Buy Sheets of Steel in Canada?

David Mary

David Mary

pass the mustard - after you cut it
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Does anyone know where I can buy sheets of knife steel in Canada? Something like 3/32" to 5/32" thick, AEB-L, 15N20, 1084 in sheets sized 11 x 23 or similar?
 
If you do find someone that has it, they brought it in from USA.

Then they charge you all the shipping and import costs, plus markup, then you pay shipping again from them to you.

It's better off just to import it yourself.

Use USPS and Canada Post

FedEx, Purolater, DHL and the others will hit you with "brokerage fees" for the border crossing approaching a hundred dollars (not including sales tax)
Post office brokerage fee is fixed, maybe now it's close to $8.50
 
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that's a really good suggestion :thumbsup:
 
11X23 will fit in a flat rate "board game" box. Many USA sellers will ship to Canada. If not, just buy it from a USA seller and have it sent to a friend who can then send it to you. The other option is to wait until you are going down to the USA ( if that is something you do often) and pick it up at the friend's place you had it sent to.
 
I've been using Jarod's excellent service extensively for over a year, with no intention to stop any time soon. And yes, I have him ship to me using USPS Priority International. But if I want to cut fine jimping, I need the steel here before heat treatment.
 
David Mary said:
I've been using Jarod's excellent service extensively for over a year, with no intention to stop any time soon. And yes, I have him ship to me using USPS Priority International. But if I want to cut fine jimping, I need the steel here before heat treatment.
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Looking at his website, one could order for example a pack of 10 sheets (11"x24") of 15n20. You can send the blades down again for HT once you have them ready.
ETA: he lists hardness as 42-43 HRC.
 
I have imported steel, cut it by hand, and then shipped it again for heat treatment, and then had it shipped to me again for finishing. I have paid customs twice on it. Do you see what I'm trying to avoid?
 
That being said, I doubt I'll find a deal like that on 15N20 in Canada. It doesn't hurt to ask, but you guys are right, I probably will use Jarod's 15N20 again.
 
I would just look at the two transactions separately. Does buying from him get steel to your door for the best price? Then, does sending it to him for HT get you the service you want at a good price.
 
You could try getting HT done in Canada.

Try Allied Heat Treat, contact used to be Moe Price
Batch size may be an issue.

Diamond files will do hard steel.
 
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David Mary said:
I've been using Jarod's excellent service extensively for over a year, with no intention to stop any time soon. And yes, I have him ship to me using USPS Priority International. But if I want to cut fine jimping, I need the steel here before heat treatment.
Click to expand...
You could use tungsten carbide burrs to cut in jimping on hardened blades. Dremmel makes some that I’ve used for making holes in a hardened tang larger without using a carbide drill bit/reamer.
 
Maritime knife supply
Knife direct
Canadian knifemaker
3 places in Canada to get steel.

When you send your blades down to heat treat only have them insurance for 200.00 on the way back you won’t have to pay customs. Have them marked return service .

Rod is still heat treating blades here in Canada.
 
Never heard of Knifemaker direct before. Thank you. Sadly neither they, nor Canadian Knifemaker or Maritime carry the sizes I specified, and what they do have is marked up substantially.

scott kozub said:
I get 11 by 24 sheets from alpha
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As do I, when I don't have Jarod cut from his in stock material. Looks like I will continue to to do so for the time being.

Thank you all for your replies.
 
You might want to talk to Caribou Knives in Abbotsford BC. Mike sells sheets of steel and will do heat treat for you. Reasonable rates when you have a batch to heat treat.

The suggestion of using USPS for cross border shipping is my experience too. Wayyyyyy less expensive on the brokerage fees.

I live about 30 minutes from the border and there are a number of shipping receiving companies on the US side that I can use as my address to have things shipped to them. They hold my package and I pay $3 a package when I pick them up. I use a company called Ship Happens cuz I like the name. Advantage of taking things across the border in person is that things don't get hung up in customs, all I pay is canadian taxes on the items (0ften they don't even charge me the taxes) and shipping is cheaper too.
 
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