[TheForge] RE: Tool Steel

[Ron Childers]

Stephen, of course; China doesn't even care what energy or raw material
costs. Labor cost is relatively very small. China will pay more for our
scrap and natural resources than any one else, but don't worry; they will
shoot it back at us as soon as they own all the oil in the world. Meanwhile
we will be buying it back in the form of cheap goods, but no cheap raw
material, ie we will have to pay now and pay later...

Ron C

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Stephen Viola
Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2006 3:59 PM
To: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] RE: Tool Steel

Well as we are talking energy and market demand of steel etc.. does
the production increase in China have anything to do with the prices
and shortages? I know Australia seems to be doing quite well with the
increase of Chinese business. Not sure how far it has spread globally.

I live in a harbour township so the shipyards have plenty of basic
steel to scrap.. plenty of brass and copper too! (I'm still keen on
trying the mogame kane technique).

We don't seem to have a problem with steel supply in type or size just
yet.. infact they tend to deliver the very next day. The only issue is
cost really. But the college subsidises quite well the cost of
materials.

Stephen



On 27/12/06, Jerry Smith <jerry_smith at anvilsandinkstudios.com> wrote:
> Dave,
>
> Most of the bigger companies around me are owned by
> foreign companies. The small guys are the bigger
> companies, most of the mills are always on the verge
> of being shut down for one reason or another. I can go
> from Wheeling to Steubinville, and see mills not
> running to any capacity as they did 20 years or more
> ago. Youngstown was mill town, now the air is clear
> because of no major mills operating.
>
> When I was buying larger amounts of steel, I bought
> Swedish Steel from the Japanese company that supplies
> Honda. My SS was bought a Koval's, which I know it was
> Hitachi in origin, but they are gone.
>
> Jerry
>
> --- "David E. Smucker" <davesmucker at hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Jerry,  What you see -- and material size you can't
> > find is a common problem
> > during times of high demand.  Special size, and the
> > small sizes blacksmith
> > like to use tend to leave the market place.  Why,
> > because the producers want
> > to run highest volume possible to make the most, and
> > this means running just
> > common sizes.
> >
> > Another factor, bad times, always seen to proceed
> > good times and bad times
> > may force out the smaller specialty suppliers.
> > Sometimes smaller suppliers
> > are family held companies and when the old man dies
> > the company dies too.
> > In the late 70's we purchase a special foil shear
> > for making multi cuts from
> > a master coil.  This was a several million dollar
> > machine, and almost
> > finished when the owner died.  He had given more
>
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