Johnathan, I have some questions. Were you using coal or charcoal? Did you happen to get the steel too hot? Did you dunk the bar in water to cool it while forging? 1084 is pretty forgiving and is usually easy to forge, but if it gets too hot or you hammer too cold it can crack. Also if you dunked it in water to cool the bar when you were hammering, it could have quenched the steel and cracked. I think we need more information.

Brion

I'll tell you an experience I had. Me and some other guys were doing a forging demo. One of the guys volunteered to let us use his bar of steel. The first bladesmith had the steel unexpectedly tear during forging. I was watching and, to be honest, was puzzled. He was plenty hot enough. It was my turn next and was being very careful to forge hot and I had the same thing happen. It simply opened up as if a crack was already there in place and the heat and hammering just exposed it.

Here's what I think happened. I believe that particular piece of steel was inadvertently used to heat someone's oil. You know, to prepare it for the quench. I use a particular piece of round bar with a handle welded on, not my knife steel, for that job. In effect, the steel bar was hardened, left to sit for an extended time fully hardened, and developed stress cracked randomly down the bar, waiting to manifest itself to an unsuspecting bladesmith.

Jonathan, by chance, do you remember using this piece to heat and stir?

Thanks for the reply's! <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

Mr. Brion,

In answer to your questions I used a mixture of coal and charcoal. I had by my forge two five gallon buckets, one held coal the other held charcoal. For every handful of coal I would put a handful of charcoal. Also I don't think that I was getting it to hot, I just got it to a light yellow. Last of all I did not dunk it in water at all.

Mr. Lin,

I answer to your question I have never used this piece of steel before. At the Spring Piney woods hammer in Mr Brion was very nice in providing me with it. However when I got home, all the stuff I had just learned at the Hammer in was buzzing through my mind so I forgot about the piece of metal till about a week ago when I found it and decided to try it.

Mr. Brion,

Do you remember using it at all? Or had you just got it yourself? <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//huh.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':huh:' />

Actually Johnathan, the steel was from my stock and I use it all the time. I have not had any problems at all. The light yellow color might be too hot. I usually forge at an orange color and then at lower temps for the finish forging. I am curious, could you tell what the grain looked like? I am thinking it got too hot, considering no water was involved, and this was a known steel. Next time I see you I will get you another piece.

Brion

Thanks! <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//laugh.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' /> I would really appreciate that. I do think that I may have gotten it to hot. When I start forging the edge, I start at the riccosso and hammer lightly down to the tip. In doing that the blade will curve up right away and then as I get to the tip it evens out. I think I was a little afraid of letting it get to cold and then it cracking with all of that bending it was doing. Thanks again for the advice. I think I'll try not to get it so hot next time.