What is sprinkled on metal during forging?

Forge welding: description, technology of work and necessary tools

Forge welding is perhaps the oldest method of joining metal. Blacksmithing was the only method of processing steel for several thousand years, until specialists mastered foundry in the 19th century.

And in the 20th century, technological progress developed, as a result of which other progressive methods of connecting metals became available to humanity. Because of this, forging has lost its relevance.

Today this craft exists only formally, at the request of some artisanal specialists.

Basic principles

Forge welding is a manufacturing process that creates permanent connections between metal components using high temperature and impact pressing. In other words, metal fragments are heated in a special furnace to a fluid state and they are connected using impact tools on a metal base. The whole process consists of the following steps:

• preliminary preparation of the surfaces to be joined;
• thermal heating to a given temperature;
• connection using percussion instruments;
• final forging, allowing you to set the required shape.

The most important condition in this matter is heating the metal using high temperatures. Bringing the metal to the required temperature is controlled by changing the color of the hot surface. Thus, upon reaching a temperature of 1300 degrees, the iron becomes bright yellow.

As the heat increases to 1400 degrees, it begins to turn bright white. When the required temperature condition is reached, the connection should be made immediately.

Otherwise, the quality of the product may suffer due to burnout of the material, which is accompanied by the formation of an excessive layer of scale.

Compliance to joints, due to thermal diffusion, using high pressure, when bringing the material to a soft plastic state, as a rule, has significant differences between different types of metals and components. Thus, low-carbon steels with a percentage of carbon not exceeding 0.6% are considered flexible to joints. If the percentage increases, the overall ability to combine weakens.

Alloy steels, as well as non-ferrous metals, including their alloys, are difficult to forge. In addition, it is absolutely impossible to connect all types of cast iron in this way.

The main obstacle to the joining process during thermal diffusion is the formation of a layer of scale on the heated surface.

This layer is formed by refractory oxides called FeO and Fe3O4, which have a weak ability to melt when exposed to a temperature that is sufficient to weaken the main surface of the metal.

To reduce the influence of oxides that create interference, the surface that is supposed to be subjected to the procedure is coated with special fluxes for forge welding. They are acidic in nature. Most often, table salt or boric acid is used for this purpose.

A hardened forge welding borax may also work. In other cases, the use of flux is replaced by some available materials. This, for example, can be broken glass, as well as fine sand from the river bank, which can replace forge welding with borax.

This welding is considered one of the most complex processes in technological terms, as it requires a lot of knowledge and practical skills from the specialist. For example, it should be understood that the ability to join a metal appears only when a certain temperature is reached. If the surface is not heated sufficiently, a defect called lack of penetration will result. And if the metal is overheated, a burn will form, which will also not bring the product into high-quality shape.

Methods

There are a number of simple connection methods that do not require lengthy preparatory steps when carrying out forge welding. The following names of techniques are used:

• overlap;
• end-to-end;
• in girth.

Conditions

To perform actions using these techniques, you should adhere to only one mandatory rule - the ends of the workpieces must have a convex shape and also have thickenings at their ends.

This condition must be observed because in the process of making connections using the forge welding method, a slag film is formed on the surface of the metal while the workpiece is heated. And if the surface has convexities, then slag particles can be squeezed out.

The thickenings formed at the ends of the blanks intended for forging serve as a technological reserve in the process of acquiring the required shape.

Other technologies

There are also more complex forge welding technologies that allow you to create products that play the role of components in complex mechanisms or represent decorative elements in various design compositions:

1. One of these methods is the proven split welding. This technique was used in the past, joining strips of steel together in the process of making the metal tires needed for village carts.
2. The next method is welding using checkers. This technique is effective when connecting dimensional components.

To carry out split welding, the processed edges of the strips undergo special preparation. They are first pulled back and then cut in such a way that before welding it becomes possible to connect by overlap. Only after this the fragment is heated until the required temperature is reached and welded using forging. The second method of forge welding steel involves the use of an additional element. These elements are called checkers.

Application area

Forge welding today is no longer the main method of joining metals. It is used mainly for the manufacture of complex metal components in the intricate patterns of artistic forging masters. Artistic welding of metal fragments allows you to create the most incredible shapes that decorate various facades.

In addition, this welding method is sometimes used for the manufacture of some hand tools needed in everyday life. But it has lost its industrial significance due to low productivity compared to other connection methods.

Minuses

The disadvantages of this technology include:

• low heating rate;
• insufficient strength of the resulting joints;
• significant heterogeneity of settlement processes;
• high qualification requirements from performers.

Only a few industrial units continue to use forge welding. Currently, this technology continues to be used to produce metal water pipes with a diameter of no more than 100 mm.

To create the conditions for this procedure, strip steel is heated in special furnaces and then rolled linearly through rolls. Next, they are pulled through the mandrels at high speed.

In this way, general welding of the seam of a water pipe occurs under the influence of high pressure.

Also on an industrial scale, forge welding is still used in the manufacture of complex bimetallic plates. Typically, this is done by rolling hot billets together through special rollers or using the pressing method using thermal ovens under vacuum conditions. Forge welding allows you to give a multilayer structure to products, which in some cases is of great importance.

To set up a small forge for the handicraft production of some products or the manufacture of artistic forging elements, not much is needed.

If you have certain equipment and a few tools, you can easily set up your own production of forge metal welding:

1. First of all, you need one stationary forge and one portable one. This is a special device necessary for heating the surfaces to be welded. An ordinary gasoline autogen could very well become a portable forge.
2. Next, a group of anvils is required. It is important that there be both large and small. Moreover, it is not enough to have only a two-horned anvil. The one-horned one should also be present.
3. A set of blacksmith pliers made up of as many sizes as possible.
4. A set of forging hammers that will allow you to carry out the basic forging process.
5. Two containers designed for cooling materials. One of them must be filled with water, and the other with oil.

Important

It is imperative to provide the forge with all necessary safety equipment. In addition, the package should include personal protective equipment - glass glasses, a protective leather apron, thick canvas gloves.

Source: https://FB.ru/article/457603/kuznechnaya-svarka-opisanie-tehnologiya-vyipolneniya-rabot-i-neobhodimyie-instrumentyi

Forge welding (forging welding) - what it is, technology, where it is used, pros and cons

Welding of metal structures using the forge method is considered one of the oldest in the 21st century. You get a permanent seam that doesn't require much effort.

Working using the forge welding (forging) method, it is possible to join all types of metal. You can even use stainless steel.

The seam will not be very strong. You'll go a long way to get a quality connection. But this type of welding has some advantages.

The article provides information about what forge welding is and what you need to remember when performing work.

Total information

Welding by the forging method is a welding joint that is obtained under the influence of forging equipment.

The metal becomes plastic and a shock wave is directed at it. Over the past 15 years, this method has been applied to low-carbon steel.

In order for the connection to be strong, you need to clean the metal from dirt and rust. The seam must be created without any extraneous obstacles.

This method of metalworking will not be highly productive. It will take you quite a long time if you want to be proud of the final work.

The seam will not be perfect, no matter how hard you try. Forge welding by forging is not used in large industries. Forging is often found in private work.

But simple technology allows you to repair the part quickly, which is suitable for a beginner.

Technologies

If you want to work using forge welding (forging) technology, you should stock up on patience and time. One stage will take a long time and will require a lot of effort from you.

If everything happens according to the rules, you can enjoy a good result. Let's talk about what rules you should follow when working.

Heating

First of all, the parts need to be warmed up well. This happens using special stoves or when using a forge. Make sure there is no foreign liquid in the heat source that could cause oxidation or over-ignition.

Take a charcoal made from wood to light the flame. It contains no sulfur and is chosen in 9 cases out of 10. If ash is present, then the weld seam during forge welding (forging) will be uneven.

You can use coal. But keep in mind that it may contain up to one percent sulfur. The fractions must be the same size. Choose fine coal that has been pre-screened.

To begin with, coals are sent to the stove. They are heated thoroughly so that some of the sulfur evaporates. After this, the ends of the parts are heated. They are subject to further docking. The parts are heated to 1400 degrees.

If you are working with low carbon components, they will turn white. If carbon is in excess, then there is no need to increase the temperature to more than 1200 degrees. From white it will turn into a yellow product.

High rates are only applicable when heating the elements. When forging occurs, the temperature will be reduced. The metal can overheat and you will get scale.

To prevent this from happening, welding should be done with flux. It is sold in the store. You can use sand extracted from the river for these purposes. It must first be cleaned and sifted.

Peculiarities

Do not use a large layer of mineral when forge welding because it will not warm up completely. You risk getting bulky slag. It is poured in a thin layer.

It is possible to combine sand with borax. As a result, you will avoid the appearance of impurities. If you are working with high quality coal, there is no need to add anything to it. When you can't buy borax, use regular salt.

If you take a small part for forge welding (forging), you don’t have to use the mineral. To choose this method, you should warm up the part and quickly place it in the sand compound.

The bulk mixture is first placed in a metal container and placed on the forge. Due to the fact that the temperature of the sand will increase, the difference in performance will be insignificant.

As the sand warms up, you will get slag. It drains as it warms up. It is necessary to ensure that the mixture is in sufficient quantity. During the entire procedure, add it up to three times. There is no need to release the part from the flame.

Sometimes flux is combined with sawdust. This happens when the part contains a large volume of carbon. Some craftsmen use ferromanganese. At the same time, the forge seam becomes smoother.

When the need arises for forge welding (forging) of structures made of different materials, you should adhere to the rules. First, heat the part that has the lowest carbon content. After some time, heat the second structure.

Forging

Once you have heated the part, place it on the anvil. It is immediately necessary to make firm blows on the device to clear the part of debris. After this, place the two heated parts side by side and hit them lightly with a special hammer.

To prevent the metal from oxidizing, it is necessary to make frequent and rhythmic blows. The parts must be connected securely. After this, hit the workpiece harder, but do not lose the rhythm.

High impact force will ensure tight joining and obtain a uniform shape of the parts. They will finally unite with each other. To increase density, it is necessary to forge not only the ends of the structure.

Pay attention to all areas. Forging begins in the middle of the structure and smoothly moves towards its edge. This will ensure uniform release of slag.

When forging is completed, you can warm up the finished structure again. After this, many craftsmen perform forging again. Do not overdo it and warm up the parts too often. This can cause the seams to be weak.

Treatment

When it comes to the production (welding) of artistic products, then it is impossible to do without finishing work. This allows you to make the design attractive.

If this is important to you, you can finish the finished material. To do this you will need a blacksmith's tool.

This step is not considered mandatory, but can be used in rare cases. Also, parts are occasionally polished and quartzed when repairs are made.

Brushes that contain metal bristles help with this. Polishing paste allows you to make the structure smooth.

Let's sum it up

Welding using the forging method allows you to join metals quickly. Such cases are known when it comes to the forging production of knife products, as well as stainless steel structures.

Despite the fact that the method is losing its relevance, it is considered special. This can be evidenced by handmade work, which is widely used in the forge.

Modern welding techniques boast practicality and speed of implementation. Forging metalworking (forging) gives products a special status.

Have you been able to work with this method? What were your impressions? Write your opinion in the comments. We wish you success!

Source: https://prosvarku.info/tehnika-svarki/kuznechnaya-svarka-i-kovka

Drill for forging metal and flux for forge welding, what can be replaced and how to make it

Borax in working with metals is primarily associated with flux mixtures, which are indispensable for soldering or forging. Borax is sold in the market in powder form. Its value and irreplaceability are determined by its melting point, which reaches 800 – 900°C.

When heated, it turns into a glassy solidified mixture, which provides excellent protection for the work area. In addition to this, borax powder is highly soluble in water. All technical characteristics are described in a separate standard GOST 8429-77 called “Technical Borax”.

About tetraborate and decahydrate

Borax has a serious scientific name because it is nothing more than a combination of a weak acid and a strong base. The name is difficult to remember the first time: sodium tetraborate decahydrate.

Flux for forge welding is a special technological merit of borax, which needs to be discussed separately.

Forging or forge welding with borax

Use of borax according to standards.

The forging process is characterized by strong heating of the workpieces - these are important technological nuances. As a result of such heating, a significant layer of scale is formed on the surfaces of the metal parts being welded until they burn out.

This is where borax comes into play as a savior: metal surfaces are covered with a layer of a mixture of sand and borax - an excellent flux is obtained.

To understand and appreciate the method using borax flux, you need to understand the process itself. Forge welding is a mixed physical method of influencing metals to join them.

Its essence is mechanical action in the form of blows from a forge hammer combined with heating to increase the ductility of the metal.

Forge welding is used for welding steel alloys with the lowest possible carbon content - at the level of 0.3%. High-carbon steels are not suitable for forging; their weldability is too low for this purpose using this method.

A mandatory requirement before the process is to thoroughly remove any contaminants and oxide films from the surfaces of the workpieces.

It should be noted that forge welding, in principle, does not produce strong metal joints; it is far from the most reliable method of forging. In addition, when using it, you cannot do without the professionalism of a blacksmith - without this nothing will work.

Therefore, it is practically not used for industrial purposes and in factories. But when it comes to repair work in the field and in unfavorable conditions, this method is used quite often.

Warm it up thoroughly

The parts are heated in furnaces or furnaces. The amount of fuel must be precisely calculated - no more and no less. The best fuel for forging is charcoal and coke. But in practice, ordinary coal is more often used.

Metal parts are loaded into the forge only after the coal has completely burned out, so that sulfur is removed from it, the presence of which has a bad effect on the quality of the compound.

The heating temperature of the parts must be higher than the level at which forging begins. The level of heating temperature in figures depends on the percentage of carbon in the steel: the lower its content in the alloy, the higher the heating temperature must be raised to melt.

For low-carbon steel, heating should be no lower than 1350 - 1370°C, the distinguishing feature is the shining white color of the metal. If the steel contains a high proportion of carbon, heating to about 1150°C is sufficient, the color will then have a yellow tint.

Forge welding flux is added for protection. It's all about the abundant formation of scale due to heating. Flux mixtures protect against this. Flux for forge welding is poured at a precisely designated moment - when the heating level is between 950°C and 1050°C.

The basis of the mixture is fine clean river sand with the addition of 10% borax after good calcination. Borax in sand promotes good slag formation and easy cleaning of metal from impurities in the future.

The thickness of the layer matters: if it is too thick, heating the parts will reduce speed and quality. Therefore, flux for forge welding is poured in an even and thin layer. The addition of borax to the flux mixture is especially important and necessary if low-quality coal is used.

The flux mixture forms slag, which can drain from the metal workpiece, which is very undesirable. To prevent this, add additional portions of sand to the workpieces - carefully and in moderate quantities.

Iron filings of a soft consistency or ferromanganese are an excellent partner for borax. Sawdust is capable of absorbing carbon from the metal surface under high temperature conditions, thereby significantly improving the quality of the welding process.

If you need to weld parts from different metals or steel grades, then first of all, the metal with a lower proportion of carbon is heated due to its higher melting point. And only then do they begin to work with the second part, the metal of which contains a higher percentage of carbon.

Safety and storage rules for borax

The forging drill does not pose any particular danger from the point of view of explosions or fires. Moderate toxicity is observed due to the boric acid content. Borax can enter the body through the respiratory tract in the form of dust or aerosol spray, as a result of which the mucous membranes can be irritated.

Borax should be stored indoors and always in packages - no spills. Typically, storage is carried out in special containers that should stand on a hard surface. The shelf life of borax is only six months, which must be taken into account when planning purchases and use.

Source: https://tutsvarka.ru/kovka/bura-dlya-kovki

What do you sprinkle on steel when forging?

Translated by SaorY for mozgochiny.ru

Greetings to all brain crafters ! After almost a year of “communication” with a hammer and an anvil, I finally acquired the necessary experience and tools to create forged crafts , such as the small “Damascus” knife from this brain article .

And I started, by the way, with a small sledgehammer as an anvil, which I hit with a small hammer.

Now we will talk about creating a small, forged, not carved, knife with your own hands using a homemade forge, anvil, hammer and determination. I don’t pretend to be a professional, and this is certainly not the only way to obtain welded Damascus; this is the story of how I managed to make it.

Damascus steel today is called welded Damascus, obtained from welded metal plates of various brainsteels , subsequently forged and twisted. It's like molding different colors of plasticine together and twisting it to create a wavy pattern.

After forging, such a workpiece is subjected to etching, in which the dissimilar metals of the workpiece are eroded unevenly, thereby creating a beautiful contrast.

The original Damascus steel is obtained in a different, very specific way (although it looks similar to modern Damascus), and few people know how to create it; this fact has given Damascus a reputation as a metal supposedly endowed with magical powers.

And the reason for this “power”, similar to samurai swords, is a process that makes it possible to obtain a more homogeneous, and therefore with the desired qualities, steel, which cannot be achieved in other ways, and makes it possible to include low-quality and high/low carbon steel in the workpiece. Which results in a much better quality blade.

!!! ATTENTION!! A knife can be dangerous, please do not give it to people with mental disorders!!!

Step 1: Materials and Tools

- steel plates of two or more grades (preferably high carbon content) that will contrast with each other, I took high carbon 1095 steel and 15n20 steel, with a small nickel content, which will add brightness and contrast after etching - flux (borax, which can be purchase at a hardware store) - a piece of reinforcement, a long rod (will be welded to the workpiece as a handle) - wood of your choice for the knife handle - epoxy resin (hardening in 5 minutes is the best) - brass rivets - composition for processing the wood of the handle, I I used linseed oil - metal hardening oil (vegetable)

- ferric chloride

- an anvil (preferably a real steel anvil, although if you don’t have one, some other durable objects will do: a piece of rail, a sledgehammer, a large metal blank, an old bollard mooring post, or just a large strong, hard and flat surface.

Remember how it all started with hitting a large stone with a stone - a hammer (I used a weight of 1.

3 kg, with a cross striker) - pliers - welding (optional, but desirable for welding the plates to each other and welding the handle, if you do not have welding, you can tightly wrap the plates with wire) - forge (capable of heating the workpiece to the temperatures required for forging , which is very important for high-quality fusion of the plates with each other, more on this later) - a belt sander or file with a lot of patience - an oven or another hardening method - a drill or drilling machine

- vice (very useful thing)

Step 2: Assembling the workpiece

Steel plates are cut to the required brain dimensions , mine, for example, are 7.6x1.2cm; Moreover, the larger the workpiece, the more difficult it is to shape it with a hammer. Before welding them in a stack, the plates are cleaned from all sides of rust and scale. Next, the plates are stacked, alternating steel grades, so my workpiece consisted of 7 plates, three of which were grade 15n20, and four of which were grade 1095.

The plates, aligned relative to each other, are welded together (don't pay too much attention to my seam), and then a handle is welded to the stack to make it easier to handle the workpiece during forging. There is nothing wrong, especially after the stack of plates have been welded, in using only pliers. I forged my own anyway.

Step 3: First Forging of the Stack

A little about my forge: I made it with my own hands from an empty (I bought a new one on purpose as a precaution) gas cylinder, lined inside with a 5cm layer of kaolin wool and fireproof cement. It is heated by a Ron-Reil type burner, about which there are many good brainstorming articles . The forge itself is not particularly large and can be heated to the required temperature without any problems.

So, the workpiece from the plates is heated to a cherry-red color; the heat for this does not need to be very strong. The heated homemade is sprinkled with borax, which immediately begins to melt and must be allowed to seep between the plates. This will remove scale and prevent oxidation by preventing oxygen from contacting the metal. This action will ensure the purity of the workpiece metal.

Source: https://varimtutru.com/chem-posypayut-stal-pri-kovke/

Forge welding

Forge welding appeared several thousand years before our era, but due to its advantages it is still used today. Ancient welding methods: forge and foundry are not very different from modern ones, except that with the development of science and chemistry, effective additives and additives appeared, and a large number of alloys based on iron and non-ferrous metals expand their areas of application.

Forge Welding Process

Application area

Forge welding has its limitations, but is actively used by modern blacksmiths. Forge welding is very popular for welding rings, strips of sheet iron, hoops, and shoeing horses. Making knives using the Damascus steel type is very popular among collectors; blades from famous masters reach a cost of several thousand dollars. And this is not in vain; forge welding of laminate allows you to achieve an unusually beautiful pattern, high levels of durability and strength of the product.

Advantages and disadvantages

First, let's look at the positive factors:

1. Forge welding, one of the few methods, allows you to join alloys that are completely incompatible in any other way. In part, it resembles the soldering method, but with the difference that the parts are connected at the molecular level directly to each other, without the participation of soldering material (fluxes and borax are used exclusively for cleaning surfaces from oxides);
2. Heating the metal below the liquidus point (ductile metal, but without transition to the liquid phase) and the absence of air access helps to preserve the chemical composition, and, accordingly, the original properties of the steel;
3. The technology of end forge welding allows you to return and even improve the original structure by grinding grains and forging voids. With slow cooling, the weld is obtained without the undesirable structure of martensite and bainite and, accordingly, without internal stresses, which subsequently cause destruction;
4. There are a large number of modern alloys that can be used in composite products.

Despite such arguments, forge welding is not used on a large scale, why:

• Low productivity due to slow heating and piecemeal execution increases the cost;
• Inaccurate dimensions of the finished product;
• Forge welding limits the number of processed products according to the thickness of the metal, due to uneven heating of the internal part;
• There is a high possibility of damaging the metal: overheating or underheating, which makes it impossible to connect the parts and creates complete dependence on the professionalism of the master;
• There is a big risk when using critical parts made by forge welding.

Forge welding methods

Depending on the shape of the product and purpose, forge welding is carried out in several ways:

• Butt, overlap, girth - for this method, the ends of the welded product are made convex so that as they come closer, slag can be easily removed. The principle of this method is that the parts are in contact with each other, the only difference is at what angle and inclination;
• In splitting - the method is used for sheet iron. At some distance from the ends, the strips are pulled back and cut into 3-5 parts, depending on the width of the sheet, then overlap each other, after which heating and forging are carried out;
• With checkers - used for large parts. The ends are forged at an angle, usually 30-40º, then overlays with the same angle are forged from the same material and placed on the ends. The place is heated and forged.

Source: https://svarkaipayka.ru/tehnologia/termomehanicheskaya/kuznechnaya-svarka.html

Forge metal welding: technology of use

Forge welding of metal is carried out with the aim of forming an inextricable connection of several parts. It is most often used for processing low-carbon steel structures that can be connected to each other using impact tools.

To carry out high-quality forge welding, it is necessary to prepare the workpiece in advance. A durable one-piece forging joint can only be achieved if the structures being connected are cleaned of oxidizing and polluting substances.

Forge welding is not very productive, is suitable for processing a limited number of metals and requires the welder to have extensive experience in forging.

However, for urgent welding work and hand forging, this type of welding has become quite widespread.

Scope of application of forge type welding

Forge welding began to spread more than two thousand years ago. Today it is often used by artists, sculptors and blacksmiths. Along with hot or artistic welding, they engage in artistic forging to create a variety of handicraft and designer metal structures.

The blacksmith welding method is used in forges to produce various composite tools (blacksmiths most often produce axes, plows and other small agricultural implements). The industrial use of forge welding is currently not widespread, but there are still areas of production in which it continues to be in demand.

An example is the production of small-diameter water pipes. Forge welding of non-ferrous metals found its use in their production.

During this process, strip metal blanks are heated in special furnaces and rolled through coils, and at the final stage of forging they are pulled through special drawing mandrels at high speed, which allows pressure welding of the main pipe seam.

Process technology  

According to standard forge welding technologies, the metal must first be heated. Products for processing are heated in furnaces or ovens. It is required that there is no excess fuel inside the fireplace, and that the fire does not oxidize metal parts. The most optimal fuel options for heating metals are charcoal and coke. The most common combustible material for heating is coal with a low content of sulfur inclusions.

The ends of the workpieces prepared for welding are heated to a temperature slightly higher than that inherent in the beginning of welding. Low carbon steel is heated to 1350-1400 degrees Celsius. The higher the percentage of carbon compounds in the metal, the less it needs to be heated. The ends of the workpiece, which have reached the minimum temperature of forge welding of metal, acquire a yellowish-white tint.

One of the main points in forge welding technology is the mandatory coating of the metal being processed with flux. This must be done in order to eliminate the risk of burning through the product caused by high temperature. Before immersing the metal in a forge or furnace, the flux is evenly scattered over its surface and does not create a barrier to possible burnouts.

Forge Welding Equipment

To practice forge welding, you do not need to stock up on a lot of equipment. To create a full-fledged forge, you will need to buy the following tools:

• portable and stationary forges, in which metal blanks will be heated to the required temperatures (if the size of the forge does not allow the installation of this equipment, then an autogen can be purchased instead);
• anvils of several types (large and small, one-horned and two-horned, these products will need to be firmly fixed in the workshop);
• large and small blacksmith pliers;
• large and small impact equipment (both large hammers and compact bench hammers should be present in the forge);
• several containers for cooling the metals being processed (in the workshop you need to keep buckets for water and oil on hand).

TIP: It is additionally recommended to purchase related equipment: scrapers, molds, stands, devices for bending workpieces and other tools. It is also necessary to solve the problem of fire safety and stock up on personal protective equipment (a welder engaged in forging will need glasses, a sealed apron and fire-resistant gloves).

Advantages of forge welding

Experts involved in metal welding using the forge method note the following positive aspects of this type of processing of metal products:

• forge welding of metals is very easy to master - all the necessary instructions and recommendations for correctly carrying out this process can be found in printed publications and on the Internet;
• To create a blacksmith's workshop you will need tools that are widely available. It will not be difficult to purchase all the necessary equipment;
• forge welding allows you to quickly process metal structures, obtaining a strong weld seam (provided that the work is carried out in compliance with all technological instructions).

Disadvantages of forge type welding

When forge welding metals, some serious defects may occur. Some of the most common ones include:

• lack of penetration (results from improper rounding of the ends prepared for welding, poor-quality flux treatment of the products being joined, or the occurrence of secondary scale due to late cleaning of the workpiece from slag);
• burnout (most likely during forge welding, since the temperatures of forging and burnout are approximately the same. For this reason, it is necessary not to lose attention during forging work and remember that this defect cannot be corrected);
• low strength of the weld (occurs due to the fact that the enlarged grains when heating the workpieces may not be crushed during forging. Often, such a defect occurs when there is insufficient metal accumulation in the process of preparing its ends for welding);
• low strength of the seam sections (formed due to the fact that the metal is heated to the forging temperature over a greater length than is required for welding. To avoid this defect, it is necessary to heat only the ends of large thickness to the required temperature);
• inaccuracy of the final dimensions (occurs along the cross-section or along the length of the product. The defect is formed at the stage of preparing drawings - correct planning of future welding and preparation of metal in the required volumes will help to avoid it).

As a result, it is necessary to note the main thing - the forge welding method is suitable if the metals being processed can be joined with a handicraft weld.

This type of welding is almost never used in industry, but it is still in demand among manufacturers of small agricultural materials and sculptors who create works from metal materials.

The main advantage of forge welding is the simplicity of the technology and the availability of equipment, but this forging method can lead to defects in the processed products.

Source: http://solidiron.ru/obrabotka-metalla/svarka/svarka-metalla-opisanie-tekhnologii-i-osobennosti-processa.html

Heat treatment of steel forgings

In the forging industry, when making steel forgings, one or two of four types of heat treatment are used, which include annealing, normalizing, quenching and tempering. It should be noted that different steels have their own specific heat treatment regimes.

Annealing of forgings

Annealing is performed by heating the metal to the temperature of phase transformations and subsequent slow cooling. After annealing, the steel structure corresponds to the iron-carbon diagram: hypoeutectoid steels (C < 0.8%) will have a ferrite + pearlite structure, eutectoid (C = 0.8%) - pearlite, hypereutectoid (C > 0.8%) - pearlite + cementite.

Phase recrystallization during annealing refines the grain, relieves internal stresses that arise during forging, and reduces structural heterogeneity. As a result of annealing, the strength and hardness of the metal decreases, its ductility increases, and machinability increases. Annealing is usually used when processing forgings made of steels with high carbon content and alloying elements.

During multi-transition cold plastic deformation, annealing removes the hardening obtained by the metal during intermediate operations and restores the plasticity of the metal before subsequent cold working.

Full annealing consists of heating hypoeutectoid steels to a temperature 30–50 ° C higher than the temperature at which the steel transitions to the austenitic state, maintaining it at this temperature until the workpiece is completely heated, and then slowly cooling it in a furnace. The heating and holding time depends on the steel grade, the shape and cross-sectional dimensions of forgings or blanks, the type of furnace and the method of laying the blanks in it. Forgings made of carbon steels are cooled at a rate of 50 .

. . 150 deg/h, and forgings made of alloy steels - much slower (20-60 deg/h). Forgings are subjected to full annealing to minimize the hardness and strength of the metal and increase its ductility. If full annealing is performed to relieve stress in forgings of complex shapes, then slow cooling is carried out almost to the workshop temperature. In other cases, the forgings are slowly cooled in furnaces to 500 . . . 600 ° C followed by air cooling.

Partial annealing (as opposed to complete annealing) is carried out by heating the forgings to a temperature slightly above 723 ° C.

For hypoeutectoid steels, partial annealing is performed to relieve stress and improve the cutting machinability of forgings that were forged in a specified temperature range without the formation of a coarse-grained structure.

Hypereutectoid steels, as a rule, are subjected to incomplete annealing, during which complete recrystallization occurs, lamellar pearlite takes on a granular structure, and the steel becomes ductile and has low hardness.

Normalization of forgings

Normalization is used, as a rule, to eliminate the coarse-grained structure in forgings resulting from a forced or accidental increase in the time the workpieces are in the furnace or when forging is completed at too high a temperature.

Normalization consists of heating steels to a temperature 50–60 ° C higher than the temperature at which steel transitions to the austenitic state, holding it for a short time and cooling in air.

Normalization of low-carbon steels provides a cleaner cutting surface. For medium-carbon steels, it replaces hardening with high tempering and reduced warping of the forging shape. To correct the structure of alloy steels, instead of annealing, normalization is often used, followed by high tempering at 600-650 ° C.

Hardening of forgings

Hardening is the operation of heating to a temperature 30–70 ° C higher than the temperature at which steel transitions to the austenitic state, and cooling in water, oil or another medium at a speed appropriate for a given steel. The holding time at the quenching temperature must be sufficient to complete the complete phase transformation in the metal.

Blacksmiths often perform hardening immediately after forging, without additional heat. Obviously, this is only possible if the forging temperature at the end of forging is not lower than the quenching temperature.

Hardening is not a final heat treatment, since the steel becomes not only strong, but also very brittle, and large quenching stresses arise in the forging.

They reach such a value that, due to the low ductility of the metal, they lead either to the formation of cracks in forgings or to the destruction of the part at the very beginning of its operation.

A blacksmith's tool, such as a hammer, which has only been hardened, cannot be used for its intended purpose, since pieces of hard metal will break off when striking.

As a result, in order to reduce hardening brittleness and internal stresses, as well as to acquire the required high strength properties, forgings are tempered after hardening. Structural steels are hardened and tempered to increase tensile strength, hardness with sufficient ductility and impact toughness, and tool steels - to give the tool high hardness and wear resistance.

Tempering of forgings

Tempering is the final type of heat treatment. It consists of heating hardened steel to a certain temperature, holding it at this temperature and cooling, usually in air.

During the tempering process, no structural transformations occur in the metal, but quenching stresses are reduced, hardness and strength are somewhat reduced, and ductility and toughness are increased.

The higher the tempering temperature, the more the hardness of the hardened steel decreases and its toughness increases.

Depending on the grade of steel and the requirements for the hardness and strength of the part, three types of tempering are used: high-, medium- and low-temperature (abbreviated as high, medium and low, respectively).

Low tempering is carried out with heating to 150. . . 250 ° C in order to reduce internal stresses without reducing the hardness of hardened steel (up to HRCе 59... 65). However, after such tempering, the parts do not perceive dynamic loads, so low tempering is used for processing cutting and measuring tools made of carbon and low-carbon steels.

The average tempering is performed at 350... 500 ° C and is used for springs and leaf springs, since it ensures the production of steel with a low elastic limit and increased toughness with a hardness of HRCe 41-51.

High tempering, carried out at 500. . . 680 ° C, almost completely eliminates quenching stresses, increases ductility and toughness, but significantly reduces the strength and hardness of steel. Hardening with high tempering, compared to annealing, simultaneously increases the strength and yield strength, relative contraction and impact strength (a mechanical characteristic that evaluates the ability of a metal to resist impact loads).

Heat treatment consisting of quenching and high tempering is called improvement; it creates the best ratio between strength and toughness of steel. As a rule, structural steels with a carbon content of 0.3–0.5% are subjected to improvement.

Hand-forged blacksmiths often use hardening and tempering with one heating when making metalworking, forging or measuring tools. This operation, also called self-tempering quenching, is performed as follows. A forging heated for quenching is not completely cooled in water or oil, but to a temperature slightly higher than the tempering temperature.

The forging removed from the quenching medium is kept in air until the corresponding tarnish color appears on its surface, previously treated with an emery stone. After this, the forging is finally cooled in oil or water. The approximate temperature of the forging can be determined by the color of the tarnish, using their following correspondence: 350. . .

330 ° C - light gray; 320 ° C - blue-cornflower blue; 250 ° C - red-brown; 240 0 C - brown; 280 ° C - purple; 260 ° C - purple; 230 ° C - golden; 220 ° C - light yellow.

Similar materials

Source: https://www.metalcutting.ru/content/termicheskaya-obrabotka-stalnyh-pokovok

Forging metal at home - part 2. Heating metal for forging and fuel for the forge - Forging, welding, blacksmithing

Forging metal at home - part 1. Properties of metal

Forging metal at home is a real art for the home craftsman, comparable to the art of an artist, in which you can practice and improve endlessly.

First of all, you will need to acquire the necessary tools for blacksmithing and equip a special place for a forge, or even make a permanent forge.

However, even if you have the forge itself and all the necessary accessories for the forge, blacksmithing also requires additional knowledge regarding the entire forging process.

Heating blanks for forging at home

Heating the workpiece is one of the most important and critical operations in the forging process. The quality of the entire product will depend on how correctly you select the temperature for forging.

A workpiece can be forged only after heating it to the “forging temperature” - the optimal temperature for each metal, at which its resistance to deformation decreases and its ductility increases.

"Forging temperature" is a specific temperature range, and will vary for each metal, depending on its structure and chemical composition.

Selecting the temperature regime for forging metal at home

It must be remembered that if we heat a carbon steel workpiece, the carbon from the top layer will burn out under the influence of temperature.

The depth of carbon burnout in this case is approximately from 2 to 4 mm, which accordingly leads to a decrease in the hardness of the future product, as well as to a decrease in the strength and hardenability of steel.

Before starting forging, the blacksmith must make sure that the entire workpiece is heated evenly, and accordingly has the same properties in terms of ductility and resistance to deformation over its entire area.

Depending on the specific grade of steel, the temperature range for forging the product is determined. In other words, there are fairly clearly defined temperatures required to begin the forging process (Tn) and to complete it (Tk).

Mistakes when forging metal at home

If the metal is heated slightly above the temperature required to begin forging (Tn), its plastic properties will sharply decrease, and its structure will also change to a coarser-grained one. If you continue to raise the temperature of the workpiece, this will lead to burnout. The burn can no longer be corrected, and the metal will be destroyed during processing.

If the workpiece is heated below the temperature required to start the forging process (Tn), then during its processing there is a very high probability of cracks forming due to insufficient ductility of the metal.
The famous old proverb “Strike while the iron is hot” clearly makes it clear the importance of the moment the workpiece reaches the required temperature.

In other words, to carry out the forging process at home, it is necessary strictly within a certain temperature range from Tn to Tk. (shown in the diagram as a shaded area for the iron-carbon state). If you do not know the grade of steel with which you will have to work, you can easily determine it by checking “for spark” and checking the table. 1-3.

When forging at home, the temperature of the workpiece can be determined by the color of the heat and tarnish of the metal.

Fuel for forging metal at home

For the home craftsman who does all the work with his own hands, the best fuel option is coal. It is very good to use coal the size of a walnut, black and shiny, for heating workpieces at home.

Quite often, coke, which has a fairly high combustion temperature, is used as fuel. Hardwood firewood can also be used as fuel to heat the workpiece.

But still, charcoal remains the most accessible and used fuel for forging at home.

Source: https://kovka-svarka.net/%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8C%D0%B8/kovka-metalla-v-domashnih-usloviyah/kovka-metalla -v-domashnih-usloviyah-2/

How to properly forge a knife yourself

Nowadays there is a fairly large assortment of different good quality knives on sale. However, hand-forged knives are very popular. Such products have a special energy. DIY knives can be made in different ways. The most difficult method is the hand forging option. It is worth understanding that forging makes it possible to make a durable blade of excellent quality that can last quite a long time without losing its quality.

A knife forged from durable material can last for many years without breaking or losing its quality.

In order to forge a knife, you will need to have some knowledge about metals and their properties. In addition, you need to thoroughly master the forging tool. For people who decide to make this product with their own hands for the first time, it is important to familiarize themselves with some recommendations.

How to choose the right material for making a knife?

Figure 1. Design of a forged knife.

To make a high-quality blade, you need to choose the right steel for it. The cutting characteristics of the knife and its strength will depend on the choice of material. To select the correct metal, it is important to know what properties such a material has. You will need to focus on 5 main properties of steel:

1. Wear Resistance - Steel's resistance to wear and tear through use. This property will depend on the hardness of the material.
2. Hardness is a property of a material that indicates its ability to resist the penetration of solid materials into it. It is worth knowing that solid material is less subject to deformation. Strength can be measured using the Rockwell scale.
3. Strength - the ability to maintain integrity when exposed to atmospheric forces.
4. Plasticity is the ability of a material to absorb and distribute kinetic energy upon impact and deformation.
5. Red resistance is the resistance of a metal to high temperatures and the ability to retain its properties during heating. The minimum temperature for forging steel will depend on the material's resistance to heat treatment. It is recommended to choose hard grades for which the operating forging temperature is greater than 900°C. It is worth knowing that the melting point of this material is approximately 1500°C.

All these characteristics are interconnected. The predominance of one of them leads to the deterioration of the others. Each property of a material will depend on the content of alloying elements and additives, which include silicon, tungsten, molybdenum and others.

Figure 2. Types of knife profiles.

The presence of all alloying elements and their use in the required proportions in the steel manufacturing process, as well as knowledge of their properties, allows us to create steel for the required purposes. Each of these steels has its own marking. It is worth noting that Russian and European brands have different designations.

Russian manufacturers, which are often used in the process of forging blades with their own hands, include steels marked U7-U16, R6M5, X12MF and others. European grades include steel 1095, M-2, A-2 and others.

A detailed description of the metal grade can be found in the “Brand of Steel and Alloys”.

What tools are needed to forge a knife with your own hands?

To forge a blade, you will need to have a special blacksmith tool, but you can also use amateur tools:

1. Hammer 4 kg.
2. Hammer up to 1 kg.
3. Vise.
4. Machine for point.
5. Stove.
6. Anvil.
7. Welding machine.
8. Bulgarian.
9. Blacksmith's tongs or ordinary pliers.
10. Adjustable wrench.

Forging tools: hammer, vice, adjustable wrench, blacksmith's tongs, chisel, tamper.

You should know some nuances regarding the stove. You will need to reach a temperature of approximately 1000-1200°C, which cannot be done in an ordinary oven. In this regard, it will be necessary to improve the stove. The structure is made of metal with thick walls, after which a pipe is attached into which air from the vacuum cleaner will be supplied. Coal is suitable as fuel.

Before making a knife you will need to make a sketch. A knife is a simple object that consists of a blade and a handle, but these elements have many components. In Fig. 1 you can see a sketch of the structure with all its components. Existing types of profiles can be seen in Fig. 2. Once the appropriate profile has been selected, you can proceed to creating a sketch. Professionals do not always use drawings, but beginners will need them.

How to make forged knives from a file or cable?

The file is made of wear-resistant steel, and therefore knives are often made from this tool. Such blades will have a good cutting edge.

A knife forged from cable is inferior in its characteristics to others, but the blade has an unusually beautiful pattern, reminiscent of Damascus steel.

The first step is to clean the tool from scratches and rust. This action can be done using a grinder. If necessary, you will need to cut the workpiece to the required length from the file.

After this, the product is welded to a reinforcing rod and inserted into the stove. The product must be heated to the required temperature, after which it will be possible to begin rolling the product to the desired thickness. Next, the tip and cutting edge are made.

It is recommended to make the shank of the knife from this tool under the attached handle.

The cable must be split until it is red, then removed from the oven and sprinkled with borax. After this, the cable must be heated to 1000°C, removed from the oven again and started forging. The blows are applied with a hammer, and it is important to try to keep all the fibers together.

The end result may be a strip of steel that consists of several layers. It will be possible to forge a knife of the required shape from it.

We forge a knife from a drill ourselves

Drills are often used to forge knives. This is due to the fact that these products are made of R6M5 steel, which is suitable for blades. It has a good level of toughness and is easy to sharpen.

You should know that large drills consist of a working part made of R6M5 steel and a shank made of ordinary steel. Small drills are in most cases made from P6M5.

A file knife has excellent cutting properties.

If you plan to forge a knife from a large drill, you need to immediately determine where each type of steel is located. To do this, you need to sharpen the drill to length. In places where ordinary steel is present, a large number of sparks will be generated. With an alloy steel drill point, there will be few sparks. This procedure will need to be performed in order to determine where the knife will have a blade and where the shank will be.

Forging is performed as follows:

First of all, the fire is lit in the stove, after which the blower is turned on. Next, you need to wait until the fuel starts to burn strongly. After this, the drill is placed in the oven. This must be done using pliers so that the shank is located outside the fire.

If forging is performed for the first time, it is quite difficult to determine the first time whether the metal has heated to the desired temperature. In this regard, more than one drill will be damaged. In order not to spoil a large amount of material, it is recommended to first practice heating and forging on reinforcing bars.

You will need to remember what color the metal was and when it was easy to forge. It is also worth considering that in sunlight, even metal heated to 1000°C will not be light.

After the drill heats up to a temperature of more than 1000°C, it will need to be removed from the stove, and then secure the lower part of the shank in a vice. After this, you will need to take an adjustable wrench, press it against the top of the drill and straighten the spiral using circular movements.

All actions will need to be done quickly so that the metal does not have time to cool, otherwise the drill will break. If you can’t complete all the steps in one go, you will need to reheat the drill and repeat the process. The end result will be a relatively smooth strip of metal.

At the next stage, you will need to forge the drill and roll the metal to the desired thickness. To do this, you will need to heat the metal to the required temperature, take a heavy hammer, and then level the steel with strong blows, giving it the required shape. The end result will be a steel strip approximately 3-5 mm thick. During the forging process of the material, you will need to constantly monitor the color of the product. As soon as a dull color appears, the workpiece will need to be returned to the forge.

Next you will need to forge the tip of the knife. It is worth knowing that the product will need to be given a round shape, while maintaining the required thickness of the structure. Forging should be done in such a way that the blade is slightly pulled in length as the hole is made. You need to hit carefully.

The next step is forging the edge for cutting. To do this you need to use a light hammer. The metal moves down to the edge, and you need to start from the middle of the blade. The cutting edge should be thin and the blade should remain straight. All blows must be delivered carefully. It is important to monitor the color of the product.

Next, the shank is forged. First of all, the shank of a round drill is heated, after which the product is rolled out with strong blows of a hammer. The shank can be narrow or wide. Everything will depend on the sketch drawn up.

After the metal has cooled, it will be possible to grind. You will need to remove excess metal to make the knife even and give it shine. After grinding, the product can become 2 mm thinner, resulting in the knife having less weight. At this stage, the blade can be sharpened and hardened.

Forged knives made from bearings or springs

The inner and outer rim of the bearing can be used to make a knife. All manufacturing work is practically no different from the method of forging a blade from a drill. However, there are nuances that you need to be aware of. The blank from the bearing rim must be cut using a grinder.

The length must be taken with a margin of 1-2 cm. In addition, the workpiece that was cut will need to be welded to the reinforcing rod. Only after this can it be heated and forged. In this case, there is no need to roll the product from round to flat; it will be enough to simply level it.

In all other respects, the work is no different from the previous method.

It should be noted that it is best to make a knife with an attached handle from a bearing.

Quite often, a spring is also used to forge a blade. This metal is elastic and durable. A knife can also be made from a spring by simply cutting out the profile of the blade, sharpening and hardening. However, to make a reliable tool, it is recommended to forge the knife.

Forging a knife from a spring begins with removing rust using a grinder. Next, the plate is marked. To make this product, you will only need a small part of the spring; the excess must be cut off with a grinder. The workpiece is welded to a reinforcing rod, after which it is heated and gradually forged. The tip and cutting edge are forged. After completing this work, the knife will need to be left to cool, then sanded and sharpened.

Forging a knife is quite difficult. It’s quite rare to be able to forge a quality product with your own hands the first time. However, if you follow the technology and have some skills in working with metal, you can make a high-quality knife.

Source: https://moyakovka.ru/izdeliya/kuem-nozh-sami.html

How to replace borax when forging

» Blog » How to replace borax when forging

Borax in working with metals is primarily associated with flux mixtures, which are indispensable for soldering or forging. Borax is sold in the market in powder form. Its value and irreplaceability are determined by its melting point, which reaches 800 – 900°C.

When heated, it turns into a glassy solidified mixture, which provides excellent protection for the work area. In addition to this, borax powder is highly soluble in water. All technical characteristics are described in a separate standard GOST 8429-77 called “Technical Borax”.

Forge welding

Forge welding forms a permanent connection as a result of the action of a forge impact tool on metal that is in a plastic state. Forge welding is mainly used to make permanent joints made of low-carbon structural steels with a carbon content of up to 0.3%, since with a higher carbon content the weldability of steel sharply deteriorates.

It is possible to obtain a high-quality permanent connection by forge welding only if oxidized and other contaminating films are removed from the joined surfaces at the time of forging.

Forge welding does not provide high reliability of the welded joint, it is low-productive, suitable for a limited number of metals, requires highly qualified blacksmiths and is almost never used in factories, where more efficient welding methods are always available.

However, in the field, when repairing non-essential machine parts and when forging hand-forged forgings, forge welding is used quite often.

The technology for performing forge welding is as follows.

Heating of workpieces for forge welding is carried out in forges or furnaces. In this case, it is required that there is no excess fuel in the hearth, and the flame must be non-oxidizing. The best types of fuel for the forge when heating workpieces for forge welding are charcoal and coke, which contain almost no sulfur, which reduces the strength of the weld.

However, in most cases, coal is used with a sulfur content of no more than 1% and ash up to 7%. The coal for heating workpieces for welding must be selected, i.e., medium-sized and well sifted, the so-called “nut”. The forge needs to be thoroughly cleaned and so much coal poured into it that it is enough to heat one workpiece for welding.

Blanks should be loaded into the fireplace only after the coal has burned well and most of the sulfur has already been released from it.

The ends of the workpieces prepared for welding are heated to a temperature slightly higher than the temperature at which forging began. The less carbon in steel, the higher its heating temperature should be. For example, low-carbon steel is heated to a temperature of 1350–1370 °C.

At this temperature, the ends of the workpieces to be welded have a dazzling white color. When welding steel with a high carbon content, for example, when welding an ax blade made of U7 steel to the main body of the ax, the workpiece is heated to a temperature of 1150°C.

At this temperature, the workpiece will have a white heat color with a yellowish tint.

mirkoi.ru

Flux for forge welding

» Articles » Flux for forge welding

Class 4911, 36„.

M 55809

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FOR THE AUTHOR'S CERTIFICATE

Registered in the Bureau after the inventions of the State Planning Committee under the Council of People's Commissars of the SS

P. V. Paravyan.

Method for making flux for forges

Declared on March 2, 1938 to NKTMash as No. 14

Source: https://red-fasad.ru/blog/chem-zamenit-buru-pri-kovke.html

What do you sprinkle on metal when forging?

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Question for experts: What is the name of the white powder that blacksmiths sprinkle on a hot workpiece?

Best regards, Tim Gecer

Best answers

Semyon Semyonovich Gorbunkov:

Forging (welding) flux. Since at a temperature above the start of forging, intense scale formation occurs and the metal can be burned, then to reduce scale, facilitate its removal and protect the metal from burning, the workpiece is sprinkled with flux. Flux is sprinkled onto the workpiece while it is heated to a temperature of 950–1050 °C.

Clean, dry and fine river sand, well washed, sifted and separated from clay and other impurities, is used as a flux. A thick layer of flux on the metal makes it difficult to heat it evenly and subsequently remove slag. Therefore, you need to sprinkle it in an even thin layer at a distance of 0.5-0.6 m from the fire. Sometimes about 10% calcined borax is added to the sand. It slags better than sand and cleans the metal of all foreign impurities that settle on it when heated.

Borax should be used when coal is poorly cleaned and produces a lot of slag. If you don't have borax, you can replace it with table salt.

answer

This video will help you figure it out

Answers from experts

DAMASCUS BLADE
In Ages of Darkness, almost all swords are presented as forged using the Damascus technique.

This structure, in line with modern concepts of composite materials, allows the flexibility of iron to be combined with the hardness of steel to resolve the opposing purposes of a sword blade: to be flexible enough not to break when hit, and hard enough to achieve the required sharpening of the blade.

Added to this are decorative and magical functions: the acid, which blackens the steel and brightens the iron, creates a wonderful moire pattern of lines and curls on the blade. The "magic" lies in the number 7, which is often repeated in the damask structure. The sword, recreated by Heinrich Viallon, contains two different elements: a Damascus core and an additional blade.

The core consists of 8 strips of Damascus, each containing 7 alternating layers of semi-hard steel XC55 (0.5% carbon) and mild steel with nickel 14 NC 11 (0.14% carbon and 3% nickel). The role of acid-neutral nickel is to enhance the sharpness of the pattern.

The eight stripes are arranged in groups of 4, offset to ensure that the pattern, consisting of seven lines and 7 twisted patterns, is asymmetrical on each plane of the blade. This highly refined structure represented the pinnacle of craftsmanship in an era when many blades had only a core of two strips of damascus. What remains is an additional blade made of laminated damascus from 240 layers of hard steel XC 65 (0.65% carbon) and from 14 NC 11, a steel identical to that used in the core.

FORGING TECHNIQUE
First, Heinrich Viallon had to forge blanks (woven plates of steel of various shades) corresponding to eight strips of damascus. Their homogeneity is achieved by forging "white soda" (cold) using "soldering dough" (borax powder). After rolling (drawing), each workpiece is twisted into alternating segments using a kind of “screw wrench”.

This operation is facilitated by the malleability (malleability) of the red-hot metal. Now the strips (initial blanks) are soldered side by side in groups of 4, maintaining the pattern, after which the two halves of the core are finally soldered together. Making an additional blade is not that difficult, as it is forged using the thousand-layer technology (alternating folding/soldering/rolling). This operation is repeated 7 times.

When the required number of layers (252) has been reached, the workpiece is rolled in a square to a length of 130 cm. Now the most delicate operation of soldering the blade to the core begins, which occurs sequentially in sectors. The most delicate sector corresponds to the curve towards the tip.

Once this patient preliminary work is completed, it becomes possible to shape the blade by hot forging rather than "white soda" as in the previous steps. Now you need to pierce the central valley using two convex anvils, between which the blade is “passed” in several passes. Throughout this cleaning stage, constant sanding and acid development is necessary to center the pattern.

Once the blade has finally reached its final shape, it is dipped in liquid and polished before being developed with acid, which, given its substantial size, requires a special container.

brother, can you handle the burden? it's not even a peck of salt

you go to Syria and “make” them all there. You come to the Russian Federation and tell how you made Damascus. .

:)))

Just on the channel “Hunting and Fishing” there is a series of stories about making damask.

When hardening - nothing.
The only composition for coating is flux, used for forge welding, sometimes to prevent decarburization. Fluxes for welding low-carbon steels are primarily glass and glass powders. For carbon steels - dehydrated borax. To prevent decarbonization - iron sulfide sodium or potassium.

This is potassium hexacyano ferroate or yellow blood salt. The part is heated to a crimson color (about 700 C), sprinkled with powder, and cooled in water. At the same time, the thin surface layer acquires high hardness and wear resistance. This is usually taken as hardening.

Although the same St 3 is not hardened in principle.

They are called differently. Sinecal, for example. Most likely this is a derivative of another name for this salt - Potassium iron sulfide.

Buy - look on the Internet. For example: him-kazan /katalog/tekhnicheskaya-himiya/kalij-zhelezosinerodistyj-ch

Source: https://dom-voprosov.ru/prochee/chem-posypayut-metall-pri-kovke