stone setting 416 stainless?

sword

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how hard is it to set stones in 416? (for a beginner) If not impossible any tips.
 

Sam

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It certainly can be done. I've bead set and burnished set quite a few stones in 416. It's rather difficult to get a really bright cut around a bead set stone, but that's just the nature of 416. Maybe someone else has had better luck and knows a trick. Setting in 416 is really tough on your tools compared to gold, so you can expect setting burs to wear out quicker and gravers to need resharpening sooner.

There's a lot of diamond setting being done in stainless steel watch cases...some of it tougher than 416.
 

Magnus Jensen

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Different grades

416 is a grade of stainless steel. And from what I know so far its a US grade, I am just looking around for a transfer to a European number.
If somebody already know anything about this, please post it.:)
 

Sam

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The Swedish designation for 416 stainless steel is X590809234-2348lk098234jlupo8209809801.
 

KSnyder

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I used to cut 416 on screw machines when I made ignitors for F-16's and 18's.
We used a special water soluble oil for coolent & speed & feed was pretty slow.
It would take a fairly good polish but tooling wear was critical & touchy.
Cutting 416 by hand must be an adventure. :eek: :eek:
Kent
 

monk

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stainless, in nearly all its' species, makes us all appreciate the powerhone. one exception, my laser has yet to go dull when working stainless. that's good, too, as it's tricky to sharpen a beam of light !
 

Marcus Hunt

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I'm after getting some stainless and the only place I could find any was on Ebay where there are companies selling off cuts. I can't seem to find 416 anywhere but have found 304. Can anyone tell me what this cuts like? I've cut Rolex, Omega, and Seiko stainless watch strap buckles before and whilst cuttable they were bloody tough and not nice to work but I don't know what grade they were. Any tips will be very gratefully received as will any advice on where to buy such materials......I don't need a 4' square sheet of steel either, just small bits lol!
 

Sam

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Marcus: 416 is very nice for engraving, as is 410. The 300 series stainless steels can be miserable, and I avoid them. Most custom knifemakers use 416 as it's easy on engravers. I'll look in my scrap box and see if I have some.

I was told Rolex stainless steel is 440, which is a common knife blade steel. Miserable stuff for engraving before heat treating and impossible afterward. I've engraved watchbands which were also tough, but since I was only doing initials it wasn't too bad.

It's not that engraving really hard metals is impossible, but I hate having to struggle through them and spend so much time resharpening. Plus, I don't feel I can do my best work on metal I have to fight with.
~Sam
 

PS_Bond

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416 is a swine to get hold of in the UK; I bought mine from Texas Knifemaking Supplies.

I did have a note somewhere on a UK equivalent steel, although my attempts to find the alternative a couple of years ago didn't bear any fruit. Must see if I can find my notes on what it was.

http://www.mackay.co.uk claim to do 416, but they don't actually carry it as a stock item & minimum order qty was in the order of 6m or so. There was some brief interest on British Blades in a group buy, but there's always aggro on people wanting different sizes.

Googling - http://www.westyorkssteel.com/Product_Info/Stainless_Steel/sssteels.htm claim to do 416 too.
Here's their list of equivalents: 416S21, 416, 1.4005 or EN1.4005, X12CrS13, SUS416, Z11CF13, F.3411
(ISTR seeing something about 420 being quite usable too?)
 
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Markofx

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Cutting 304 stainless

Hi Markus,

I've been using and engraving 304 stainless for about 5 years now, I've incorporated it in my jewelry work, and braze yellow gold as an overlay. I cut the anealed stainless which is more forgiving. It cuts clean and bright, but you will sharpen your tools alot more. You need to cut it on a vice that has no spring back what so ever. You can use a jewelers saw on it, set stones in it, and one nice thing I've found is after I've cut a finished pattern, I heat the steel and let it cool several times. This turns the it black. I then go back with rubber wheels and polish the surface. your engraving will stay black in the cuts, as you really can't antique it with chemicals. I've got about 100 lbs of lazer cut disks about 1 1/8 inches round and about 1/8 thick. If you want to try cutting it let me know and I'll send you a dozen or so.

Thanks, Mark
 

SharpGraver

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I'm wondering if there is some way of determining what the grade of stainless steel that you have and also is there a website which explains the differences in these alloys in laymans terms for us non machinest types. I hope I worded this correctly as I'm not even sure if I understand what I'm asking.
 

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