The Difference Between Cast Tools and Forged Tools

One of the reasons that quality tools are quality is because many of the best manufacturers use some form of forging to make their tools. Traditionally, this was done by a blacksmith and hot metal was hammered and shaped by hand. Of course, this process has been industrialized and streamlined to allow for mass production. The assembly line and machines run by human operators have replaced the blacksmith to make tools, but the advantages of the forging process remain. This along with intense quality standards ensures that many tools produced in Germany and the United States are tools that you can trust. One of the things that makes cheap tools cheap is that they either have lower quality standards, a faulty forging process or they simply cast their tools which is far cheaper. So why exactly is a forged tool stronger?

The main difference between casting and forging is that casting pours molten metal into a mold and forging makes use of heated metal that is still solid, but then gets shaped. Casting is actually fine in certain situations, usually for large and super heavy pieces, but in those cases great care must be taken in selecting the alloys and heat treatment to get the best quality possible. When used in making tools, casting tends to result in metal that is more brittle and porous and thus more prone to breaking. A great example of the difference between cast and forging can be seen here. While it’s hard to pinpoint a manufacturer that produces tools by casting, you’ll probably be able to tell the difference if they break during use or just don’t “feel right.” No one advertises that they use this method for obvious reasons.

On the other hand, many manufacturers who use forging are proud to advertise the fact, and for good reason. A tool that is forged will of course be stronger and more reliable because the act of forging removes the air bubbles that make cast tools porous. Forging also makes the metal more uniform and strengthens and unifies the grain of the metal so that it can take a bit more abuse. With forging there are a number of methods for forging a tool that can be used. Drop forging is quite popular and pretty much consists of hammering hot metal into a die. Press forging, as seen at Stahlwille, is also popular and uses the power of a hydraulic press instead of a hammer to squeeze hot metal into a die. Roll forging uses rollers to shape the hot metal.

In the manufacturing process you can see some of the differences and why they would make for a stronger or weaker tool. Focusing on forging, they start with an already solid piece of metal, heat it up to make it pliable then pound and shape it so that it becomes denser. The metal never completely changes to a different form, like with casting. Casting of course requires that the metal become liquefied to be poured into a mold. That process, along with the cooling and re-hardening do nothing to make the metal more dense and solid. In the creation of hand tools, forging makes all the difference.

When you’re shopping for quality tools to use in your hobby or vocation, make sure to look for high quality tools that have been forged. Enjoy some more videos of forging and casting here. You’ll see why forged tools are what you want to invest in.

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