KNIFE MAKING STEELS AROUND TOWN

[inthebeech]

Back when I started out forging knives, I would try to cut cost anywhere I could and frankly was not making enough to justify the freight on six or ten foot sections of flat stock.  So for those who have an interest in grinding or forging their own blade;
 
Nicholson and Simmonds (Black Diamond) files - W1 tool steel; very good but very tempermental (prone to warpage durring the quench so start out with thick and short blades to minimize.)  Quenching in oil will minimize but give incomplete transformation (which will actually be a good thing).
 
Harrow tines ; 1084 steel; one of the best, quench in water.
 
lawnmower blades; L6 tool steel - great for large blades, very shock resistant, quench in oil.
 
Rear leaf springs from Ford trucks - 5160 alloy steel - my favorite, one of the best, oil quench.
 
Have fun.
 
 

[mechanic]

Some the new coil springs work well too...I have several from late model Chevys that are remarkably good steel...both for knives and tools such as tongs, punch's etc.
 
Ben

[tacklebury]

High speed hacksaw blades have worked well for us on several projects. 

[Ranger99]

thanks for the heads up itb


i'll have to go with you on the leaf springs
i'm not lucky with the files- can't keep the
warpage out, and bad rust resistance.
newer mower blades ( the easy-to-find ones)
don't seem to even last good on grass. maybe
poor taiwan heat treatment, or poor steel?
my best luck has been plain ol' 0-1.
i've got some big bearing races to try someday
a guy gave me and said you could make a
blade that would hold a fantastic edge, but
would rust if you looked at it just right.
someday. . . .

[FPH]

Railroad spikes and farrier files?  I have no idea......just asking.

[blind ear]

Railroad spikes are the BIG square nils used to hold the rail down on the crosstie. Farrier files are the "rasps" used to trim a horses hoof when shoeing the horse.

OT: How do   you set up a drill press to drill a hole in hardened material like a flat truck spring. Anything special that you do? Have a friend machinist that said you can do it with an old hand turn drill press because it turns so slow. ear

[SHOOTALL]

Wouldn't you aneal the spring before drilling and working it to save tool wear ? Or at least the area to be drilled ?

[FPH]

Railroad spikes are the BIG square nils used to hold the rail down on the crosstie. Farrier files are the "rasps" used to trim a horses hoof when shoeing the horse.

OT: How do   you set up a drill press to drill a hole in hardened material like a flat truck spring. Anything special that you do? Have a friend machinist that said you can do it with an old hand turn drill press because it turns so slow. ear

I am aware or what they are.  Will they make a good blade?

[SHOOTALL]

FWIW I talked to a knife maker at the nations gun show last weekend. His take on pick up steel was you never really know what you get. He said springs can be of several different metals as can other material. All ok to pratice but if you make a knife to sell it is better to know what is in it so you can be honest with the buyer. Also you bknow what to expect as you work.

[blind ear]

Railroad spikes are the BIG square nils used to hold the rail down on the crosstie. Farrier files are the "rasps" used to trim a horses hoof when shoeing the horse.

OT: How do   you set up a drill press to drill a hole in hardened material like a flat truck spring. Anything special that you do? Have a friend machinist that said you can do it with an old hand turn drill press because it turns so slow. ear

I am aware or what they are.  Will they make a good blade?

-
SorryFPH, misunderstood. Spikes are tough but made to maleiable, bend and not break, can make a knife but might be hard to temper to take a good edge I think. Farrier rasps are basically just another file with a different type of cutting tooth. I am not postitve just have done a lot of reading and a little playing. ear

[Ranger99]

any material would have to be annealed
before any drilling. (ideally- i guess you
could do it anyway-i wouldn't want to)
you're going to harden and temper it
anyway.

[mechanic]

Railroad spikes...there are two types....one is marked HC, high carbon, but its still not enough for a good knife.
 
I usually heat material in my forge and punch a hole on the anvil.
 
Ben

[FPH]

I remember a knife made with farrier files.......one of the trade mark clues were the serrations left for the thumb. They actually advertized them as being made with old files.

[tacklebury]

Files are great if annealed properly at the hasp end that most people use to attach to the handle.  My buddy spent about 150 bucks on a custom hollow ground one and the guy didn't anneal it up high enough and on our 3rd survival outing, his snapped in two.      He was one T'd off dude.  The only part that should really be re-hardened is the blade edge and small amount of the top if you are making a knife with a false edge on the rear.

[blind ear]

Railroad spikes...there are two types....one is marked HC, high carbon, but its still not enough for a good knife.
 
I usually heat material in my forge and punch a hole on the anvil.
 
Ben

-
Ben, punchin makes lots of sense. Can carry on with a process without cooling and reheating.
-
Most makers that I have read recommend removing the file teeth before starting to work the blade with hammer and heat. ear

[Cornbelt]

  I've seen leaf springs drilled by hand that produced a real pretty curl. The set up had a jamb nut that forced the bit into the spring. The crank was by hand.