Different types of metal

H

Harleyd2900

Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
114
Hi I am very new to knife making. I am 16 and have been cutting designs out of flat steel with a torch, and then sharpening. My main problem is my low quality steel. I was wondering if there was a site that would list, and explain the different grades of metal.

My big problem right now is rust. I know I should use stainless but I don't think I have anything that will cut it. I have an access to machining equipment because of my father’s motorcycle shop. I was also wondering if anyone could give me tips on cutting higher quality steel.



*Thank you*
 
www.texasknife.com is where I buy all of my steel. You can get everything from simple carbon steel to expensive stainless steels there – all excellent cutlery steels. Working with stainless steels is really no different from working with carbon steels except you can't cut them with a torch (well, you can but it will ruin the steel). If you have access to a low-speed band saw then you can cut most any steel out there as long as you have the right blades ($10-$30). Some people here use a hacksaw to cut out the blade but doing that too much might make you quit.
On the other hand, maybe the problem is in your process. Most of us here use or have used carbon steels and rusting isn't a problem. I know I am not alone when I recomend you start with 01 toolsteel (available for as low as $7.95/foot) but if you really have your heart set on stainless steel then I recomend 440c (available for as low as $7.50/foot).
I also recomend David Boye's book "Step-by-step knifemaking: you can do it!". It was one of my first books and I still find the information in there to be invaluable. Lots of information about steel composition and metallurgy.
Welcome to the forums. I'm always happy to see young people getting into knifemaking.

- Chris
 
Harleyd, stick around bud! You will learn a lot here. :) All you need to do is keep asking questions and you'll be making great knives in no time.

If you don't have access to a low speed metal cutting bandsaw then a Sawzall with bimetal blade might work if you have the workpiece clamped very firmly in a vise.

Keep some WD40 on hand and wipe knives in progress from time to time. That may help a little with the rust. However, it's usually not a big deal to see a few surface rust spots on the steel while the knife is being made. It always happens after dipping in the quench pail. Some of these steels become more rust resistant after they are hardened and that is particularly true of the stainless steels such as 440C.

I would advise you to take some good shop classes and maybe some vocational school stuff if you can. There is so much to learn and you would do well to get some formal machine shop training. You might also see if you can get any local machinists to give you pointers. They often have surplus materials around too and can steer you to resources like the local heat treaters and such.

The main thing is to stay with it and keep trying. Your knives will improve rapidly if you just keep making them and asking questions. And don't forget, use the SEARCH feature! ;) Many things have been covered before and the forums are literally a gold mine of information.
 
Thank you a lot for your replies. About the band saw blade. How many teeth per/in., and what grade of material is the blade made out of. (If I were using O1 TOOLSTEEL what type of blade do you suggest?
 
By the way Hesparus I just ordered a copy of that book off of amazon.com. Thanks for the recommendation.
 
Harleyd2900 said:
Thank you a lot for your replies. About the band saw blade. How many teeth per/in., and what grade of material is the blade made out of. (If I were using O1 TOOLSTEEL what type of blade do you suggest?
Click to expand...
The general rule of thumb is to have at least three teeth engaging the steel at any time. So for example, 1/4" steel would do fine with 12 TPI. If you are using very thin steel - like maybe 1/16 inch for kitchen knives, the formula kind of falls apart. I've never had a problem with 18TPI. Bimetal is best - especially for stainless. By the way, you can also rough profile with a chop saw - connected drill holes - a metal cutting blade in a jigsaw - a thin wheel on a side grinder - a good laser :D ......

Many of us - maybe even most, made our first blade with no more power than an electric drill.

Lastly, heat treat is the soul of the blade. Enjoy the journey - and welcome.
 
if you cant wait for the 0-1 you can use old files(make sure there the old kind, the new files are usually case hardened crap), and leaf springs. this steel is hardened already so it can be snapped of with a hammer. but grind grooves on either side of the material where you want it to break, then snap it off with a hammer. this will work best with files, you should just cut through the leaf springs, because there so hard to snap! no kidding huh? there a spring who woulda thunk it?
do you have a forge or a belt grinder? do you know what heat treating is? a good book to get is "the $50 knife shop", i cant remember the author though. are you using an oxyacetlene torch to cut the steel? you probably not going to want to do that with 0-1. it decarbs the steel.
good luck, take you time, and stick with it! it really pays of in the end! im not in "the end" yet so i cant exactly be sure, but alot of the famous pros hanging around here seem to be having a good time!
 
Ya I have heard of doing that, but with stainless you need a really good set of drill bits. With other metals I can just torch them, or go and buy a band saw blade. However if the other stuff is out of reach I will probably use the "hole" method.
 
Unfortunately I haven't been able to get my hands on any leaf springs yet. I am pretty sure I am using an oxyacetylene torch to cut with. As for heat treating I do Heat up the knife to red hot and quench it in oil. I use a regular grinding wheel for starting the blade then I use the belt sander, (then a stone). I just ordered the book "Step-by-step knife making: you can do it!" and I hope it turns out ok.

Thanks for the tip about cutting the 01 steel. I'll make sure to use the band saw.
 
are you tempering or removing some of the hardness of the steel after you quench? since you are using mild steel it wont matter. once you start using high carbon steels it will matter alot. when you heat the steel red hot and quench, it will come out like glass, very hard, and very brittle. you need to remove some of the hardness to give it toughness. tempering is a trade off between toughness and hardness. for an axe you need to temper it alot, but for a straight razor, barely at all. this will all be explained in you knife book. before you start making you knife from the 0-1 make sure to read the book completely a few times to makes sure you have all the details. many times i have fallowed instructions without reading them fully first, and find out important steps that the writer thought good to save till the end. theres no such thing as over-reading a manual!
 
The book is Wayne Goddard's $50 knife shop by, you guessed it, Wayne Goddard. I haven't read it but a lot of guys here swear by it.
Stainless is a bit harder to drill than carbon steel but if you go slow and keep a drop of oil in the hole (add more when it evaporates) you will do just fine. I use normal steel drill bits but carbide is better (if you lubricate you might not notice the difference).

- Chris
 
you can find the $50 knifeshop book on ebay as well as a bunch of others fairly cheap... I have 3 inbound any day now...
 
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