Buying stainless steel - questions

[Peter Milner]

This is under the heading of, when I started out, I didn't know what I didn't know. After buying some s.s. bar and grinding some blades, I have some questions before I buy more:

What is the difference in the end product or ease of grind between hot rolled and cold rolled? Any?

Is is worth the 30% or more upcharge to get precision ground bars?

Just curious?

Thanks

 

[Dan Pierson]

Hot rolled will have more and harder scale which takes more time and belts to grind off.

IMHO, precision ground may not be worth the extra cost for fixed blades. It's very flat and even. This is good. When you start trying to finish sand it you'll notice that the nice even flats have about 60 grit scratches. Personally, I think that cold rolled is no harder to finish the flats on and a good deal cheaper.

Of course folders are a different story. There precision ground becomes a real advanatage.

 

[Peter Milner]

Thanks Dan. Cold rolled it is and since I don't do folders, I can save on the cost of precision ground

Peter