Looking for soft steel to practice engraving. What type?

[Rolf]

Finally found an engraving course in Norway. It is for push gravers and intended for knifemakers and silver engraving. Nobody teaches hammer and chisel engraving over here. Tried a push graver on a casting sprue from a Kibler Dolep lock kit. Works fine on the sprue, but it will not cut the mild steel plates I got. Tried hammer and chisel, but that hardly scratches the plates. Where can I find soft steel plates for engraving practice?

Best regards
Rolf

[BOB HILL]

Scrap metal from an auto body shop is soft. I’ve used a lot of it for patchboxes, etc.  You would be surprised a how much sheet metal is in a hood. Hope this helps.
Bob

[JTR]

Here in the States, common cold rolled steel. Cuts very smoothly.
John

[Acer Saccharum]

Rolf, you want a low carbon rolled steel, in annealed condition. I'm not sure where you look in Europe for such materials.

Scrap may be your best source if you can't buy new. 3mm that has been bent or formed is a good indication of the malleability of the steel.

Lock plates are often cast of 4130* steel, which is a medium carbon steel that can be case hardened, or through hardened for toughness. It can be annealed, after which it should engrave fine.  *or one of the 41XX series steels.

Cobalt High Speed Steel gravers will give great results, with long life between sharpenings and resist chipping of the cutting point much better than regular HHS.

[jerrywh]

 A piece of tail pipe is very soft.  Hand push engraving is for portrait stuff. No good for gun engraving.  I think Sam Alfano has a CD out for hammer and chisel. you can't beat shippers book for you long rifle engravers.

[smylee grouch]

Will cold rolled or hot rolled be a better choice for engraving? Just asking because I had thought hot rolled was softer.

[Scota4570]

Hot rolled has scale to clean off. 

[Clint]

Hot rolled steel will be softer than cold rolled because cold rolled is slightly work hardened by the finish (cold) rolling proccess.  The mill scale on hot rolled can be very hard, but it is very thin and can be removed by abrasives or by a vinegar soak. Many steel and iron castings have "chills", that is smaller sections that cool off quickly and are harder than they should be. Most lock part size castings are chilled and can  be annealed easily by heating to 1460 degrees (orange) and cooled very slowly. cold rolled and any steel of unknown make up can usually be softened by careful heating and slow cooling.

[rich pierce]

Old disposable propane cylinders are great for practice.

[Goo]

Old disposable propane cylinders are great for practice.

How are you opening these up to reduce the risk of sparks?

[rich pierce]

Never thought about it.  Any remaining gas is on the inside and I’ve never seen sparks when engraving.

Maybe I will shoot a hole in one next time. Fun target.