HWHII Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I have been looking through the archives on striking steels and have found alot of good info on used steel items for striking steels. Does anyone have suggestions on new affordable material for use in making striking steels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWHII Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 Done some more research. Anyone ever try new O1 tool steel? Should work great just need to find a good source. Any help there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 W1 or W2, 1095, I like Ti (cp 1 or cp 2) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 good ol' cheap 1095 works great..O1 works great..Recycled files work great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Leaf springs and coils springs are great. If you want to buy new, go with 1095 and don't look back. It's not hard to make a good striker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitch4ging Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 "just need to find a good source. Any help there?" As far as a source, Jantz Supply has the o-1 & 1095, and NJ Steel Baron carries the W2. There is also a great list in the knife section Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 K.I.S.S. Keep It Stupid Simple. You can buy anything you want that will harden up, or, You can use leaf spring. Source; your local spring shop or Automotive Repair Shop. Cost; A tray of Coffee or Wobbly Pop. Priceless!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWHII Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 Seems like 1095 is pretty popular. I need to use new stock because it will become a item to sell in the visitors center where I work. They would like to put a kit together with flint, char cloth in a tin and I will do a demo on how to use it. Could be making alot. Going to go with a basic 1800 century design. Thanks again everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 That far in the future? As we are in the 21st century there are only only 1779 centuries to go! Now if you meant 19th century or the 1800's many of the "basic" designs will go all the way back to the 9th century/800's---which would at least offer a wider market for reenactors. Could you explain why selling them precludes making them from recycled materials? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 BTW did you see this post of fire steels over at AA? http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=171766 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 If you need to keep it historical you could always use an old leaf spring from a buggy or wagon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Those are rather hard to source in quantities for "visitor center sales"; however a few "high authenticity" at a much higher price ones might find a market along with the "commodity ones". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 .125"x.5" 1095. Cut a piece off about 2" long and draw out a long taper on the one end so you can loop it around and put on a decorative curl. Very traditional and fast to make. Just quench in oil and maybe grind off the decarb layer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 MSC, and Enco currently have some tool steels on special pricing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimsShip Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Thomas, that link was an excellent read, Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Thomas, that link was an excellent read, Thank you! I ditto Jim. Thanks Thomas, I'll be printing a few pages I have a demo this weekend. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Its as much about a solid heat treat..Normalize them a couple times or a good stress relief cycle before hardening. Full harden and polish the face. You wont have any brittleness issues with good grain structure from normalizing. Most good American files are something along the lines of 1.25%-1.30% carbon content..Dump rake tines Ive seen were about the same surprisingly. I prefer simple carbon steels other than O-1..O-1 produces a very hot orange spark.In fact the bushcraft folk have become a large part of Lisa's business and often request O-1 strikers..Plain ol' 1095, forged,normalized fully hardened will make a striker that will throw showers of sparks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWHII Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 Thomas, thank you for that correction, as always! I am in a area like you were we can't just run down to the steel supplier to pick material. It would be easier to just order the material in and have stock on hand. I did hit a antique store the other day and found a good supply of hay rake tines and this might do for the rest of the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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