Looking for stainless steel that can be forged

[elbb]

I have a damascus steel shop that makes high carbon damascus steel out of 5160 & 1018 steel folded 512 times. We are looking for what types of stainless steel that can be forged this way or some type of powder that could be forged or pressed in tubing to get the same end results. we use them in making knive blades thanks for any info

 

[unclesyd]

Check out the following website:

http://www.questek.com/index.html

 

[CalvinKelly]

Forge-welding stainless will require a good flux to flux the chromium oxide scale that forms. In this respect I suggest you contact other damascus makers, rather than typical engineers who are profoundly in ignorance of damascus.
I presume you want the stainless part to be hard. I also suspect that you already know the hardenable stainless grades useful for knives, i.e. 440B or 440C, Crucible's 154CM, or the Japanese grades such as ATS-34, and several AUS whatever grades. Forging ranges for these stainless steels will be more narrow than for 5160.
410 stainless might suit for the lower carbon/softer part of the blade, but 410 is so low in chromium that now & again it rusts.
I don't know availability of stainless powders. But certainly stainless weld wire can be had at your local distributor. If you want an austenitic stainless, which will be soft (not even Rockwell C20) but nice & shiney, the most common stainless weld wire is AWS ER308, or just plain "308" weld wire. Nominal chemistry is about 22%Cr 11%Ni This is the wire used to weld 304 stainless, a.k.a."18-8" stainless, the stuff used to make pots & pans and most half-decent "silverware"

James Kelly

http://www.rolledalloys.com

 

[BobUXL]

There are 304, 316, 410, etc. stainless steels that are balanced to enhance forgability. When you order, you need to let the supplier know what you are going to do with it.

http://www.ugine-savoie.com

 

[NickE]

You could likely clad a high hardenable SS like 440 w/ some of the austenitic. or even some of the nickel alloys. the resulting heat treat would be really odd thou. I've heard that borax flux w/ a percentage of floride will flux SS for damascus.

Goodluck
nick