diamond tip concrete blade?

I

iowashtr23

Joined
Apr 19, 2009
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57
Does anyone know where i can find out what a newer diamond tip concrete blade is made out of? Is it L6 or 10x or ??? They throw them away at work all the time was wondering if it is good knife steel or not?
 
It's neither....those blades are generally made out of a softer/tougher alloy, in many cases the blades are 4140. It's difficult to say exactly because there are so many different brands, but they are not good "knife steel".
 
okay i was wondering hated to see good steel bein thrown away. Do you know how far back in saw blades you need to go to get into good knife steel? i know of a estate sale this weekend and it has a old saw mill on it with huge blades there. My Dad told me that saw mill ran back in the 20's and 30's is what my Grandpa said.??
 
I was actually just wondering the same thing, a friend just gave me a Hilti concrete drill bit made about 5 or 6 years ago. The new ones say tungsten carbide tip but is the rest just plain steel?
 
There is no set time period that you can go back to and say "This item is made of XXXX". Over the past two decades, industry has been all about meeting "spec", and whatever will meet that spec in the cheapest manner is what they do. Without having the material tested, your only guessing at what it is.
 
Saw mill blades are great, concrete ones are not.

Irwin circular saw blades are also good.

Richard
 
Any blade that has brazed on carbide teeth or diamond or other abrasive on the cutting edges is unlikely to make a really good knife. The requirements of the steel body on these types of blades is for toughness, resistance to warping, and cheap and easy manufacture. Wear resistance is not a consideration so the steels are not chosen for this specifically.
Older blades with the teeth formed directly from the body of the blade are more likely to be a decent steel for knives but if you use recycled materials you have to be prepared for surprises and mystery steel.
 
I understand that about saw blades but are drill bits the same? Wouldnt they require some torsion resistance as well as toughness? Don't get me wrong, I am still going to play with it to see what I can do but I dont expect anything fantastic from it. :-)
 
I've said it many time...and most every maker who has more than 100 blades across his anvil will tell you the same..........
Forget unknown steel and use a known material....preferrably new stock from a supplier.

When you have enough skill to decide whether a found item will work...you won't have to ask.
 
The same thing applies to masonry drill bits, the steel has a brazed on carbide tip and the body is probably something similar to 4130-4140. They want it tough and cheap and unless you have it tested you will never know what it is and I would not waste my valuable time beating on a piece of steel that might make a good knife, I would rather buy some known steel, "which is cheap by the way" and know what I am forging and can heat treat it properly. You can buy quality steel like 1095, 5160, 1084, 1080, W2 and many other for $3.00 - $4.50 a pound, just MHO.
 
Mike Turner said:
The same thing applies to masonry drill bits, the steel has a brazed on carbide tip and the body is probably something similar to 4130-4140. They want it tough and cheap and unless you have it tested you will never know what it is and I would not waste my valuable time beating on a piece of steel that might make a good knife, I would rather buy some known steel, "which is cheap by the way" and know what I am forging and can heat treat it properly. You can buy quality steel like 1095, 5160, 1084, 1080, W2 and many other for $3.00 - $4.50 a pound, just MHO.
Click to expand...

Last masonry drill bit I bought was made from tinned Copper! Bosch Drill bit!
 
I have lots of O1, I just wanted to know if anyone had an idea what it was made from.
 
I had a brand analyzed (I get used granite cutting blades by the dozen every few weeks)... they had very little carbon (.283 I think, analysis is filed around here somewhere), some chromium, nickel, manganese. It hardens in water but without a rockwell tester I couldn't tell you how hard. I use them as washers for bolting parts of houses back together, pads for motorcycle parking on soft surfaces, and was thinking of making a weight set... future stock for pattern welding! There is diamond left on them; you might knock the teeth off and use them in a tumble polisher!
 
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