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

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

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..

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!!!

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.

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

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.