[TheForge] Titanium

[Chuck Robinson]

Right on  Andy.
The knives are also used by EOD folks because it doesn't
affect the magnetic fields of magnetic mines and other explosive devices 
triggered by distorting magnetic fields.
The knives are also treated with a special hardening process, but being an 
old fart, with failing memory , I can't recall how it is done.
Chuck
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Andrew Vida" <osan at netlabs.net>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, March 05, 2005 11:36 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Titanium


>
>
> debmiller at fuse.net wrote:
>> Hey Guys,
>> I must admit to forgetting whether or not I asked this question.
>> I have a welding class with a student interested in forging a blade out 
>> of titanium.
>
> Just this side of useless as a cutting utensil.
>>
>> I mentioned that on this lost some people have recommended against 
>> titanium several times. I cannot remember why.
>
> Far too soft. 6-4 alloy used to be the hardest of them (may no longer be 
> the case... been a few years since I dealt with it).
>
> It makes a miserable knife compared to a good steel.
>>
>> If titanium is a potential blade material does anyone have a chunk 
>> roughly 2" x 8" x 1 1/2" or so that you would sell him?
>
> You also have to be a bit careful with forging the alloys.  First you have 
> the issues of safety WRT fumes of vanadium, which may not kill you, but 
> they won't help you much either.  Hot forging 6-4 is, as I recall, best 
> accomplished with a hydraulic press.  This can all be looked up in a 
> Mark's Handbook.  These alloys are not easy to forge the way CP is. In 
> grinding, they glaze wheels heavily.  And in the end you may have a really 
> nice looking, but functionally useless knife.  As I recall, SEAL/UDT has a 
> Ti alloy knife that they use for certain types of operation.  I have heard 
> that their usefulness is exceptionally limited.
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