Ross_FL Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Tomorrow I'm heading to a local metals supply store that also has a retail odds and ends outlet. People I've talked to said it's really nice. Im looking at their catalog though and I don't see what I want, I was hoping to find a 5160 or 1095.Alro Steel Any suggestions? Maybe the 1045. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBower Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Not 1045; that's too low in carbon to make a very good knife. (Passable, yes, but not very good.) Go with the 1060 or O1. Unless you have a proper heat treating setup, I recommend the 1060. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golgotha forge & anvil Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 If ur looking for 5160 why not ur local scrap yard (leaf springs/coil springs).... Gene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross_FL Posted October 28, 2010 Author Share Posted October 28, 2010 If ur looking for 5160 why not ur local scrap yard (leaf springs/coil springs).... Gene I wasn't going to fool around the scrap yard if I can just go get 1060 at the Alro, it's less then $10 for enough to make 2 knives. I just don't know why they don't have 1095, they literally have everything else you could imagine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 I wasn't going to fool around the scrap yard if I can just go get 1060 at the Alro, it's less then $10 for enough to make 2 knives. I just don't know why they don't have 1095, they literally have everything else you could imagine. For $10 (or less) most bone yards will give you the entire coil, enough to make a dozen tools or knives. I wouldn't pay more than $10 for a "scrap" coil or leaf spring though. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NRunals Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 I'm having the same problem, I can't seem to find a place that sells simple high carbon steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Many knifemakers don't want to risk the possibility of spring damage by using used automotive springs. HOWEVER a shop that makes springs can generally sell you the drops of KNOWN alloy, unused spring stock for scrap rate or slightly more. (One place would charge me a dollar a pound for beautiful stuff though---$10 would make a LOT of knives!) Also some shops that do conversion work on vehicles will junk brand new springs when they put on the conversion pack---Had a student who worked at a place that built EMT vehicles that would take brand new trucks and junk the springs with less than 10 miles on the odometer! If you can't get 1095 have you looked into W1 or W2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBower Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 I could be overgeneralizing here, but I think most knifemakers who have moved beyond the "any scrap that'll harden" phase end up ordering steel. That's how I get most of mine. Places that carry reasonable selections of medium/high-carbon or tool steel steel on the shelves just don't seem to be that common. Alro does have a lot, but it ain't nearly everything I can imagine. I don't see S5, 5160, 1084, W1 or W2, for starters. It's cool that they have 1060, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross_FL Posted October 28, 2010 Author Share Posted October 28, 2010 I could be overgeneralizing here, but I think most knifemakers who have moved beyond the "any scrap that'll harden" phase end up ordering steel. That's how I get most of mine. Places that carry reasonable selections of medium/high-carbon or tool steel steel on the shelves just don't seem to be that common. Alro does have a lot, but it ain't nearly everything I can imagine. I don't see S5, 5160, 1084, W1 or W2, for starters. It's cool that they have 1060, though. They actually do have S5, W1 and W2, at least their catalog says they do. I talked to them earlier today, they wanted over $100 for a 24" flat of O1, and the W2 wasn't that far behind. Not to mention they acted like it was a hassle to sell anything less then $50000 worth of metal. It's okay though, just fund a set of leaf springs from a Chevy for $20. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 I like the simplistic approach to finding steel I call my knife making supplier and tell them which steel and how much of it..it is usually at my door by the next afternoon. The price you mentioned on 0-1 seems like a price for precision machined tool steel. If you are going to forge or grind to shape that is a waste of money for them to machineiot so pretty and nice and make you pay for it. Ask for mill run. If you aree learning to forge along with making knives, then used coil springs are jut the ticket. You can work on hammer control, heat management and shaping as well as just having a lot of material to work with, including stock for tools and wotever you wish. If you are past the skill levels I mentioned ,,remember lots of folks read this including some just starting and some really good makers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fciron Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 There is an exception to the not paying for expensive, ground-to-size stock: sometimes drill rod is more reasonably priced. W-1 is a .95 percent straight carbon steel which is nearly identical to 1095. So that might help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBower Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 OK; I was going by the online listings. That's an absolutely absurd price for O1. A few places to buy some good blade steels for much saner prices: http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=131&step=2&top_cat=131 http://www.speedymetals.com/ http://www.fastenal.com/web/search/products/metals-materials-fabrication-equipment/drill-rod/_/N-gj4x0u&Nty=0 (Drill rod.) http://njsteelbaron.com/ http://www.mcmaster.com/#steel/=9h6ro5 http://www.admiralsteel.com/shop/ http://www.usaknifemaker.com/metals-forging-tools-steel-c-93_41.html http://www.alphaknifesupply.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 There is an exception to the not paying for expensive, ground-to-size stock: sometimes drill rod is more reasonably priced. W-1 is a .95 percent straight carbon steel which is nearly identical to 1095. So that might help. "W-1 is a .95 percent straight carbon steel which is nearly identical to 1095". "Nearly identical" in the same sense that Tijuana ironwork is nearly identical to Yellin ironwork. There actually is good reason they can sell tool steels for three to five times what similar grades of A.I.S.I. steels sell for. AND people are willing to pay it. So yeah, nearly identical carbon content, but very different qualities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 http://www.suppliers...=1&Mechanical=1http://www.suppliers...=1&Mechanical=1 You are right, similar, but not so similar. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 Thanks PK! Notice that the carbon says: .7 - 1.5 %. That does not mean that wide of a range, it just means that the customer can specify any carbon in that range when ordering from the mill. As fciron noted, it's usually .95 off the shelf. Significant alloying in W-1 and very low tramp elements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fciron Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 Nearly identical" in the same sense that Tijuana ironwork is nearly identical to Yellin ironwork. Yes, but the OP stated that he was looking for 1095. If it is easier to buy a small piece of drill rod, then he might come out ahead. That is all I was suggesting. That's like getting Yellin for Tijuana prices :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 Yes, but the OP stated that he was looking for 1095. If it is easier to buy a small piece of drill rod, then he might come out ahead. That is all I was suggesting. That's like getting Yellin for Tijuana prices You are right, I have a few drops of some type of drill rod, under 6 inches long, and FREE because I was in the right place at the right time. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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