Just my thoughts, and I know a lot of folks try to dive into the deep end right off the bat.... but this is kinda running before you learn to walk.  One of the reasons you don't see much about forging "cans" by hand, is because it is not only very difficult by hand, but the success ratio is also extremely low.  And in the case of using such a small can, the returns are usually not enough for even a small blade.   In my experience, and depending on any of a number of factors, it typically takes 50-60% or more reduction in size for a powder/can to completely weld without any interior cracks/gaps/pockets, etc.

  More to your questions:

advice on forge heating temperature  I have the forge running, and set to 2350-2370F BEFORE I  MIG weld the lid on the "can".  Once the "can" is in the forge, and at what appears to be welding temp, the clock starts.  45mins MINIMUM soak time for me.  Likely the biggest aspects to success for me with "cans" are:  1. Compaction of the materials in the can.  I use a modified air chisel that has a flat faced chisel the size of the can.....and use that to compact materials AS I AM FILLING the "can".

2.  MIG Weld the lid on and get it into the forge NOW.  If I weld on a lid, and allow a "can" to sit/cool any at all before going into the forge, it ALWAYS fails.... I've learned that I  am a terrible MIG/Stick welder, so there is always a tiny hole somewhere...and as the can cools (after MIG welding on the lid/not in the forge) it "sucks" atmosphere anywhere there is a tiny hole....that/those spots ALWAYS either fail to weld completely, or have voids in the finished product.

quenching temperature:   I assume by this you're asking about how to heat treat it?  I always heat treat based on the largest percentage of material type, as in if the majority is 1095 powder, I heat treat as if it were 1095.  If different alloys are close to equal portions within the "can"...that's when I tend to "tweak" things a bit, depending on the different alloys present.

methods for hammer striking material out:   This is usually why trying to hand forge "cans" fails.  The blows/pressure of hand hammering is so inconsistent, and varies so much from blow to blow. Even with a power/air hammer forging "cans" often fails.  A press is the ticket for successfully producing "cans".... full, consistent, even pressure.   Something that just isn't achievable by hand.

     Can it be done by hand?  Sure....if you're willing.  Just be prepared for a very LONG learning curve, and very littler return for your efforts.  

Ed Caffrey, as you learned in your other career those of us that learn best usually get in the trench, pool, or air and bruised but learned quicker than book study alone. I really appreciate the cold honest truth with this venture and will approach the scenario with a "success will be measured in lesson's learned" mentality instead of hoping that this will be a perfect blade. Maybe I will just make a letter opener. 

The way that I have seen this done with can integration is one of those workout muscle massage vibration tools and mixing the elements evenly. Then applying a C-clamp on top and bottom of can and then finishing pouring the 1095 powder even around the seams before the weld shut with the clamp still on. 

First do it as Ed says but if you're going to do it by hand.

Then before you even attempt this go buy 2 inches by three feet of round mild or hardenable stock (speedy metals) or the thickest coil spring you can find at your local junkyard/salvage yard...square it up in 3 to 4 inches sections(you can buy this at speedy metals cut like this too it will likely ship cheaper than a three-foot length of round too)... then spend a few days turning that 2-inch square stock into 1/2 inch square stock  making sure to keeping it even the entire time rotating it to keep as much heat as you can as you go down the entire piece with your hammer rotating to the next face each time you have struck down and struck it vertically to upset the piece back as you go trying to keep as much heat as you can... when that entire stock is 1inche square then you will be ready to set a canister by hand... in theory. 

It's tricky to do by hand i have done it with success with a 2-inch square tube and 1.5 square by up to four inches no (that the maximum size I can forge weld something with my forge) more coated with 2 coats of white paint I, even cheap Crayola will work and you can dry it with a heat gun. Inset cap welded, i just fill, shake, fill, shake as i ad stuff. Then weld to a 1/2-ish-inch round stick(didn't you just make some 1/2 square...time to practice some rounding 😉 ) with a flattened head and with a squared handle. i weld it onto the canister so it resembles a P, so I can strike it both vertically and use a 2000-gram swiss pattern hammer. I strike down the entire length, one side rotates and strike until it gets to bright orange back in the forge, and i let it heat up to forge welding temperature again. Second heat I will strike the 'caps' so I get some compression. It should feel like hitting a plastic bag full of flour. You will know when it gets mostly consolidated as it will suddenly feel like you're hitting a hot bar of steel. Then keep going until the canister fails or I am at 1.25 inches in diameter. There will be rattling in the canister do to the billet not sticking to the canister...even then, you might end up with 3 pieces. if you did everything right.

To get the can off... i typically cut of an end with my angle grinder with its guard on(i don't own a chopsaw) or with a hot cut then cut down the centerd peal with a cold chisel or hot chisel well the canister itself is hot you want the canister glowing orange hot, the billet does not need to be when you're removing it but the canister does. it should come of easy as pie if you did it right. then this is important too...keep working the material down at forge welding temperature to orange.

This was 4600kc with carbon medical Scalp blades set by hand in this way. and i did harden it 

PS: your going to want to cool the holding stick as it will heat up on you.  2 feet should be a good size for it.

Kevin Stinson,

Thank you for the information. Unfortunately I am just seeing this now and I knocked it out last night. Here was my video: https://youtu.be/30MHqnE1mM4

So far I have only pulled the can back with plyers at work a little. I see one major split where I may have struck the can when it was too cool, but I think I can use my band saw and grinder to get a few segments lined up and ground and welded and then forge hammer it down. Like you said, once the steel is compressed this will be quite a chore, but oh well I got some time before things get crazy this weekend. I have finally broke down due to Ed Caffrey suggestion and spent the money in steel and air hydraulic jack to build a smaller Forge Press. 

I would also have the forge closer to your anvil as you lose less heat. Get the can off, then check it. It could just be from not compressing it vertically.  In theory, it should be fine as long as you do not have something like this (i kept my scrapped pieces and dont remember what this is other than its canister). Even if it does...well,  you can draw it down, which will consolidate it, and throw your chunks back in a canister at a later date with high nickel steel like 4600 KC. 

Side note: I have just bored done some silly stuff with canisters, like using forge scale as powder and using pure iron too with scale just silly stuff cause why not try? I really need to look through my scraps as I have some that likely are interesting in this way and have not tried it in a while. (i honestly don't remember if it worked or not i) have fun with this well you learn, and after you have learned cause throwing something in a canister should be fun, even if it's work to make it. 

Side note: I am jealous you have a bandsaw. I need to save up for one as I had 2 cheap ones that i could not get functioning right and returned. 

 Kevin Stinson,

I will try and get these into effect for the next can, but I must say I think things turned out really good for the first time go. I shot another video showing the aftermath and I have learned some lessons. https://youtube.com/shorts/XX1MHgIdR8w?feature=share

Lessons Learned:

1. Listen to Ed Caffrey: "advice on forge heating temperature  I have the forge running, and set to 2350-2370F BEFORE I  MIG weld the lid on the "can".  Once the "can" is in the forge, and at what appears to be welding temp, the clock starts.  45mins MINIMUM soak time for me.  Likely the biggest aspects to success for me with "cans" are:  1. Compaction of the materials in the can.  I use a modified air chisel that has a flat faced chisel the size of the can.....and use that to compact materials AS I AM FILLING the "can".

* I put my can (that was smaller than Ed's) in the forge for 20 minutes and it appears as though the center of the can didn't melt as well as I thought. 

2. Listen to Kevin Stinson, Paint the can twice and take it off when it is still a little hot. Once its cold you will have to grind it off. That wasn't easy. 

And here are the photos of the mistakes and successes:

Thank you.

 What were your drill shavings? Because if your go-to steel is 1095, 1084,  or 1075...those chips will be 1095, 1084, or 1075, and if you use 1095 powder, you just made a 1095ish billet of steel. If your using drill shavings for your canister, use 5160, 52100, and 15n20 or w1 with this, as the alloy deposits in the steel are what will leave the pattern. However, if you're using 10xx series steels, use something like 4600 KC  or 4800 KC powder which is a high nickel alloy steel. Also, the pattern with this kind of canister is going to be very, very fine unless you use ribbons, and its still going to be somewhat fine. Janez sells it.

i also suggest getting some Get Farric chloride. You can literally get a bottle from amazon for 16 bucks with tax and free shipping if you are a prime member, it will etch fast and is safe if you spill it on yourself and you can keep it in an ice cream bucket or tupawar container(i use a tupawar container but I have also used a old pasta sauce jar) after Daluting it and it going to last a LONG time use Distilled water to dilute it because distilled has no added minerals like tap water or bottled water.

Side note for my sanity: This is still forge welding with an uncountable number of forge welds because if you were Smelting it the canister would liquefy first. this guy explains it better than i can: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRYo9Jhe-80

Kevin Stinson,

I wish I could speak easily to the type of steel, but the guy is a mechanic and fabricator so the shavings are mainly car, and loader parts that have been cut and adjusted and remade. So its hard to tell. I did order 1095 powder from Jantz and I think you are right about it being almost or mostly the same material. I am going to try doing something else in pieces and try again here soon. So more to follow!

This is from Damascus Steel Theory and Practice. It's a color chart for how some common steels how steels etch. Bandsaw blades, ball bearings are some things that should etch brighter than 1095.

PS: I have had good success with just shaking the heck out of the canister after covering it with my hand so nothing can leak out as I cover some of it up. Repeat as you fill and ad new material...if you do this, wear your grinding respirator as this does cause steel dust to billow from the canister.