I'm working on my first folder. Probably very stupidly, I've decided I'd like to try a linerlock. I don't have any Ti, or any medium or high carbon steel that's an appropriate thickness for liners. Forging down thicker stock is an unattractive option because of the work involved in getting it sufficiently flat to make good liners. So I was thinking of cutting my liners from a broken power hacksaw blade I have. It appears to be a bimetal blade, since the teeth are harder than chicken lips and the back won't harden in water. (It may have some alloy content, but the basic point is that it's fairly low carbon stuff.) I was planning to cut the liners from the back, which is about 1/16" thick.

Do any of you more experienced folder builders think mild(ish) steel can't work in this application? I realize it has serious limitations as a spring material, but it's thin stuff and it won't be flexing very far. It won't be as strong as a better quality spring, but I suspect it'll still be strong enough. Am I wrong?

For wot little it costs to get the right stuff to begin with I would not spend the time trying to get by with a lesser product. Think of how it couild be if you do so much work and take so much care in building this knife and it comes out really nice, Too late to back up and work with the right material at that point.
Also if you wish a starting point take apart one of the cheap knives that has a shape you like and make each of the parts and see how it goes together.

Pallet strap is pretty good steel and WIDELY available! Much better than mild steel I would think. Usually quite cheap too!

For wot little it costs to get the right stuff to begin with I would not spend the time trying to get by with a lesser product. Think of how it couild be if you do so much work and take so much care in building this knife and it comes out really nice, Too late to back up and work with the right material at that point.
Also if you wish a starting point take apart one of the cheap knives that has a shape you like and make each of the parts and see how it goes together.

Well, if it came out really nice with mild steel liners, I'd be very happy! I have nothing against steel. In fact I like the stuff a lot! It's just a question of whether there's some reason I can't make a really nice knife with mild liners.

Pallet strap is pretty good steel and WIDELY available! Much better than mild steel I would think. Usually quite cheap too!

I have some. Considered it. Seems a little thin, maybe. ?

Pallet strap is fairly thin but depending on the exact stock it has a decent range of thickness. Wider straps tend to be thicker also. Some is about 1/16" which is a bit thick I'd think.

the only timeI have made a liner lock I was in the same position and I used a piee from an old hand saw, it didn't even need re-heat treating!

Yeah, old saw steel would be ideal! Wish I had one lying around. I might see if there's anything good on Craiglist.

Yard sales....

I've only made one folder but I put in a lot of research before I decided on a liner lock. Of the different types it seemed the most straight forward, and there are several great tutorials out there. As for the spring, it doesn't make sense to me to spend the time making a knife only to comprimise the lock with the wrong material. I dished out the $70 for titanium and am very happy with my knife.
One thing you may want to consider is making a prototype. For this you could use aluminium for the liners. When its done if you like it then you have an exact pattern to follow for the real thing. Also if you screw up you aren't out $20 of titanium. Yeah I screwed mine up the first try. Just something to think about, good luck with it. -Justin

Thanks, Justin. I'm not going with titanium -- steel is stronger, you know -- but I am going to do with Dave B's suggestion of liners cut from an old hand saw, which should have suitable spring qualities. The prototype is a good idea; most of the tutorials (I've read some of them!) seem to suggest that.