Having trouble finding heat treat data

dogwood dan

dogwood dan

Joined
Aug 19, 2011
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I have a friend that I am making a knife for, he has an emotional attachment to a saw blade (dads tool, projects together so on) that he wants to be the blade. It is marked "Atkins silver steel tungsten" "1017-p high speed"

I have found bits and peaces of info about it being water quenched but not enough data to give me confidence to anneal and then temper the steel. If any one could point me in the correct direction and let me know that this is a fools around I would be thank full.

I work stock removal and have an electric kiln

thank you

Dan
 
WOW. Tough question to answer....for my feeble mind at least. First, as you know, saw blades can be a variety of material, from L6 to mild steel with carbide teeth. Of course, there is "Silver Steel" from across the pond, which is like W1 IIRC. Here is a PDF of Atkins saw company. Maybe some info in there??? http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/1647/5566.pdf

What kind of saw blade exactly? Circular?

If it indeed is Silver steel.....as in around .90% carbon a touch of Cr and very little Mn, I would treat it just like W1 or W2. Even if it has a touch of W (Tungsten)....use the same numbers. Personally....I would use known steel, but I understand the sentimental reasons.

Pretty cool PDF from that old company. You may have to play around with your heat treat. The label "Silver Steel Tungsten 1017-p high speed" is very confusing.
 
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If the steel (saw) has high sentimental value, spectroscope test wouldn't be a bad choice.
To make sure what is inside.

I am a bit worried, about that double marking, it might mean bimetal saw, which is not good for knifemaking.
But if we concentrate on Silver steel tungsten it might mean two things.

Either
silver steel - high quality carbon steel with Cr and V known as 1.2210
OR
silver steel as above + 1% tungsten - it is and old recipe for cold work steel
OR even it can be
diamond steel - similar steel as above but with 4% tungsten.

If we assume it is one of above steel, you should cut a few pilots (AND MARK THEM), harden them (covered in antiscaling agent) from 800°C up, in increments of 20°C, quench in brine (should be fast enough and would be safer for finished knife). Temper at 175°C, cut a small notch with diamond plate, and break with a hammer blow. Then observe the steel grain. If you notice larger steel at specific temperature, it means it is too high. If you have hardness testing files - look for softer pilots hardened in lower temperatures.

Of course, if it is completely different steel - some high speed kind - it will not work.
 
IIRC from the PDF, Atkins had a few different labels. Silver Steel being one. Diamond Steel being another. The label has me confused as well, with the 1017 mark. It could be a bi-metal blade for sure.
 
I will get a picture of the blade tomorrow and post it. I was thinking it was to old to be bimetal but i am learning that there are a lot of thing I do not know. Thank y'all for the Atkins info and the help.

fortunately I have prepared him for the "it is not practical" situation
 
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