**Need advice with Knife Making**

[WagonMaster]

Last night during the chat, I asked about using scrape metal and was advised to go out and purchase metal to make my knife with, I am new to this and don't know much about metal, I down loaded some pages off a site someone refered on here and It Say's
** Carbon (C) is the basic element that gives tool steels there hardness and lets us do the heat treating, It is Essential in low alloy tool steels, Needs to be 0.60 percent (or 60 points) and higher. At the high end of the percentage range, Up to 1.00 percent,Plus ( 100 plus points of Carbon) it adds considerably to the wear resistance, It is the element that makes the important blacksmith tool steel W1 what it is..**
boy's I want to buy some steel and I don't know nothing about buying steel, I want to buy enough to make about 10 to fifteen blades. And I need to know what to ask for and if you have a idea of the cost, That would also help, Thanks in advance for your Help..Tom

[Alan B]

Just starting out, I would try some 1095, (.95 points of carbon), or O-1 tool steel. These 2 steels are very forgiving on the hardening and tempering and if you make a mistake you can reheat to critical temp and try again. The 1095 is a spring steel and readily available through most steel suppliers. If you have a local machine or welding shop. Go by and introduce yourself and explain what you are trying to do. Most of them will let you piggy back some steel on one of their orders for a minimal fee. They may even have some scrap tool or spring steel for you to practice with. I started out using scrap to learn how to heat treat and temper and then went to buying new steel to make blades for selling. Hope this helps.
Alan B

[WagonMaster]

Thanks Alan, I got some scrap that I have been playing with today, And it seems to be working pretty good. This friend of mine from Louisiana gave me a couple big saw blades and I fiqured since I dont have any good steel that I would put it to use, I took a bunch of picture's and plan to post them on here some where..Thanks again...Tom

[Rich Hale]

The manipulation of metals into a knife shape is not something that just comes natural to anyone. You would be well off to spend a year or so shapeing metal and learning how it acts under a hammer. Mild steel will be fine for this. I would strongly suggest you go to the front page and get into the getting started pages and walk into this a little at a time. Youi may also want to visit other makers and just look around their shops and see what they use and what they use them equipment for. You do not need a lot of equipment to learn to forge. Knife steels are not cheap and to begin with pricey materials is , to me anyway, a bery large step to begin with. If there are gun or knife shows in your area, go to them and seek out the makers..tell them your plans and see what happens. Not unusual to get a shop invitation. HAve fun.

[WagonMaster]

I will take your advice and I appreciate it. I made a knife today, and a friend give me a couple of coil springs and I heated one and straightened it, Then cut off a piece and put the Anvil to use and beat on it a little while,Then My tongs that I made broke, Now I got to go in the Blue print area and try my luck at building a good pair of tongs, I threw these together and they didn't last long, I was having trouble with them bending when I was using them and knew that I was going to have to make another pair.

You mentioned a shop invitation,
About ten year or so ago, { Can't remember when} I went to a old thresser show in Adams,Tn , There was a guy that was sit up in this old cabin and he was doing blacksmith work, Well I had him make me a gaff for my cat fishing, And we took a liking to each other and he told me they meant there the last Sunday of every month and invited me to join them, I drive big Trucks for a living and don't have a whole lot of time off, so I never took him up on the offer,But come the last Sunday of this month I'm going to try my best to be there, I hope the old feller is still at it. And I hope the invite is still there.I don't know anybody else around here that plays with steel. have a good one..Tom

[azmike]

Tom, glad to see your stepping up and forging ahead---old coil springs should work fine, but if it were me i would uncoil them full length and work one end and use the other to hold on to (i have as yet to make a "good" pair of tongs)---there is something about them (and me) that just doesn't come together quite right as yet---take care --azmike

[brucegodlesky]

You are on the right track, Tom. Just get out there and pound steel and get an idea of what it does.

[WagonMaster]

Boys I'll post this last post, then I think I'm going to watch Tv then go hug the pillow, I just got off the phone with Glenn, he shared a bunch of good tips and tricks with me, "Thanks Glenn"

I played with the fire and steel all day. and made another knife, its rough,But hopefully my brother in Law will put her to good use, when I get it done.

Member Profile - Blacksmith Photo Gallery

My passion for the last seven or eight years has been chasing Big Old Bluecatfish. But I have been interested in playing with metal ever since I meant the old timer at the tresher's show. I can see where this can turn into a addiction real quick. LOL

I want to thank all of you all, for your help, I guess we all have to learn to walk before we can run, And I am just a crawling. ...Tom

[WagonMaster]

Well today, I think I will mount the anvil , Then widen the whole on my forge so I can get more air. I'm hoping to find me some coal this week, I got a report from another truck driver that there's a bunch on the side of the interstate from a wreak, in Kentucky and If I get up that way, I'm going to take my old Army tuffle bag and load it up..

[WagonMaster]

Well I am home and fixen to fire it up in just a few minutes. Going to attempt to make a couple pairs of tongs. I got 3/8s hot rod, to use,
I was going to get some 1/4 X 3/4 Flat bar, But they wanted $ 64.00 for 20 ft of it. And I fiqured I could make um alot cheaper outta the 3/8s Rod. I probably should have forked up the sixty four. But I'm still learning.

I went up the interstate into the Area where the coal was supposed to be, But didn't find any.
I'm going to head to Adams Tn, tomorrow and see if the feller is still working there and if so, I hope the apprenticship offer is still there. He invited me about eight to ten year ok and the offer may not be still standing,

Well I missed friday nite chat, I was coming back from Mexia,Tx and was perty darn tired and pulled over and got some much needed sleep. Didn't get much of that last week, Truck broke down in Texarkana and they got me outta the shop at o130 in the morning then drove on into Dallas, then drove down and picked up the load in Mexia for the house. got here this morning and my big ol butt is still dragging...I'll let you all know how the tongs turned out and may stop in the chat room tonite and shoot the bull....Tom