rebar?

[radius]

Hi, I'm totally green...

Is it possible to use rebar for knife and sword making? I was looking at some videos on youtube, and one guy appeared to be using 15 or 20 M rebar...or perhaps he had just welded a piece onto some other stock so that he could use it for a handle...

Otherwise, what are some good sources of blank steel, and what is the best type to use for knife and sword making? Thanks.

[pete46]

I Like Rebar ,but It's Just Fer Look'n At Not Fer Usi'n!
Practice With It Cause It Has Enough Carbon In It To Crack Or Shatter When U Do It Wrong.
As Far As Junk Yard Steel ,i'd Use Leaf Spring Or Coil Spring!

[radius]

so you're saying rebar works but only for looks?

okay...shouldn't be too hard to get some spring steel or coils...

i guess the first step is to make a forge, and then an anvil comes next, eh?

[pete46]

Yes ,and Tell Us Your Location,cause A Blacksmith May Live Down The Road From You.

[Bentiron1946]

Some use rebar to weld to the billet for forge welding operations but not for actual knives. Rebar is used by some for decorative purpose only such as fence pickets or the such. I used to make spear points for my son when he was small but that's all.

[dablacksmith]

The problem with rebar is you dont know what it is made of... theyre are lots of manafacturers and types and some of it was scrap melted and used... so for knives and swords if you want sumthing usable get something where you know what steel it is so you can harden and temper it.. its real frustrateing to spend a bunch of time on a knife or especially on a sword only to have it break or bend easily ... It can ruin your day...

[radius]

thanks for all the advice.

I live in Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island...

I guess i'll leave the rebar for someone else...maybe they can reinforce some concrete with it!

[IronPuppet]

I think you should do as I did. Get the anvil first.

Christopher

[Quenchcrack]

Re-bar: This really is the bottom of the barrel for a sword. Re-bar can have a LOT of impurities and when you get the sword all forged out and you start to polish it, you can find long stringers in the steel that will ruin the finish. You can certainly use it for working your way up the experience curve but don't expect much from it. As for melting scrap, well, most of the steel rolled for automotive, appliance, and API pipe is made from melted scrap. Absolutely nothing wrong with melted scrap, guys. Steelmaking technology can literally make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

[radius]

i'm down with recycling...when i make bows, i sometimes take old hardwoods out of renos and use that...

i see why i should get the anvil first...or i'll be roasting up some iron and tempted to beat it out on ... well, any thing...


thanks for the advice guys