I have a few 12in X 3/16 bars of M2 steel can anyone suggest a good use for this metal. I'm looking for tools or knives that can be made from this. I understand that it's nearly if not impossible to forge weld this stuff. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Grind wood lathe tools out of it? Forging will be a problem as well as heat treating it properly!

I'd trade it for stock I could use more easily.

It's pretty advanced steel for a newcomer to try working with. There are a lot of pitfalls only knowledge and experience are likely to avoid.

Welcome aboard Countryboy, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location with your Avatar it can make a big difference. you never know when someone living close to you knows exactly what you want to learn, has the perfect tool you need or just has to have that one thing you're good at making. Besides it'll save us old farts from having to rely on our memories when traveling in your area and needing a snack or place to nap.


Frosty the Lucky.

Weld a piece of 1 inch pipe for a handle, it will stick to 7018, stick better to 11018 rod, makes a respectable linoleum scraper. I made a couple for an outfit that does rental management 15 yrs ago, they bring them back every so often for resharpening, still going strong.

I will check an old Stanford University forging text book I have. There was a section in it explaining how to forge HSS tool bits for lathes. I believe the main thing was to keep it hot, and do not forge below a certain heat to avoid cracking.

Oh don't worry fellas. I know this stuff is advanced. Jim Hrisoulas says it can make a suiteable knife if forged around 1750F. I'm just collecting ideas for it's uses that maybe some of you guys have used it for. Thanks for the replys.

This stuff is a nightmare!! I think I'll oil it good and leave it for my great, great, great grand kids to shoot holes through them with their lazer guns and make wind chimes!!!