Heat treated material.

C

COREY R

Joined
Jun 27, 2016
Messages
4
Does anyone know if or where you can buy pre heat treated blade steel. I am fairly new to knife making. I have a client that wants a knife built out of 440c stainless. However I don't want to use a blank that someone else has made. I am just trying to keep the cost down by not having it sent out after the knife is made. I will have a 2x72 belt grinder with variable speed set up when I start on this knife. Right now I'm just trying to get all of my ducks in a row. I have never ordered knife material before I have just used mainly farriers rasps, files and spring steel. Any suggestions or help is much appreciated. The knife is just a small drop point hunter with a cutting edge of about 4 inches. I fi take my time and keep the blade cool while I grind I shouldn't have any problem not ruining the temper right?
 
I have heard of people tempering down a file to a usable knife hardness, then grinding them into a knife. This is not something you should attempt with a first knife. Working with hardened steel is not easy, and you can easily ruin the temper.

Get a bar of annealed knife steel, and make your blade. Then send it off for heat treating. You'll spend a few dollars with the shipping and the heat treaters cost, but at least you will have a usable knife.

Read the stickies at the top of the shoptalk page. Lots of info in there.
 
I've never seen hardened bars of steel for sale. I think you have a couple of options. The first would be to buy a hardened blank, and re-shape it to the size/shape you want. The second option would be to buy a piece of 440C annealed, shape and grind your blade and then have someone heat treat it. The second method would be the best option. Trying to reshape/regrind a hardened blank is possible, but just one second of holding the blade to the grinder too long, and the temper is junk. Also the annealed steel will be much easier to work. Don't forget you will also need to drill holes in the handle, and it will be much easier in a soft blade.
 
Heat treating shouldn't add $15 to the cost of the knife.
 
COREY R said:
Does anyone know if or where you can buy pre heat treated blade steel. I am fairly new to knife making. I have a client that wants a knife built out of 440c stainless. However I don't want to use a blank that someone else has made. I am just trying to keep the cost down by not having it sent out after the knife is made. I will have a 2x72 belt grinder with variable speed set up when I start on this knife. Right now I'm just trying to get all of my ducks in a row. I have never ordered knife material before I have just used mainly farriers rasps, files and spring steel. Any suggestions or help is much appreciated. The knife is just a small drop point hunter with a cutting edge of about 4 inches. I fi take my time and keep the blade cool while I grind I shouldn't have any problem not ruining the temper right?
Click to expand...

Google this ................ planer knives ......... sorry :) I just read that you ask for 440C
 
Texas knife will heat treat 440c for 6.95 a blade. Just order some annealed 440c and send it out. If it was already heat treated you would have a very tough time shaping and drilling it.
 
Thank you all for the advice. I was trying to avoid sending it off for heat treat because I received a quote from a local place for about $200. He may have figured out I was new and didn't know much. I will now send it out knowing there is a better deal out there.
 
When you send it out be sure they use foil on that 440C and I recommend Cryo with Liquid Nitrogen as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top