Jump to content
I Forge Iron

bandsaw blade knives


Rangerdave

Recommended Posts

I was lucky enough to get a metal bandsaw blade at the local metal fab shop. The owner is going to let me dig through his scrap dumpster periodically so I am a happy camper. My ? is does anyone have pictures of a knife made from a bandsaw blade. I searched but the pics are gone. Also they are thin so is it best to weld them with something or just make thin stock stuff?
Thanks in advance. Hopefully someone has some pics they can share.

RD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are you talking SAWMILL type bandsaw blades or metal cutting bandsaw blades. The sawmill bandsaw blades available to us here in the Northwest are wonderful stock for knives. OOPS-Sorry. I just re-read your post and you did specify metal cutting blades. Anyway-the sawmill blades are pretty easy to come by here if anybody needs me to snoop around and get some chunks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

metal badsaw blades most of the time have a different metal for the teeth.The rest of the metal is not as high in carbon as it does not make as good a blade as you may want.
Since it is cheap take a few pieces and heat treat them and see if they will do wot you wish. If so make a blade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use metal or wood cutting band saw blades to make pattern welded billets from. I stack up 20+ layers of BSB and pallet strapping alternating (welding BSB to itself is a bit more tricky if it has a Ni content).

If it's going to be a blade I may do a San Mai with a piece of file in the center for the edge after the weld and folds are done---if I am worrying that it was decarbed too much by extensive welding.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to work at a metal fab shop with a very large bandsaw, I have no idea what kind tho but I've been using using the old blades with alot of luck. there very thin but about a 1inch to 1 1/4 inch wide. I've tested them and have no idea what kind of metal but there do get hard...

Also since I've found it hard in Canada to get L6 or 15n20 I've been using those blades, and they do etch alot lighter and shine up nicely when welded with other 10XX metals

here's a couple pics of what I've ended up with (keep in mind yours could be something completely different)

post-7005-0-97000300-1318869096_thumb.jp this is 9 layers of bandsaw and 1084
post-7005-0-11331600-1318869178_thumb.jp this is around 75 layers of bandsaw, mild, 1075 and 1095 with a W1 edge

hope this helps!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lenaghan, those are really nice examples of pattern welding. I'm usually more fascinated by the appearance of the higher layer count blades, but find your low layer count knife very intriguing! It has a cool organic quality to it. Really excellent work! - Robert

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very nice Len. I have yet to weld in my forge on my own. Still new at this. I will however be trying. Do you have a power hammer or did you do those the muscle and hammer way? I will be working the arm muscles as I don't have a power hammer. But I need to learn how to swing consistently anyway. Still working on making hooks /tools and some file knives (heat treating and such). Thanks again for the input.
RD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I start folks out it's all by hand and one thing I try to do is to size the billet for the forge so they can weld the entire thing in one go---I call them "fun sized billets" usually 1/2 the length of the ones I like to use. (as stock is pre-cut to size for storage 1/2 is a good subdivision!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Are you talking SAWMILL type bandsaw blades or metal cutting bandsaw blades. The sawmill bandsaw blades available to us here in the Northwest are wonderful stock for knives. OOPS-Sorry. I just re-read your post and you did specify metal cutting blades. Anyway-the sawmill blades are pretty easy to come by here if anybody needs me to snoop around and get some chunks.


If the offer still stands, I wouldn't mind jumping through some hoops to get some.

Jim l.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...