Blade material and thickness?

[ZOO]

I'm going to jump in here with mete - something is not right here.I have known a few nuclear plant inspectors from Surry nuclear power plant and they seemed to be not only paid enough to purchase a piece of 5160 ,but smart enough to understand ANSI numbers.

Bladsmth, First I never said I didnt know ansi numbers altghough astm #s
are more up my street. second this happend to be scrap that I got from
the fab shop its not marked with any numbers so I'm not sure what standard
it is. and lastly I make good money just a cheap basterd until I get a good
grasp of this blade working.

thanks for giving me a list of books I'm sure that they will be helpful

Zoo

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Zoo - Sorry,didn't mean to get you riled.Sometimes we get a few strange requests on this site that appear to be set ups.Read those books and they will give you the info you wanted.If you need sources for the steel try Admiral Steel and Crucible Steel.Depending on where you are in Florida,there are lots of makers around you to get some help/advise from.Finally,if you can,drive up to Atlanta the first weekend in June to the Blade Show.You can get everything from the books to the steel to the wood for the handle there (and see about 100,000 knives to boot).
Stacy

 

[ZOO]

Thanks for all the help you have offerd I appreciate it very much,
also I can understand that people arnt always what they seem
but I will be around here for the long hall and maybe you will see
one of my well made 1st blades. If possible I would like to be able
to reach you with any questions that may arrise.

Thanks again
Zoo

 

[Jeff Clark]

It's been a long time since I played with Xray flourescence. Will your Niton XRF give you a number for the carbon content of your mystery steel? If it has less than .5% carbon it will probably give you dissapointing results. If it is around .5% carbon you could make a big chopping blade like a heavy bowie knife or a bolo machete. It would work for smaller knives, but they would not perform as well as a lot of very cheap commercial knives. For a smaller knife with respectable performance you want about .75% carbon or higher. Most people wouldn't want to work with something with less than .8% carbon, hence 1084, 1085, or 1095 are alloys that get used for smaller knives. Between .5% and .75% carbon you are talking about heavy use blades like bowies.

Your steel plate sounds like more of a structural grade of steel. You want something that is more of a spring or tool steel. 5160 is a common spring steel. 1095 is "improved plow steel". O1 is an oil hardening tool steel.