farm store steel

schmittie

schmittie

Joined
Nov 28, 2009
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Well, today I went around town and went steel shopping. The specialty suppliers that I thought for sure would have some kind of carbon steel didn't have anything. One place had A-1 but only in sheet form. But at the farm store there was lots of stock steel in different sizes and lengths. Only problem with that was I don't know what kind of steel. No one else did either. It's Stanley steel, with the only descriptions being heat rolled steel or plain steel. What does that mean? Sounds like it's not good for a knife. I guess I'm back to ordering on the web......
 
Hot roll is usually A36 structural steel, which is defined by strength rather than composition. "Plain" steel is often 1018.
 
You got it. Not knifemaking material.
"Hot-rolled" is usually A36, a designation that's short for "All thirty six different pieces of scrap that the yard sent us and we melted them together." ;)


For buying from a brick-and-mortar, I think most people will agree it's tough to do. Near my old home in Jackson, MI, in the heart of the Rust Belt, there was an "Alro Metals Plus", a retail store that pretty much just sold metal (plus some plastics, plus some tools, but basically just metal)... even THEY only stocked O1, A2, and D2. No simple carbon steels at all.

As far as I can tell, virtually everybody on Bladeforums buys their steel online. It's the only way to go. :(
 
you could try machine shops or tool and die shops in your area...alot of times they will have some tool steel on hand
 
Even here in the heart of Pennsylvania it's hard to find carbon steels.
Plenty of tool steels but you have to purchase in bulk. Everything else seems to be structural junk.
Online is the way to go for individual pieces and small orders.
 
I have found some good 'brick and morter" buys at steel supply houses. Many do not normally inventory high carbon steel but have a old inventory of O1, A2, D2 and some stainless left over from past orders. You can get this pretty cheap and its marked and/or in orginal packaging.
 
MSCantrell said:
You got it. Not knifemaking material.
"Hot-rolled" is usually A36, a designation that's short for "All thirty six different pieces of scrap that the yard sent us and we melted them together." ;)


For buying from a brick-and-mortar, I think most people will agree it's tough to do. Near my old home in Jackson, MI, in the heart of the Rust Belt, there was an "Alro Metals Plus", a retail store that pretty much just sold metal (plus some plastics, plus some tools, but basically just metal)... even THEY only stocked O1, A2, and D2. No simple carbon steels at all.

As far as I can tell, virtually everybody on Bladeforums buys their steel online. It's the only way to go. :(
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The Alro Metals, and also their plastics division in Jackson is about 20min from my house;)
 
If you have a local Fastenal they can order in O1 in about 12 pages worth of sizes. They're prices are good too.

Charlie
 
Thanks for the tips. I'll order steel next time. But I wasn't totally without any options. I did buy a big ass file and it's cooling now from the bonfire I stuck it. So the day wasn't a loss after all. I'm planning on making something simple with it, something like TOPS Hoffman Harpoon. I just hope the knife turns out as good as the brats did tonight!
 
Just because it's a file doesn't mean it's good steel all the way through. Many of the files imported from China or India are basically crap steel with a hardened surface. If you got a Nicholson it should be 1095, but pretty much anything else could be a toss up.
 
schmittie said:
Thanks for the tips. I'll order steel next time. But I wasn't totally without any options. I did buy a big ass file and it's cooling now from the bonfire I stuck it. So the day wasn't a loss after all. I'm planning on making something simple with it, something like TOPS Hoffman Harpoon. I just hope the knife turns out as good as the brats did tonight!
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If you're willing to with steel where somebody can't tell you for absolute certain what it is, then you've got all kinds of options at junkyards and flea markets.

Springs (leaf or coil) and made-in-usa files are a pretty safe bet. :thumbup:
 
NStricker said:
Just because it's a file doesn't mean it's good steel all the way through. Many of the files imported from China or India are basically crap steel with a hardened surface. If you got a Nicholson it should be 1095, but pretty much anything else could be a toss up.
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Thanks a lot NStricker! I just looked at my big ass file and noticed that its made in crap or India or however you say it!! Dang it! The whole day was a waste!!!!!!!!!!! (except for the brats, the fire was good for that)
 
12345678910 said:
...so you cooked your children?

won't your wife have something to say about that?

I'm all for discipline, but wow aren't there limits?
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Hmm. Maybe that explains why it was so quiet this morning....?
 
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If you forge , most all Fastenal stores keep O-1 drill rod in stock in a bunch of different sizez. A lot of welding supply places carry drill rod as well, in either W-1 or O-1.
 
You already had fire and brats, you were only misssing one of the 3 staples of life....Frosty, malted, amber colored, hop-filled libations. That's right BEER:D:D:D Nectar of the gods! Go get a 30 pack and it'll be fine in a bit!
Matt
 
mdoyle said:
You already had fire and brats, you were only misssing one of the 3 staples of life....Frosty, malted, amber colored, hop-filled libations. That's right BEER:D:D:D Nectar of the gods! Go get a 30 pack and it'll be fine in a bit!
Matt
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Sorry mdoyle, I've found out the hard way that I gotta stay away from beer. Makes my knee hurt.....I know, sounds weird. But whiskey? Now you're talking!
 
This just occurred to me last night - would a pry bar be good steel to use for knife making? A flat bar pry bar I mean. Or is that as bad of an idea as a file from China?
 
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