Metal?

[elfshadow14]

Hey does anyone know a good place that ships carbon steels like 1086 for a good price?It will be for knife making.I have searched the net but a lot of the places were not clear on how much it cost.

[Woody]

Elf:

Texas Knfemaker Supply has knife steel and everything else you would need to make your knife. They have a web site and also will send you a catelog.

Woody

[oakwoodforge]

1080, 1084 & 1095 are all comonly available from most steel suppliers ... 1086 is a bit different. The only guy I know that has any 1086 is Howard Clark, he had a batch made for him to his specs. If I remember right he said it was about 2 semi truck loads of barstock, I don't think he's selling though. But 1084 is pretty good for most of us mortals

Jens

[elfshadow14]

Great I found a great deal on 1095 texas knifemakers.One question which would make a nicer small beginner knife 1080 or 1095 they cost the same.

[oakwoodforge]

Either Steel is great but 1080 may be a littel less touchy when it comes to heat treating, If you can afford it I reccomend getting several bars of one steel at a time. That way once you get the heat treat nailed, you have plenty of stock to play with...

Jens

[FredW]

Try so 5160 spring steel. It's a bit more expensive than the carbon steels but I think it's a bit easier to work with.
Kelly Cupples on the Knife Network has very reasonable steel prices including 1086.

Fred

[rthibeau]

I think Kelly Cupples prices are a little better than most.
http://www.marksforge.com/steel_prices.htm

[Alan DuBoff]

Hey knowledable ones, isn't the difference between 1084 and 1086 just 2% of carbon?

Seems those are very close to each other. Can inexperienced folks like me tell the difference between them? (if I was forging them, that is ).

[Woody]

no it is 2/100 of 1% difference. the numbers refer to points of carbon, each point = 1/100 of 1%. For example 52100 has 100 points of carbon or 1%.

Woody

[Frosty]

You guys buy 5160?

While I don't make knives I do on occasion make bladed tools. when I run low on new stock I stop by the local spring shop and ask if I can BUY some drops. I always offer to BUY but so far, in better than 20 years of mooching, they've never asked for a dime.

Be polite, ask if they have a few minutes to spare, explain what you do; blacksmithing has a mystique, take advantage of it. If that fails stop by about opening time with a box of doughnuts and ask again. Once you have a little practice give the shop's owner and maybe foreman a knife and you'll never have to buy 5160 or 9260 again.

Frosty