Rich Hale Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Let me be the first to mar this really clean board. Material selection for knives; Most of you that have discussed this area with me will know that I almost always suggest that we buy and use new steel for blades,,I feel that is simply the way to eliminate a problem in used steel that may cause a failure in a blade later on in the process. Does new material guarantee success? Of course not. Will it new push the odds in your favor even a tiny bit? Maybe. I order new steel mail order. For 1084 1/8"x 1" for example I pay $2 a foot plus shipping. I order one day it is here the next. If I want to get used material I need to print out the list on here that tells me what items are made from what steel and go find them at recycle yard or auto salvage yard. If I forge a piece of new and it shows a crack in it later I know pretty well it is something I created. If I use recycled steel and a crack turns up was it there or was it me? There is a nice feeling about makeing something out of something else. If I use all my powers to heat treat and it does not hold an edge? Is it the steel or is it me? Enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 "used steel" is always a gamble---was it abused, is it really the alloy I expect it to be? (first time you run across a low carbon strain hardened leaf spring you think you're going mad---stuff will not quench harden!) But new steel has a definite cost be it in time or money or perhaps even more telling the unwillingness to practice on "bought metal". I generally suggest that people starting out use new steel of known composition, try to limit the unknowns in a piece as much as possible---then I myself often use "found" metal.... HOWEVER, if I do not know what the alloy is explicitly, I will not call it that! So "Old Truck Spring" *NEVER* 5160 unless I have had it tested! Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 BP0002 Junk Yard and Rail Road Steels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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