Determining steel type just by looking at them?

[Titan]

Here in the Philippines most local blades are sold by smiths using, presumably, car spring, train rail or ball bearing steel. How can I be sure of this if I don't have the proper equipment to analyze them?

 

[Cougar Allen]

Fat chance! You might guess a well-made, well-finished knife probably wasn't made of mild steel, but you can't tell one steel from another by looking at it. If they'll let you try sharpening it you could get a feeling of how hard a blade is in just a few strokes, but I don't suppose they'll let you, and I can't blame them; for all they know you might scratch the blade all to heck.

All I can suggest is to ask for a money-back guarantee.

-Cougar Allen :{)

 

[Dannyc]

Titan, I'm also searching for some info regarding the steels used here in our country. Short of talking to the DPWH, I too am stumped as to what type of steel they use here.

Anyway, I'm currently making a simple knife of my own (hah! thought I wouldn't venture to that, huh?).. I just acquired a couple of bearings for trucks! I'll have them turning into a single stock pretty soon, let's see how well we can go for this knife-making thingy.. hehehehe...

If it fails, I'll always end up with a lump of metal that I can throw at the dogs down the street, who always seem to want to take a bite out of me, for whatever reason!

Dan

 

[Titan]

Cougar -- I paid only $9 for my first fighter-survival knife. The seller said it was made of ball bearing steel, bu I don't have any way of knowing. As a demo, he whacked the blade on a tool steel and nothing happened to the blade! I was convinced that it was made of a hard steel. Anyway, I figured that I can chop off (can I say that here

) an arm with my fighter!

Danny -- way to go bro! I would like to be your first customer, but a Cougar advised I will be asking for a money-back guarantee from you!