[TheForge] Drilling hard metal-Thanks!

[robert hensarling]

Grant, what's a good current source for L-6.  I've purchased it before from 
Admiral, but maybe there's another good place to buy it.
Robert

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Grant Marcoux" <gblacksmith at alamedanet.net>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, April 21, 2006 12:56 PM
Subject: RE: [TheForge] Drilling hard metal-Thanks!


> Andy:  L-6 is one of my fave plain steels for blades....great toughness
> (nickel) and ease of sharpening.  Some folks are making excellent sword
> blades, both cutters and thrusters, from this steel.  Sadly, I'm not
> convinced that it will be around much longer.  Maybe some others can weigh
> in on this.
>
> Yes, make the cooling as slow as possible.  When I was first taught to 
> forge
> blades, my first forged knife was of 5/8" L-6 drill rod.  We annealed it
> under the forge ashes, on the highly heated brick hearth.  The blade was
> softened to the point that it would be cut readily with a file.  If this 
> is
> the case, it will readily drill with a sharp HSS bit. Don't forget to 
> pilot
> hole and to pickle the scale off.  Grant
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Gladish Family
> Sent: Friday, April 21, 2006 8:28 AM
> To: Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Drilling hard metal-Thanks!
>
>
> Thanks for the input, everyone!
> A light went on when it was said that L6 is slightly air-hardening: I
> think I simply have to take the Slow Cooling part of this much more
> seriously.
>
> Andy Gladish
>
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