Absolutely broke, and I'm trying to look for steel

O

Obvious

Joined
Aug 7, 2017
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As the title suggests, I'm broke. I'm a beginner at knife making and I've been reading as much as I can. I have a belt sander, drill press, etc that I'm able to use but I have like less than $10 to my name and I'm trying to look for very cheap, or free ways to get steel. Lots of people have talked about using leaf springs but none of the mechanics in my town have had any. I was hoping you guys would have some suggestions as to where I could find cheap (or ideally free) metal. I know it's not a good idea to use mystery metal, but hey I'll try anything. Worst comes to worst, I have a template for a knife later when I can afford decent steel.
 
Hey Obvious,
Check out the local scrap yard, they might have auto springs, that you can beat on... steel is really cheap though. Save your 10 bucks up till you have 20 and go talk to a local steel merchant. Chances are slim, but they might have something useable... there's a metal supplier that I found in El Paso that has all kinds of good stuff!!
You want 1/8th inch by 2" 1080, 1075, 1095, O1...
heck if you have a local Fastenal you can go get O1 there, the'll probably have to order it, but they can get it.
You'll have to send it out for heat treat, costing more money, but it'd be a start.
 
I'm definitely going to save my money. I'm going to try to heat treat myself, I'm nearly through building my forge (mostly recycled materials like 55 gallon drum, shopping cart, and the like) but then I realized I could do basically everything I want through stock removal. Oh well, I didn't invest too much into the forge so nothings wasted and it'll soon be complete. Everywhere I'm looking online costs around $30-50 for like 1080 or O1. Thanks for the fastenal idea, didn't even know we had one here. Looks like it'll be about $15 for a good chunk of O1.
 
I've reached out to some buddies to see if they have any, personally I don't. I think they'd be great though, I want to make something really similar to the SOCP dagger by benchmade.
 
When I was 16 and needed money for some project I wanted to build, I mowed lawns, did odd jobs for neighbors, painted garages, washed cars, etc. Of course, that was over 50 years ago, so maybe those jobs don't exist today :)

There are many knifemakers in Corpus Christie and the area. I would try to connect with some of them. They may offer some steel, help with HT, and advice. You could offer to help them with some shop/yard/home chores in exchange. You will have to get your parents on board with all this, since you are a minor.
 
KBC tools will have a bar of 3/32x1" O1 18" long (good for a pair of bird and trout or paring knives) shipped to your door for about $25
1/8x1.5 1084 from Aks is another affordable option
 
Mowing lawns is a great way to make extra money. When I first got started in knifemaking I supported it by the money I made mowing lawns.
 
Go to a flea market. You can generally find old files and rasps for less than a buck, especially if they look like crap, which doesnt matter to you.
Or, go to the local junk yard and get an old truck leaf spring (52100). Promise the owner you'll make him a knife and you might get it for the trade with no cash laid out.
 
Jonathans said:
Go to a flea market. You can generally find old files and rasps for less than a buck, especially if they look like crap, which doesnt matter to you.
Or, go to the local junk yard and get an old truck leaf spring (52100). Promise the owner you'll make him a knife and you might get it for the trade with no cash laid out.
Click to expand...
leaf springs are not 52100, thy are most likely 5160 or close to it
 
Thank you guys (and girls) for all the advice! I'm on the lookout for old files, and I've been applying to a ton of jobs but no luck so far. I help a lot of friends and they pay me though, along with other oddball jobs. I'm definitely going to check the local flea markets, until now I've only been perusing garage sales.
 
If you're lucky enough to live within driving distance of a commercial lumber mill, stop by with a dozen doughnuts and ask if you can grab a few pieces of broken saw blades they're most likely 15N20.
~billyO
 
weo said:
If you're lucky enough to live within driving distance of a commercial lumber mill, stop by with a dozen doughnuts and ask if you can grab a few pieces of broken saw blades they're most likely 15N20.
~billyO
Click to expand...
Thank you, I'll research and see if we have any in town.
 
Obvious said:
I'm not looking to make any money. I'll be okay with being broke if I'm having fun.
Click to expand...

I made my first knife 40 years ago at the age of 13. I recycled lots of chainsaw bars, lawn mower blades, planer blades, saw blades and such. Steel was the easy part, abrasives were the hard part. Even pretty fair handle material was easy to find. Any money I made usually went for belts, paper etc. Sometimes waiting was hardest of all.

Hoss
 
Try coil springs from European cars (or even better motocross bikes). They tend to spec better steel and are less likely to have micro cracks than leaf springs. The steel will be 5160, 9260 or similar spec.

Files are great, as long as the steel isn't case hardened, but you will need to brine quench (risking destruction) or buy commercial quench oil for several hundred dollars. Coil springs can be quenched in heated canola oil.

Read the stickies for more info.
 
If I was completely broke, I would use this time to do research and work on designs.

Read all you can about knife making; craftsmanship in general. Figure out what you're really interested in making and come up with a plan.

Spend the rest of your time coming up with a notebook of good designs.

Save money in the meantime until you can buy some inexpensive steel.
 
I'd second trying to find a knife maker. Trade your labor for the steel and knowledge. I betcha somebody has a shop floor that needs sweeping, pins that need cutting all kinds of odd jobs around a knife shop. Of course as Stacy mentioned, ya'd wanna have your parents on board. It only takes want to on your part. And ya'd maybe be developing a mentor that can help ya avoid a lot of the mistakes we've all made.

Years ago I was a pretty well known horse trainer. I had a young girl come work for me as a working student, something pretty common in that industry. She started when she was 12. She cleaned pens, she rinsed horses off when I was done working em, she saddled horses for me, etc in exchange for lessons. When she was 16, she beat, in open competition, a legend, a multi time world champion, to become the new world champion. The girl had a lot of want to. Thats all it takes.
 
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