Gunsmithing Gun tool ideas for a hunk of D2 tool steel?

[Munimula]

Hello all.

I am a machinist with a growing collection of bits of material. I am also an avid firearms enthusiast and have been learning some basic gunsmithing.

I have recently acquired a large piece of D2 tool steel. It's about 7.5" by 10.5" and 1" thick. It's in an annealed form I believe and tests out at 42 rockwell currently. I've machined this stuff before and know what it takes. If needed it can be heat treated to over 60 rockwell which is damn hard. Used for cutting dies and the like.

Are there any parts or gun tools anyone can think of that I could whittle this chunk into?

I'm drawing a blank. Thank you in advance for any responses.

 

[Sixfivesavage]

My suggestion? Make some knife blanks for some of us to finish up!

 

[Munimula]

Not a bad idea if I could split the thickness easily but its 1" thick.

 

[Turd in the Pool]

1911 frame ;-)

or 2

 

[LRI]

I've always thought about making a broach for building dbms. Make a nice sharp inside right angle corner on the floor metal.

Sure be coo!!

 

[Munimula]

1911 frame ;-)

or 2

It'd be heavy as hell and the stuffs so hard it'd be a nightmare to do the small detail work.

 

[Munimula]

I've always thought about making a broach for building dbms. Make a nice sharp inside right angle corner on the floor metal.

Sure be coo!!

Hummm. Send me a drawing of what your thinking. I'll make two and send you one.

 

[Munimula]

Any other thoughts? Might have some free time tomorrow afternoon with the mills. Anxious to get something going.

 

[ajwcotton]

You could make a broach to make 700 style actions.
Or any other bolt action for that matter.

 

[HAZORD]

D2 is designed to take impact, like for punching or cutting tools. Yes it would make good knife blades. For general tooling, A2 is better because you can machine it out, heat it up to cherry red and let it cool and it is hardened.

If you do go to cut the D2 with a saw, don't use coolant.