Circular saw blades....?

[KYBOY]

Has anyone tried using regular table saw sized circular saw blades? 8" and 10"..? Anyone happen to know what they are made from?

[highlander]

i am curious of this too, i have 5 or 6 i was thinking of cutting up for paring knives, but have been unsure.

[RainsFire]

if they have carbide tips there generally not great knife steel, as far as carbon content go's.. if not, then there carbon steel..

I was going to cut a bunch up for a damascus billet here soon..

[Flaming S Forge]

I have used saw blades with good results. A quick test of the metal can be done with a reciprocating saw. If it cuts relatively easy, it is too soft for a decent blade. If it is next to impossible to cut, it makes a good blade. I use them to make primarily primitive skinning knives with a hickory handle. The local deer hunters really like them.

[Ecart]

Rainsfire, you answered my question before it was asked. I have two that are pretty dull. No one around here sharpens them and it would cost too much to sharpen anyway. One could buy a new blade for just a few dollars more. So, I'll set my two aside until I want to try my hand at pattern welding.

[Lysdexik]

Cheaper saw blades have induction hardened tips, the steel is kept soft for quick initial shaping useing CNC indexing grinders, then only the tip is hardened. But I believe the body is still the same soft steel. I have lots of these, and I will try hardening some and let you know, I have used Bosch branded 12" construction lumber blades to make realy nice meat cleavers for the local hunt club. There is always a pot of something venison on the stove at the woodshop, come hungry and let me pick your brain!

[Flaming S Forge]

Here is a photo of a saw blade knife I had made for my son. He used it a few times to gut and skin his deer and told me it holds a good edge and gets the job done. The handle was made from a hickory branch. I also made him a sheath for it.

[Lysdexik]

Hey guys I cut a 2" strip out of an old oldham plate saw (no tips) it was slightly hollow ground to allow a relief at the back of the kerf, so the thickness isn't consistent but I water quenched it and it would "skate" a file. I didn't try to temper it, kids want dinner, but I will be trying some edges in the future. I braze small blades onto shanks of air chisels for carving logs, and fitting cabin corners etc. Thanks for the inspiration I love all FREE steel.
Paul
It's always too soon to quit. It's not over... Untill we Win!!!

[highlander]

tried making a blade today out of an OLD sawmill blade. hardened up nicely so i made a paring knife out of it. scales are gluing now, so ill report back on the edge holding after i put it through a few tests.

[Paul B]

I have two that are pretty dull. No one around here sharpens them and it would cost too much to sharpen anyway. One could buy a new blade for just a few dollars more.

I don't know if you use a lot of blades but I send them out and get them sharpen all the time, 10 and 12 inch. I get them back much sharper then the new ones. I have some 12 inch that have beem sharpened 8 or 10 times. Cost is not that bad.

Paul

[bigfootnampa]

I used a small piece of an Oldham hollow ground planer blade to make a carving knife years ago. To this day I have not experienced any other blade that will hold an edge through so many months of carving. I carve more now and sharpen or hone it four or five times a year... I used to use it less and only sharpened about twice a year. It is very fine steel. I hardened it (cherry red and oil quenched) and then cleaned and tempered to straw at the edge (purple at the spine) by using a very tiny flame from a propane torch and taking an hour (or so it seemed) to gently heat at the blade's spine until the colors ran to the edge.