norrin_radd Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Spin off from the Karambit from Ag steel thread. JHCC Had a pretty fun idea to start a thread about a "Hay Mower Blade Challenge" to see what kind of creative items folks could forge from these small bits of mystery'ish steel. So here it goes. FYI Hay mower blades are used on hay mowers to cut hay (duh) and when they wear out they usually just get replaced. Therefore if you know anyone that cuts hay and never throws anything away, then more than likely they have a metric ton of these lying around. And will probably make you a deal on them or give them to you for a killer bottle opener, forged knife, hand forged trinkets etc.. Or you may find them at a your local scrap yard. To kick it off here are a few things I've made out of them. You may have seen them already but I figured I should post something. I usually try to use the existing hole in some manner, just because its already there. Forge em if ya got em! And post pictures here! Should be fun anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 A lot of mower blades are boron steels and require a special heat treat process. I'll have to see what the local alfalfa guys use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norrin_radd Posted June 8, 2016 Author Share Posted June 8, 2016 Really, is there a way to tell? What if you heat treat it wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norrin_radd Posted June 8, 2016 Author Share Posted June 8, 2016 I guess that was a dumb question, duh fingers thinking faster than my brain. I'll have to see if I can find some packaging around of the last batch of blades we got and see if it mentions anything about what it might be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 This came up over Brush Hog blades. I got my Google fu going , and came up with the company that makes them for several outfits. They say it is a proprietary boron steel alloy. The blades are designed to be tough, not brittle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norrin_radd Posted June 8, 2016 Author Share Posted June 8, 2016 Ok thanks a lot. I'll have to get my "google fu" on about the heat treating as well. I've been doing it based on what I read works for 1095. Normalize a couple of times in vermiculite, heat to non magnetic, quench in veg oil, then temper at 450-500 oven for a couple of hours. That seems to be doing good for the light use that I've used them for, they do get sharp. Maybe I'll start putting the last one through some tests to gauge edge retention. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 A.G.Russell once bent an aluminum beer can in two and hammered it flat and then honed it until he could shave with it; he did it because of the large number of people who kept telling him that they could shave with their pocket knife blade...Edge retention, toughness, flexibility lots more to being a good knife than just sharp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norrin_radd Posted June 8, 2016 Author Share Posted June 8, 2016 23 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said: A.G.Russell once bent an aluminum beer can in two and hammered it flat and then honed it until he could shave with it; he did it because of the large number of people who kept telling him that they could shave with their pocket knife blade...Edge retention, toughness, flexibility lots more to being a good knife than just sharp! Well I guess he got his point across! I was already thinking about making something small that I could carry and see how it holds up to my commercially made pocket knife. I've got a lot to learn still too. As a side note, I made a quick little bottle opener out of one of these mower blades and gave to a visitor, sadly didn't get a pic. So as for the hay blade challenge it doesn't have to be a knife. Like Nacho Libre said about a grown man wearing stretchy pants, "Its for fun" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SReynolds Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 I love fun. ......and stretchy pants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Comtois Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Visions of all the blacksmiths I know wearing stretchy pants........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Oh boy, sweaty blacksmiths in Spandex! Thanks for that mental image, now I need to gouge my mind's eye out! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 You might have better luck with a wire brush and a die grinder, Jerry... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Now THAT'S a good idea Charles I'll take a wire brush and or die grinder to ANY sweaty male blacksmith who shows up at my place in Spandex! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norrin_radd Posted June 8, 2016 Author Share Posted June 8, 2016 I should have expected that. Y'all are crazy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Yes sir, certified SMI by the good ol' US of A and two states as well. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notownkid Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 55 minutes ago, Frosty said: sweaty blacksmiths in Spandex Wow, one minute I'm reading about making items out of hay mowing blades (which I've changed 100s of over the years) and my cell phone rang I talked a few minutes with my lawyer and when I looked back Frosty is talking about sweaty blacksmiths in Spandex. I've seen a lot of blacksmiths in assorted attire and have many pictures of old shops and blacksmiths but never considered Spandex, that's enough to make one lose their lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 If a tree didn't work why do you think a wire brush will? I'm more subtle; I had my own my immune system assassinate my beta cells...much quieter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Lawyer? Are you applying for your crazy papers? Their is a much easer way to get them... ask your spouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 The wire brush isn't for ME Thomas it's for. . . Nevermind not saying THAT again just thinking it hurts. My immune system decided my beta cells were snacks too but it wasn't enough. It took a tree to get me to retire. If I used a tree on sweaty blacksmiths in Spandex they wouldn't go away like a wire brush would encourage them to, they'd just lay there under a tree in their Spandex. Crazy papers!? I don't need no steenkeen papers! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 what about your wife, she did marry you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notownkid Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 9 hours ago, Charles R. Stevens said: Lawyer? Are you applying for your crazy papers Nah, I've already got those left over from being in business. Buying a one of a kind piece of property and he handles my Vermont business for a few more months, has the nerve to retire. A no nonsense Lawyer, was 22 yr. Navy Helo pilot, 3 tours off Vietnam as Air Sea rescue Pilot and the Helo Pilot of the yr. of the entire Navy. Then became a Lawyer. Takes no crap from anyone, another lawyer or Judge included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 6 hours ago, Charles R. Stevens said: what about your wife, she did marry you... Deb can wear whatever she likes or not. She did marry me so I can cut her whatever slack she needs. I ain't THAT crazy you know. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Has she framed her "I was crazy enugh to marry him" papers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 We don't need no papers we have each other. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Good man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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