Hey thanks guys, my thinking was this; I attended Quad State at the SOFA convention this weeekend and there was a guy there trying to sell automotive valves. Well not one to be out BS'ed I wanted to know just what you could do with these things and they guy told me that you can make punches for metal with them since they were designed to be hammered on in high temperatures at least on the exhaust side and not deform or break. Well since I blacksmith as a hobby and even make knives (not well but I am trying but I need to make sheaths so I am here) I was thinking if I upset the edges of the valve, I would have a fair piece of metal that I could have to work with. I have never heard the warning that there was soduim in the valves and can't for the life of me even come up with a reason why they would encapulate sodium in steel for a valve, but that would bear some research, thanks. I wonder if the auto manufactures would share what material is inside thier valves???? I would have to guess that the valves as they come out of the car would most likely be of the H series steel since it is so hot in the exhaust line and they don't deform. I will have to keep cruising to find out just what sort of steel is used and any safety precautions that should be taken when forging. Once if I find out what sort of steel is used (At SOFA there was a demonstrator that said that the manufactureer wouldn't tell him what short of steel was used in air hammer chisle blanks ie tapered .401 tools other than to say they are oil hardening).
