[TheForge] Atlantic 33 question

[Larry Brown]

I still have some that was purchased years ago. When I went to buy more I 
couldn't as they wanted to sell only a huge quantity. Then they 
disappeared. I rout around for it in meets or old shops. I use it as an 
emergency tool steel as it is by no way the best for everything, I have 
used it mainly for field work as I can use a torch for forging heat and a 
puddle to quench.

In the shop if I am going to make tools I use some steel I purchased from 
Crucible a few years back so I know what I am using for what. I have a 
selection of s7, h13, o1 with s7 being my favorite. I rework old chisels, a 
lot of old star drills were s series steels  and are quickly converted to 
slitting chisels etc and are real cheap at flea markets as no one remembers 
what they are for. I have heard some great descriptions
Larry Brown


At 09:22 PM 1/27/2008 -0500, you wrote:
>Larry,  Can you still buy it? (Atlantic 33) I know that quite a few 
>blacksmiths have personal supplies but is still being produce?  Dan Boone 
>got a bunch as drops from where he used to work.  Last I knew Atlantic 
>Steel was bankrupt, bought out by others and no longer producing this product.
>
>While I don't recommend it you can get good "No Temper" performance from 
>S7 and even H13.  Of course when you use these steels for hot work you 
>will temper them by what ever temperature you let them reach.  This aspect 
>is often misunderstood by some blacksmiths.  (Both S7 and H13 are easy to 
>find and purchase.)
>
>Dan Tull has often made the point that for lots of hot work applications 
>good old spring steel work really great.  Just heat, forge and let air 
>cool. No need to "heat treat" or temper.  You are going to draw any 
>hardness you would get from heat treating any way with these steel if 
>using them for hot work.  I have had good luck with a number of hot cuts 
>and drifts just made from spring steel in this way.  For really heavy 
>service, I like S7.  I have some punches that I use for hammer eyes made 
>for the flypress that are from heat treated S7.
>
>Your mileage may vary.
>
>Dave
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry Brown" <lp.brown at verizon.net>
>To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
>Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 8:21 PM
>Subject: Re: [TheForge] Atlantic 33 question
>
>
>>The good thing about Atlantic 33 or flutagon is forge it, heat it and 
>>quench it. I forge it at orange and the higher the temp when you quench 
>>it is the higher the hardness. I like it for job sites, I've forged it on 
>>a rock and quenched it in a muddy puddle and had it working in minutes
>>Larry Brown