[TheForge] Steel scrounge question....

[Andrew Vida]

Grant Neil Sarver wrote:
> 
> Although most power hacksaw blades are "weld-edge" with a spring steel
> backbone, the Starrett Redstripe is solid highspeed steel. To soften only
> requires lotsa heat, i.e forging! Annealing highspeed is generally
> impractical in the blacksmith shop - requires way slower cool down than you
> get just putting it in ashes or lime. This stuff can only be forged at
> 2000-2400F!! Good candidate for stock-removal knife making.

	HSS forges beautifully when at temperature, though.  It becomes
	"super plastic" at forging temperatures.  This is a phenomenon
	that occurs in ultra high carbon steels with extremely fine
	grain structures.  I used to forge M2 lathe bits into plane 
	irons.  It was a breeze.  Grinding them to final form was
	another kettle of fish.