Took me 3 years to realize I was hammering wet steel

I kept getting these tiny cracks near the edges of my blades and couldn't figure out why. Then a guy at a hammer-in in Oregon pointed out my steel was still wet from the quench when I went back to the anvil. Has anyone else dealt with moisture causing hidden fractures?

3 comments

3 Comments

josephb3518d ago

Hold up, brown.susan said "plenty of smiths work with damp steel without problems"? That's wild, I've never heard anyone say that before. I always thought any moisture near hot steel was basically asking for trouble.

brown.susan2mo ago

The moisture might not be the real issue here - plenty of smiths work with damp steel without problems. Those cracks could just as easily be from rushing your hammer blows or not keeping the steel at a consistent heat. Your mileage may vary, but I've seen more blades ruined by bad technique than by a little leftover water on the surface.

grant.kevin2mo ago

Honestly, that "your mileage may vary" part really hits home. I appreciate you saying this, it's easy to blame one thing when the real problem is usually a bunch of small mistakes adding up.