Thread: Stainless Steel Ring Tool ???

I have found that hss steel is pretty easy to come across, the last bits
I picked up were from the bolt supplier near me (by no means a big establishment)..easy enough to shape, just take it slow and dont let it get too hot.
I'd see what you can scrounge in hss first, from what I've read tempering your own steel is pretty much hit and miss.

Hi Al,
The short answer to hardening Stainless steel is "NO"

Ron

Stainless steel can be hardend if it is the right grade but as but you need very expensive equipment to do it right. However you could shape the tool and send it to a specialist as custom knife makers do with stainless

Ogyt, I used a file to make the tool, only because it was made on a weekend when I was in a hurry and wanted a small tool to do the multiple ring job. If you are going to make a tool, I would recommend acquiring a small thinnish high speed steel scraper and grinding both sides so you will have a right and left tool. You will need to grind the tool to a wedge shape to get the end quite thin because there is not much room inside a small ring (25mm diameter). The down side is that, that tool will not cut numerous small rings like on my goblet. To do that you will need to make a tool like the one pictured in the "goblet withh rings" thread.
Jim

why not use high carbon steel?

Originally Posted by powderpost

To do that you will need to make a tool like the one pictured in the "goblet withh rings" thread.Jim

Jim, that's the one I'm talkin' about... the one you made from the file. I just thought I'd make one out of the stainless, 'cause I have some on hand.
Cedar, you guessed it pretty good I call it my Gyno-scraper, 'cause I got my hands on two sets of stainless steel stirrups from some gynocologist's tables that were tossed on the scrap heap. :eek:
Can't hep it, Ma... I'm a packrat.
I guess I could scrounge around and get some better metal somewhere.

[I guess I could scrounge around and get some better metal somewhere

Hi Al,

A simple test for steel. If you have MS [mild steel] drop it on the concrete floor and it will have a dull ring to it. If you have carbon steel etc it will have a higher pitch and clearer type ring to it, once you hear it it will be evident. Then give em both a rub with a file, the higher pitch ring steel will be noticeably tougher to file.
Next cut a sliver off one end of either or both steel pieces and heat them to bright cherry red. Then drop them in some old sump oil of whatever oil you have a round. Water may crack the harder steel till its useless, so use oil.
The result should be a noticeable hardness in the higher ringing steel whereas the other will have no change at all.

This is just a rough way to get some idea of what sort of steel you have.

The best I have found is silver steel; see links below.Usually its sold in 3ft lengths of various dia's Heat treated in water, it will produce a very fine edge,ideal for slicing through wood.

http://www.westyorkssteel.com/Produc...eel/silver.htm
http://www.peterstubs.com/silver.html

as to price could only find a UK site but it will give a good idea. Its reaally quite cheap.
http://www.stuartmodels.com/accessor...Silver%20Steel
http://www.metal2models.btinternet.c...ilversteel.htm

Originally Posted by hughie

A simple test for steel. If you have MS [mild steel] drop it on the concrete floor and it will have a dull ring to it. If you have carbon steel etc it will have a higher pitch and clearer type ring to it, once you hear it it will be evident

An even simpler test: touch it to the AlOxide grinding wheel.

Lotsa orange/yellow sparks coming off in a stream = less suitable for turning tools. Less sparks, more a reddish colour = getting to the good stuff.

An even simpler test: touch it to the AlOxide grinding wheel.

Yep! that'll do it too....even better, less to complicated

http://www.crucibleservice.com/eselector/index.html

http://www.griggssteel.com/highspeed...eel&photobar=2

http://www.onlinemetals.com

The first site (Crucible) has enough info on steel to keep an interested person reading a long while. Heat-treating is found in the "General Info " tab.

Hughie, thanks for the info. Didn't know that about the ringing sound. But the rest of it's pretty complicated for this old guy. Some good links there, too. Appreciate them. Silver steel. Sounds really good. I'd like to get some of that, but I can't find any of it in the upover. ( I'll keep checking it out. Side note: Located some turquoise.
Skew, that tip about the sparks is much easier on the old guy. Even I can see the color of the sparks.
Good links, Gil. Thanks. Gotta print out some of that to read in my spare time... (what's that?)
Thanks Blokes, for trying to help me. (some have told me I'm beyond help).