Can we use aluminum for a knife prupose?

A

AntoineJackson

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Aug 22, 2016
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Hi

As we know that Aluminum is a soft metal that can deform easily and has low plasticity and melting temperatures. It is used in all types of home and industrial purpose. It also cannot hold an edge like steel, steel alloys and many ceramics can. So my question is can we use aluminum for a knife purpose?
 
I think you answered your own question. Its not good for blades. Great for handles.
 
Pure Aluminum or Duraluminum?
I'd prefer the latter. Are they a good choice? No, but it is possible. Aluminum is probably better than wood and thinking about it I got an Aluminum Kukri. It has no edge and is great for training.
 
AntoineJackson said:
Hi

As we know that Aluminum is a soft metal that can deform easily and has low plasticity and melting temperatures. It is used in all types of home and industrial purpose. It also cannot hold an edge like steel, steel alloys and many ceramics can. So my question is can we use aluminum for a knife purpose?
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Why do you ask?
 
I doubt it would hold an edge for very long. Maybe as a blade material for throwaway or single-use knives.
 
I think duraluminum might actually work for a blade steel.

Mugen Honda used to offer aftermarket parts in duraluminum like wheels for the older NSX and other Hondas. I owned a set and they were the most awesome rims ever.. to date. Metal was awesome, the titanium of that era. Incredibly light, incredibly strong, super resistant and beautiful looking a lot like titanium with that purple hue. The edges on some portions were fairly sharp. They also had pedals that had some sort of duraluminum mesh insert for a footpad. That was sharp and stayed sharp even today.

Loved those wheels. Mugen M7.
 
I wouldn't even try duraluminum. If you're going to put the time and effort into making a knife, make it right with a material that will work long term.
 
Welcome.

No.

Or else someone would have done it. No doubt it has been tried unsuccessfully many times.
 
...Maybe for liners, although that might not be strong enough vs the thickness required for stability. Aluminum would be great for making a carrying case... It dents and scratches easily, and there is NO way that I would use it for grips...
 
I have some old (1940s?) Sabatier kitchen knives that feature aluminum bolsters. These were 'look-a-like' versions of their quality line of fully forged steel knives, but at half the price.
 
Blues Bender said:
Yep, along with many Microtechs, Rocksteads, and many others.

I kinda like aluminum. Titanium is overrated (but great!):D
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Agreed.

I bet a ton of people who think Aluminum is useless in any knife application love the 940 or knives you mentioned above not knowing what the handles are made of....

It's like any other material, done right, it works very well.

If a 940 all of a sudden had Ti Handles coated green, I wonder if anyone would even notice (minus the weight difference)
 
"Duralumin" is an obsolete term.

2024 T-6, which is one of the modern alloys used in place of the old Duralumin, is too soft to be measured using the Rockwell C scale.

Aluminum cutting blade? not a happening thing.
Aluminum stabbing blade? could be done.
Aluminum handles? yes.
 
Other than handles I don't see any use for aluminum in a knife. As a blade it would be worthless, as a liner you're looking at having steel up against it, and when you have steel and aluminum together you get lots of corrosion.
 
Makes a fantastic handle
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During the Chalcolithic period (sort of a transition between Stone and Bronze Ages) people used copper knives. I think it's quite likely that the copper blades were primarily stabbers (daggers, spearheads, arrowheads) and that stone blades still did a lot of the cutting. So, I agree with knarfeng. For a stabber aluminum would work fine, but for cutting stuff I'd go with a cutlery grade steel.
 
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