You can forge stainless but it's much harder to move by hammer and you have to work it at very high temps. Annealing it is very difficult without an oven or kiln and heat treating it is extremely difficult without an oven or kiln.
Forged in house, stainless steel 304 can be forged into rings, bards, discs, custom shapes and more. Forging 304 stainless steel improves directional, impact and structural strength in addition to improved ductility and toughness.
The most common types of stainless steel utilized in forging are 304/304L, 316/316L, and ferritic. 304/304L is easy to forge, but it does require higher forging temperatures when compared to other austenitic stainless steel options.
W1 (water hardening steel) is great for outdoor knives as it forges easily, is easy to heat-treat, performs well, and finishes nicely. With such high carbon (0.6%-1.4%), this steel has high tensile strength and hardness with low ductility and toughness.
Of course stainless steel can be used to make knives. Stainless steel knives significantly outnumber carbon steel knives being made today.
Yes, you can create a type of Damascus steel using 1084 high-carbon steel and a stainless steel, such as 440C or 304. This process involves layering the two types of steel, welding them together, and then forging them into a blade or other tool.
Raw Materials. Stainless steel metal is formed when the raw materials of nickel, iron ore, chromium, silicon, molybdenum, and others, are melted together. Stainless steel metal contains a variety of basic chemical elements that, when fused together, create a powerful alloy.
Due to its ability to resist heat and corrosion, stainless steel is frequently used in forging. The most common types of stainless steel utilized in forging are 304/304L, 316/316L, and ferritic.
What is the Forging Temperature for Stainless Steel? Stainless steel is hot-forged at a temperature between 1700 and 2300°F, depending on the specific grade. Stainless steel retains its strength even when worked in extreme temperatures.
The most common types of stainless steel utilized in forging are 304/304L, 316/316L, and ferritic. 304/304L is easy to forge, but it does require higher forging temperatures when compared to other austenitic stainless steel options.