cutting high carbon steel tang

[Daniel Koster]

What kind of hacksaw do I need to cut a high carbon steel tang? (already HT)

I've gone through 2 already...

 

[TANGUS]

why not use a cut-off wheel, keeping the remainder cool to prevent overheating?

 

[Daniel Koster]

oops. forgot to mention: I'm building this knife entirely by hand tools. No machines, etc. I've got everything else ready, just can't find what I need to cut the tang.

 

[Bart student]

Well ya need something to cut hardened steel by hand.. tough one.

You know those round wolfram-carbide wire saw you can use for glass and stuff? They're pretty cheap, and they do saw Hardened steel, but at a terribly slow rate and you'll waste a lot of them saws.
Good for you, they are cheap.. but it's a trade off.. the regular bi-metal hacksaw VS these wolfram carbide saw.. they are about the same length, and at High rockwells the carbide saw winns, but at lower rockwell you'll be better of using the bi-metal.. and even then you'll waste a lot of them.

Give them all a try, see which last the longest / make the longest cut. Then decide which is best for you based on cost and start sawing... I hope you have lots of patience

If I were you, I'd reharden the blade and cut the tang while it's soft.

Or leave the tang and flatten it with stones make a full tang

Greetz and take care, Bart.

 

[fitzo]

Has the tang been backtempered with a torch? Protecting the blade by coating with heat paste (welding supply house) or suspending in water then softening progressing from a blue at ricasso end to silver at the butt should allow you to cut it with a good bimetal hacksaw blade. If you haven't done this before, it works best to heat the butt end and work the color forward. If this is something you already know, then sorry for wasting your time.

 

[B . Buxton]

I would do as fitz says, and put the blade in water to the plunge cut and heat the tang ,bring the tang to dull red and let air cool, the water should keep the ricasso area cooler as the water will absorb the heat but still let it go to a deep blue. The tang then should be easily cut and or drilled. Good luck

Bill

 

[rlinger]

You say it is all by hand. For hardened steel I use my Dremel Tool with cutting disks - but then that is a machine. That's all I can say that might help.

RL

 

[Pentlatch]

How about scoring the tang where you want it cut then put it in a vice and whack it with a hammer ?