Recently I decided to recreate one of the fancier Moran-type knives which required forging the brass fittings. This was my first attempt at forging brass and I found that it has a very narrow forging window as to temperature. I ended up having to forge it at a low red color quickly and reheat. A bright red was far too soft and less than a dull red would result in ruinous fracture (I was using 1/2" stock).
Have any of you done much brass forging and have any tips for this hot brass rookie?
Thanks,
Gary
You've pretty much got it Gary.
I tend to hammer for a while after the brass loses the red color. You're pushing it with work hardening when you do that. But, you can kind of get a feel for when additional forging might be too much.
Forging nickel silver is much the same as forging brass.
Thanks, Steve. I'm learning that some of forging it is feel as well as color.
It makes sense that N/S would be similar. I've always considered it "white brass".
I appreciate the input.
Gary
This is nice information to know Gary. I watched David Anders forge a N/S guard a fews years back and he did just as you suggest. But it's good to see the same conclusion born out by tring it. I like trying new things and seeing it done. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Lin.
Until this year I've always used either carbon steel or wrought iron for any forged guards or fittings. I've been trying to expand my forging skills and have since used both the brass as well as some 416. Each has it's own personality under the forging hammer but can be used when you understand it's differences from carbon steel.
I've had a few suggest that I use a phosphor bronze rather than brass saying that it is more forgiving to forge than brass. That'll be next on my "to do list".
Gary
I have learned that forging 416 for knife hardware from large round stock requires moving the material only a little at a time.
If you move 416 too far in one heat - like on a press - it will rip/crack as a result of the sulfur.
Remember that sulfur is added to 416 - which is what makes it different from 410 - so as to be machineable. You know - come apart easy?
That's just what it will do if one is not careful. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//cool.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='B)' />
Karl B. Andersen
Journeyman Smith
That's a good tip, Karl. I've been forging it by hand so far and haven't experienced any problems but will definitely keep that in mind. I'm sure that there are many little differences in each different type of metal that will reveal themselves when working them hot. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /> That's part of the fun in it.
Gary
Sounds like you're having fun!
In the days of yore I used to smelt scrap brass (plumbing fittings, etc) for sculpture casting. I had a metallurgist friend tell me to be careful of the fumes as there are many alloy constituents in various brasses that can be risky to ones health. Zinc, lead and especially beryllium were the main ones he cautioned me about. I'm not sure how great the risks were, although I do remember some pretty heavy blueish-white smokes coming off the stuff some times (kind of like when heating galvanized) and surely tried to avoid them. Forging temps would likely not be an issue, but thought you might want to know (if you didn't yet) in case you'd like to look into it.
Thanks, Phil. I appreciate the heads up but I don't think that I'll have to worry about fumes at forging temps but brass is always something to be careful with. I worked in a shop tooling brass one summer while in college (back before anyone worried about health hazards) and ended up with bronchitis for the next six months and permanently scarred bronchial tubes from breathing the dust.
Gary
