree a press is important to increase the success rate. I enjoy this as a hobby and trying new techniques.
Thank you Ed, for your reply. I tried one more attempt this evening. Soaked the billet for 25 minutes and set the weld. As I set the weld, this canister felt different. Setting the weld, my anvil was ringing as if I was setting welds on layered steel. But unfortunately, the billet did the same as previous attempts.
I would like to build a press, but from reclaimed material. I have the steel for the frame. I will build one eventually.
I’m not sure what’s up, but I’m unable to see any of the responses to your original question. Am I the only one?
I’m not sure what’s up, but I’m unable to see any of the responses to your original question. Am I the only one?
Sama problem.
I am not lazy, I am on energy saving mode!
I could see Ed's reply yesterday, and its no longer there, so it has been removed.
Can you folks see the post now? I made an edit, and I think I forgot to hit the "approve" button.... so that MIGHT have been the reason it was there, then gone. Hoping it's visible now. 😉
Ed Caffrey, ABS MS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
www.CaffreyKnives.net
Yep, I can see it now. Thanks Ed!
I have thought a lot about Ed's information. Using a 4" long piece of 1' square tubing, I increased the soak time to to 35 minutes.
I realized using the hammer I forge with was not heavy enough to set this kind of weld. Using a 6lb hammer, the steel in the left side of the picture did weld entire billet. Both examples were a combination of 1095 powered and 52100 bearings. I did have two cracks towards one end of the billet. I suspect I had the steel closer to one burner instead of having both burners heating the steel. The end of the steel shown is where it fractured from the crack.
I know if I had a press, I could make larger billets and have a higher success rate, but I am content in learning and improving my method.
