Does anyone know where I could purchase some steel? I am looking for high carbon steel in the 1050 to 1070 range. Flat bar stock, 3/16" thick.

Thanks,
Katsumoto

Do you need 100 tons or 6' of it? Where are you located---avoiding shipping can really lower a price when it comes to steel.

Thomas,
I am just a beingger at knife making (stock removal method). I only have a hacksaw and some files right now, saving for a grinder. No more the 6 feet is all I need, actualy 3 to 5 feet would be better. I really do not know what steel I would good at yet so I am still in the experimental stage. I live in Jacksonville, FL.

Thanks for the reply,
Katsumoto

Most of the knifemaker's supply places will sell small amounts of proper knifemaking steels.

Larger ammounts can be found from places like Admiral Steel; but the minimum order often goes way up when you deal with the steel co's directly.

Another steel well liked by many is 5160 and you can sometimes buy appropriate sized drops from a local car spring repair/maker at very good rates.

Being stuck with stock removal does limit you in recycling known good steels---large ball bearings are a great alloy, usually 52100, but you really need a forge and power hammer to make them into a usable configuration.

You might ask around at your local ABANA chapter and see where there might be a source local to yourself.

Might look these up:

Berman Bros., Inc. - Jacksonville, FL
Distributor, Service Company
Distributor Of Low Carbon, Flat Wire & Coated Steel; Metal, Aluminum, Brass, Copper, Iron & Steel Recycling Service

Namasco - Jacksonville, FL
Distributor of steel service center.

Integris Metals - Jacksonville, FL
Distributor

Metals USA - Jacksonville, FL
Distributor, Service Company
Dist, Service: Angles & Channels, Bars & Rods, Pipe, Shapes, Steel

Specify that you are wanting to purchase small quantities of "tool steel" , just to break the ice.
If they say they have it, then you can get specific (1070, 1095, O-1, etc.).
If not, ask the salesman if he knows of a local source. Maybe they can point you in the right direction.

Also, try the same with your local "Yellow Pages" under "steel suppliers".

BTW, there is a "fastener" store (bolts, screws, nails, etc.) near where I work. They have a rack with O-1 rounds up to 3/4".
So keep looking; you never know.

Good luck,

Don

Hardware stores may carry "drill rod" which is generally O1, but rounds are a pain to use for a stock removal blademaker unless they have a friend with a forge who will break them down into usable flats.

hhmmm i recently baught ALOT of band saw blade at our local junkyard (L-6) and was going to get some D-2 to forge it into a pattern billet with. so i go to our local steel suplier (un-named, but it starts with an "A" and ends in "lro") and i go in to get a quote for a 1/4 thick (too big but that was all they had) 4 inch wide, and 48 inches long piece of steel, should wiegh around five-seven pounds right? well they get back with me a quote of $171.26!!!!!! i thought there has to be a miscalculation or something. so i go back in person and ask them, "yep thats right." he says, so i ask him to recalculate it, he does, gets a second oppinion, comes back to me and says, well other than a few cents here and there thats pretty close. Did i miss something or is D-2 just THAT expensive?? or is he just trying to rip me off? or am i just getting overly worked up about this?

so i need SOMETHING to mix with my L-6, so if anybody has anything they'd like to sell (maybe a 1060ish, or D-2, O-1 or something of the same weldability.) i would be honored to take that off your hands :)

Andy:

Have you tried e-bay??? Every now and then Admiral, Pacific Machine and Tool sells "lots" of different high C and alloy steel...prices are pretty decent...

Oh, unless you have a major pain threshold or a power hammer, you really don't want to weld D-2 to L-6...not yet anyways...they move at too great of a difference plus a couple of other things.. I would go with a 1060 to 1095...

JPH

D2 moves? Oh yeah, you use that whopping big hammer...for me it usually just sits there and laughs.

If you aren't having any luck, you might try Kelly Cupples. You can see his price list at Darren Ellis' website. Kelly's one of the good guys. He has a variety of bar stock, but I think his 1065 is good stuff, and it's pretty close to 1070.

Take care, Craig

knifemakers love 5160 and that is what most leaf springs are made of .any junkyard should have a good supply . dont use a broken spring it could have hairline cracks running through it

forgeman, everybody loves leaf spring, but it does require a forge to straighten.

forgeman, everybody loves leaf spring, but it does require a forge to straighten.

Stop by the local spring shop and ask to buy some drops. Be sure to tell them what you're doing, they'll probably give you all you want. If you make a habit of hitting their drops, making the foreman or owner a nice blade will pretty well seal your supply.

Frosty