Making your own parts -- what steel, etc.

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BigBlue 94 said:
If i see one hanging out in the junkyards, i throw it in my cart.
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I also collect any garbage for my workshop ;)
For responsible details, I use steel that I buy from metal suppliers.
I make barrels from the steel of AISI 5140 and they work perfectly. This is a steel in our country for the manufacture of parts. A little magic with fire and motor oil, and great details are obtained! :thumbup:
 
This is why I told you to get Roy Dunlap's "Gunsmithing." He has a whole chapter and reference tables detailing how to make parts from the steel used in screw drivers, chisels, saws, files and more. Good info on heat treating and more. I've used his approach for 50 years and made this rifle of repurposed steels. 20 bolt and trigger in.jpg
 
There is so much bad information in this thread. I’m gonna wager I’m the ONLY one here who actually works with & heat treats steel regularly. I'm a custom Knifemaker, hobbyist machinist & metallurgist. I’ve worked with & studied steel for nearly 12years. You can verify by looking me up on Google (No, none of the pictures are ME, and no, I’m not “Jake” Hoback..but I know him.I’m the One Armed Knifemaker.) I’ve also posted pictures various custom knives I’ve done here.

The comment about using steels with .4-.5% Carbon. Read on before heading those statements. The 10xx steels are what are known as “Simple” carbons. 1040 is not something I would ever use. Not nearly strong enough. Same really for 1050 & 1060. High Alloy Tool Steels are the best option. And with modern years, we have CPM versions of many of these. I use CPM steels exclusively because the grain structure & cleanliness is very, very good! O1 & 4140 are ok to use, but there are just better options. I make most small gun parts from S7. It’s an Air quench steel, so it’s quite forgiving. It’s also incredibly tough.. much more so than 01 & 4140.

Here is a Firing Pin I recently machined from S7 Tool Steel for my rifle. Compared to the stock pin (top) & complete. First pic, also showing a Titanium cross pin I machined.

EBA3-E9-CB-9-C92-4-E40-8-E37-AA02-D24-C2-BCE.jpg

9-DF4055-C-D587-40-E2-A587-7721-ED7-F0-C05.jpg
 
jdsingleshot said:
Nope. You're not the only one. Nor the longest experienced. And, most small gun parts don't need the same attributes as a knife blade.
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LOL! I was typing my response while you were posting, so I hadn’t see your response. By “here” I was referring to responses in the thread. Funny. :)
 
Oh… your a metallurgist as well? Rounding up scrap Carbon steel, heating with a torch & dunking it in motor oil is not what I do.

While Knives & Firearms use mostly different steels, they do use many of the same. And the processes are the same, only the parameters are different. So, Mr. “experience”, can you tell me the specific difference? And why you believe your JUNK steel from old bolts, a screwdrivers is somehow better?
 
"Oh… your a metallurgist as well? Rounding up scrap Carbon steel, heating with a torch & dunking it in motor oil is not what I do."

I'm sure you aim for the best possible results and perhaps spare no cost when choosing materials. Maybe it's worth noting that there are many millions of carbon steel guns out there that have been functioning perfectly for 100 years or more. Same for knives.
 
"So, Mr. “experience”, can you tell me the specific difference? And why you believe your JUNK steel from old bolts, a screwdrivers is somehow better"

Don't read so much into what I have said. I did not say that steels I use are better than what you use. As a matter of fact I made the assumption that you use the best steels you can get for the purpose. Ease that chip off your shoulder.

The carbon steels I use are, however, completely adequate for the purpose. Depending on what I am making, the steel I use may be 1018 mild steel, (for a trigger housing for instance) or as high as 1095 or more if I am making a chamber reamer. If I am making a flat spring, I might start with something that is already a spring.

May I assume that you are aware of spark testing to determine the approximate carbon content of steel? My methods are not blind guess work.
 
David Hoback said:
I’m gonna wager I’m the ONLY one here who actually works with & heat treats steel regularly.
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David, you are a bouncer, the master should be modest. You cheered me before going to bed.
No one gave bad tips for Gary.
David Hoback said:
The comment about using steels with .4-.5% Carbon.
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I gave this comment, steel S7 contains 0.5% carbon. What am I wrong?
David Hoback said:
I use CPM steels exclusively because the grain structure & cleanliness is very, very good!
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I burst with laughter, you are a cheerful guy David!
CPM has become a completely different class of steels, and it is not worth using it everywhere, because CPM is cool.
David Hoback said:
Oh… your a metallurgist as well? Rounding up scrap Carbon steel, heating with a torch & dunking it in motor oil is not what I do.
Click to expand...
Everything, I need medical care, my stomach hurts from laughter.
We need experience so that hot pieces of iron to wet in oil. This is more reasonable to make a titanium, HSS or CPM firing pin? :rofl:
 
jdsingleshot said:
This is why I told you to get Roy Dunlap's "Gunsmithing." He has a whole chapter and reference tables detailing how to make parts from the steel used in screw drivers, chisels, saws, files and more. Good info on heat treating and more. I've used his approach for 50 years and made this rifle of repurposed steels.View attachment 1092745
Click to expand...
I found this book, but I haven't read it yet. Unfortunately, the language barrier deprives me of many useful information.
Your work is impressive! What caliber do you use? Barrel of industrial manufacture?
 
jdsingleshot said:
"So, Mr. “experience”, can you tell me the specific difference? And why you believe your JUNK steel from old bolts, a screwdrivers is somehow better"

Don't read so much into what I have said. I did not say that steels I use are better than what you use. As a matter of fact I made the assumption that you use the best steels you can get for the purpose. Ease that chip off your shoulder.

The carbon steels I use are, however, completely adequate for the purpose. Depending on what I am making, the steel I use may be 1018 mild steel, (for a trigger housing for instance) or as high as 1095 or more if I am making a chamber reamer. If I am making a flat spring, I might start with something that is already a spring.

May I assume that you are aware of spark testing to determine the approximate carbon content of steel? My methods are not blind guess work.
Click to expand...


Spark testing?? Uhh… if I have a question about a particular alloy, I send a sliver to a testing facility to have it any analyzed. They send me back a printout with amounts of alloying elements in %. I can tell very quickly what is from that. Again, I don’t gather up junk steel to make my knives or parts from.

No chip on my shoulder. YOU quoted me comparing prick size, FIRST. I merely countered.
 
Phil Lichtman, designer of the Semmerling, wrote a piece on the materials he used. He was focused on small guns therefore small parts and thin sections so the steel had to be good. He had one alloy for case hardened parts and one for through hardened parts, sorry I forget the SAE. His instructions to the heat treater were very specific. Drill rod for pins and sheet metal for magazines.
 
AlexS1 said:
David, you are a bouncer, the master should be modest. You cheered me before going to bed.
No one gave bad tips for Gary.

I gave this comment, steel S7 contains 0.5% carbon. What am I wrong?

I burst with laughter, you are a cheerful guy David!
CPM has become a completely different class of steels, and it is not worth using it everywhere, because CPM is cool.

Everything, I need medical care, my stomach hurts from laughter.
We need experience so that hot pieces of iron to wet in oil. This is more reasonable to make a titanium, HSS or CPM firing pin? :rofl:
Click to expand...

I honestly can’t understand what you are saying?? :thumbdown: So, I’m glad you’re happy about whatever it is you’re happy about:thumbup:

Rick James was Right! Cocaine IS a hell of a drug!!
 
I'm busy and not in the mood to read everything and edit out the childish bickering, so, at least for now.........we're done
 
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