Junkyard slitter blades

[Psi_mauler]

I usually get my materials from the junkyard as I am just starting out. I found some slitter blades that don't spark test like a high carbon steel. Any ideas on the material?

[Glenn]

More information is needed before we can provide an intelligent guess.

 

If they are slitter blades already, then use them for that purpose.

[jmccustomknives]

At least give a pic <_< .  When working with junkyard materials even the best of us get stumped.  As I was told when I first came to this site with questions, " buy new materials as you know what they are and how to heat treat them".  :angry:

That bieng said, I was always hard headed :P  and still use a lot of "junk" steel. 

Those slitter blades can be anything, most likely an A or D series which for a newb isn't the best stuff to work with unless you are just grinding it out and tempering in an oven.  -_-

Look up the knifemaking 101 for starts. 

goodluck :rolleyes:

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard, glad to have you.

 

I REALLY need more info, I don't even know what you mean by slitter blade. Buying new steel is the only way to know for sure what you're working with and how to treat it. Salvaged steel on the other hand is an adventure into the mysterious unknown. There are in shop tests that won't tell you diddly about WHAT it is but can tell you about what you can use it for. It's another whole skill set but a good one.

 

Frosty the Lucky

[eseemann]

I would haunt junk stores, flea markets/swap meets and places like Tractor supply. I got 4 packs of these http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/disc-mower-blade-lh-4-5-7-in-w for 6 blades for $1.00. These, according to the people at the forge group, are most likely 1045. Go to junk stores and flea markets and the country-er the better. I asked someone about old files and I came away with a handful of old files, including one about 2' long, for $10.00. Ernest

[Rich Hale]

Keep in mind that 1045 has a lower carbon content that we usually wish to make knives from...But if thagt is wot yoiu have then make several knives from it and do all the shop testing needed. Harden, and break one open safely and see wot the grain looks like. while at it see how it does with a bend test. Then sharpen a blade and use it to cut cardboard, rubber, wood, paper etc. and compare its abilities to a knife with higher carbon content. Keep notes on all parts of your testing....trust me as we age we sort out a lot of the information gleaned from shop work,,,no sense in repeating these tests if you can just refer to your notes.

Higher carbon knife steel is not that pricey, And as said above it can be heat treated following the data the makers provide. A couple of my favorites are:

1084,,1095 and L-6. My shop work has confirmed these steels ability to give me the right materials to make blades and can send along with complete faith. Heat treating is doable in most home smithys and is repeatable dependably.

[eseemann]

Yup, I agree that 1045 is a bit low in the carbon, it was SO cheap. Even if I just make bottle openers out of them you can not beat the price.

[Psi_mauler]

Thanks for all of the replies. These are from a machine that uses hydraulics to pull the blade down while sheet metal runs through it. These blades cut miles of rolled metal before needing replacement.

Does anyone know what d2 steel looks like in a spark test?

[eseemann]

Here is a black and white of it http://www.precisionheattreat.com/sparktesting.html

[Psi_mauler]

Thanks for that. According to your link, I have a d series material, which makes sense given the application of the metal. I had a suspicion, and short of a mass spectrometer or a scanning electron microscope, I'm convinced. I'll try to forge a piece and go from there.